Sumi Okamoto Interview Segment 11

Family background; description of siblings (ddr-densho-1000-192-1) - 00:03:40
Father's early employment, working for the Alaska Junk Company (ddr-densho-1000-192-2) - 00:02:00
Memories of Japanese language school: "It was very strict" (ddr-densho-1000-192-3) - 00:03:27
Description of childhood neighborhood (ddr-densho-1000-192-4) - 00:03:20
Childhood memories: holidays, foods (ddr-densho-1000-192-5) - 00:03:45
Memories of prewar Methodist church (ddr-densho-1000-192-6) - 00:05:22
Childhood recollections of grade school, neighborhood (ddr-densho-1000-192-7) - 00:05:11
Visiting Seattle as a child; taking piano lessons (ddr-densho-1000-192-8) - 00:04:58
High school memories, social activities (ddr-densho-1000-192-9) - 00:06:10
Meeting future husband, description of his family (ddr-densho-1000-192-10) - 00:04:15
Wedding day: December 7, 1941 (ddr-densho-1000-192-11) - 00:07:25
Aftermath of Pearl Harbor: travel restrictions, friction with Chinese community (ddr-densho-1000-192-12) - 00:05:20
Description of "newcomers," Japanese Americans moving to Spokane after incarceration (ddr-densho-1000-192-13) - 00:04:10
Receiving support from non-Japanese Americans (ddr-densho-1000-192-14) - 00:02:28
Tragic loss of husband due to illness (ddr-densho-1000-192-15) - 00:04:56
Attending secretarial school after husband's passing, raising three small children (ddr-densho-1000-192-16) - 00:03:34
Working for the State of Washington postwar (ddr-densho-1000-192-17) - 00:02:36
Thoughts on evolution of Spokane's Methodist church (ddr-densho-1000-192-18) - 00:04:01
Influence of Issei generation on current traditions: learning how to cook Japanese foods (ddr-densho-1000-192-19) - 00:05:30
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ddr-densho-1000-192-11 (Legacy UID: denshovh-osumi-01-0011)

Wedding day: December 7, 1941

This interview was conducted as part of a project to capture stories of the Japanese American community of Spokane, Washington. Densho worked in collaboration with the Northwest Museum of Arts and Culture.

00:07:25 — Segment 11 of 19

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April 26, 2006

Densho Visual History Collection

Densho

Courtesy of Densho

ddr-densho-1000-192

Sumi Okamoto

Sumi Okamoto Interview

01:22:08 — 19 segments

April 26, 2006

Spokane, Washington

Nisei female. Born January 7, 1920, in Seattle, Washington. Spent childhood in Spokane, Washington, where father worked for the Alaska Junk Company. Attended Irving Grade School and Lewis & Clark High School. Wedding took place on December 7, 1941, the day of Japan's attack on Pearl Harbor. Husband passed away in 1946, and Ms. Okamoto worked as a secretary for the State of Washington while raising three children. In later life, active with the Highland Park Methodist Church where she had been the organist since 1934.

(This interview was conducted as part of a project to capture stories of the Japanese American community of Spokane, Washington. Densho worked in collaboration with the Northwest Museum of Arts and Culture.)

Megan Asaka, interviewer; Dana Hoshide, videographer

Densho

Courtesy of Densho

API