Hiroshi Kashiwagi Interview Segment 27

Parents' family background: mother came to join father in California as a "picture bride" (ddr-densho-1000-165-1) - 00:09:10
Memories of elementary school; nearly going to live in Japan as a child (ddr-densho-1000-165-2) - 00:03:43
Early memories of the difficulty of learning English (ddr-densho-1000-165-3) - 00:04:12
Observing race and class divisions in grammar school (ddr-densho-1000-165-4) - 00:05:41
Memories of growing up in the 1930s: helping with family store during the Great Depression; father's battle with tuberculosis (ddr-densho-1000-165-5) - 00:07:46
Father's role within the Japanese American community (ddr-densho-1000-165-6) - 00:05:11
Attending Japanese school as a child; learning Japanese from father (ddr-densho-1000-165-7) - 00:06:52
Feeling racially out of place growing up: "We always had to be careful, 'know our place'" (ddr-densho-1000-165-8) - 00:07:07
(ddr-densho-1000-165-9) - 00:02:17
Living in Los Angeles, California, for senior year in high school, working as a houseboy and dealing with prejudice (ddr-densho-1000-165-10) - 00:06:40
(ddr-densho-1000-165-11) - 00:01:49
Coping with the aftermath of Pearl Harbor: considering "voluntary evacuation," disposing of belongings (ddr-densho-1000-165-12) - 00:09:23
Memories of the Arboga, or Marysville Assembly Center: participating in activities (ddr-densho-1000-165-13) - 00:03:03
Assigned as train monitor on the trip to Tule Lake (ddr-densho-1000-165-14) - 00:02:22
Activities in camp: acting in plays with a theater group, participating in a writers' group (ddr-densho-1000-165-15) - 00:09:36
Reaction to the so-called "loyalty questionnaire": making the decision to resist the draft (ddr-densho-1000-165-16) - 00:07:50
Witnessing tension and conflict between "yes-yeses" and "no-nos" in Tule Lake (ddr-densho-1000-165-17) - 00:05:43
Experiencing changes as Tule Lake was converted into a "segregation center" (ddr-densho-1000-165-18) - 00:04:40
Memories of turmoil and violence in Tule Lake: work stoppage, martial law (ddr-densho-1000-165-19) - 00:04:27
Dealing with the pro-Japan atmosphere in Tule Lake: trying to remain inconspicuous by not acting "too American" (ddr-densho-1000-165-20) - 00:04:23
Complying with family's decision to renounce U.S. citizenship (ddr-densho-1000-165-21) - 00:04:32
Renouncing U.S. citizenship: "I had a funny feeling that I had done something, something wrong" (ddr-densho-1000-165-22) - 00:04:15
Working to reverse decision to renounce citizenship: working with Wayne Collins, helping form the Tule Lake Defense Committee (ddr-densho-1000-165-23) - 00:08:21
Leaving camp and attending Los Angeles City College (ddr-densho-1000-165-24) - 00:04:38
Attending UCLA after World War II (ddr-densho-1000-165-25) - 00:08:59
While in school, writing first play, based on a postwar experience, and seeing it performed (ddr-densho-1000-165-26) - 00:11:36
Writing another play, Laughter and False Teeth about the moral breakdown and corruption of the camp society (ddr-densho-1000-165-27) - 00:05:00
Writing a play about the so-called "loyalty questionnaire" issue (ddr-densho-1000-165-28) - 00:02:16
Getting married in the 1950s (ddr-densho-1000-165-29) - 00:07:33
Description of children (ddr-densho-1000-165-30) - 00:07:45
Working for the San Francisco public library: a challenging and enjoyable job (ddr-densho-1000-165-31) - 00:10:19
Acting with Asian American theater groups (ddr-densho-1000-165-32) - 00:09:05
Testifying before the Commission on Wartime Relocation and Internment of Civilians (ddr-densho-1000-165-33) - 00:03:15
Attending Tule Lake pilgrimages in the 1970s: writing and presenting a poem about camp (ddr-densho-1000-165-34) - 00:03:50
Reflections: speaking for the first time about resister and renunciation experiences (ddr-densho-1000-165-35) - 00:05:03
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ddr-densho-1000-165-27 (Legacy UID: denshovh-khiroshi-02-0027)

Writing another play, Laughter and False Teeth about the moral breakdown and corruption of the camp society

00:05:00 — Segment 27 of 35

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July 3, 2004

Densho Visual History Collection

Densho

Courtesy of Densho

ddr-densho-1000-165

Hiroshi Kashiwagi

Hiroshi Kashiwagi Interview

03:28:22 — 35 segments

July 3, 2004

Klamath Falls, Oregon

Nisei male. Born November 8, 1922, in Sacramento, California. Spent childhood and adolescence in Loomis, California, before spending senior year in high school in Los Angeles, California. After the bombing of Pearl Harbor, removed to Marysville Assembly Center, California, and then to Tule Lake concentration camp, California. Resisted the draft and renounced U.S. citizenship, remaining with family in Tule Lake when it was designated a "segregation center." Left camp to attend college in California. Working with Wayne Collins after World War II, was able to get U.S. citizenship reinstated in the 1950s. Worked for the San Francisco public library post-World War II. A playwright and actor, Mr. Kashiwagi has performed in many stage productions and has written several plays, including Laughter and False Teeth and Betrayed.

Alice Ito, interviewer; Steve Colgrove, videographer

Densho

Courtesy of Densho

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