May K. Sasaki Segment 22

Father's disappointment upon news of birth (ddr-densho-1000-79-1) - 00:02:18
Growing up living above family's grocery store (ddr-densho-1000-79-2) - 00:02:48
An unusual immigration story: parents leaving sons and daughters behind (ddr-densho-1000-79-3) - 00:06:31
Description of siblings (ddr-densho-1000-79-4) - 00:02:47
The community as an "extended family" (ddr-densho-1000-79-5) - 00:01:36
Father's difficulty with discrimination in the retail business (ddr-densho-1000-79-6) - 00:02:29
Memories of a robbery at family's retail store (ddr-densho-1000-79-7) - 00:02:26
Attending Maryknoll Catholic School in prewar Seattle (ddr-densho-1000-79-8) - 00:02:34
A six-year-old's perspective on Pearl Harbor, sensing the adults' anxiety (ddr-densho-1000-79-9) - 00:01:59
Father's arrest by the FBI following Pearl Harbor (ddr-densho-1000-79-10) - 00:05:05
Hearing about mass removal from older children (ddr-densho-1000-79-11) - 00:01:53
Preparing for mass removal: a child's naivete (ddr-densho-1000-79-12) - 00:02:11
A child's "evacuation day" memories: armed soldiers (ddr-densho-1000-79-13) - 00:01:39
Animal smells and painful inoculations: childhood memories of Puyallup Assembly Center (ddr-densho-1000-79-14) - 00:02:48
Feeling like a "caged animal" in Puyallup Assembly Center (ddr-densho-1000-79-15) - 00:02:49
The train ride to Minidoka; memories of physical setting, windstorms (ddr-densho-1000-79-16) - 00:02:33
A child's perspective of camp: "You just accepted things that happened" (ddr-densho-1000-79-17) - 00:02:12
Breakdown of family structure in camp (ddr-densho-1000-79-18) - 00:03:51
The changing roles of Issei and Nisei in incarceration camps (ddr-densho-1000-79-19) - 00:02:33
Effect of camp on brother (ddr-densho-1000-79-20) - 00:01:51
Attending school in camp (ddr-densho-1000-79-21) - 00:02:05
Reciting the "Pledge of Allegiance" in camp (ddr-densho-1000-79-22) - 00:03:15
Feeling ashamed of being Japanese American: changing name from "Kimiko" to "May" (ddr-densho-1000-79-23) - 00:02:51
Activities for children in camp: music, field trips (ddr-densho-1000-79-24) - 00:03:16
Being called a "Jap": shame and loss of identity (ddr-densho-1000-79-25) - 00:03:05
Returning to Seattle, finding temporary living quarters in the local "dojo" (ddr-densho-1000-79-26) - 00:03:27
Returning to find home sold (ddr-densho-1000-79-27) - 00:04:42
Issei adjustment to life following World War II (ddr-densho-1000-79-28) - 00:02:28
Feeling limited in career choices as a Japanese American woman (ddr-densho-1000-79-29) - 00:02:32
Being Japanese: from shame to cultural pride (ddr-densho-1000-79-30) - 00:03:16
Becoming involved in the movement toward multicultural education (ddr-densho-1000-79-31) - 00:02:05
Explaining "the camps" to the next generation (ddr-densho-1000-79-32) - 00:06:39
Father's attitude toward U.S. citizenship after the war (ddr-densho-1000-79-33) - 00:02:56
Involvement with the Japanese American Citizens League (ddr-densho-1000-79-34) - 00:03:09
Attitude toward redress: no price on freedom (ddr-densho-1000-79-35) - 00:03:19
Thoughts on the JACL's "no-no" boy resolution: "a time to heal wounds for everybody" (ddr-densho-1000-79-36) - 00:03:06
Current feelings about Japanese American identity (ddr-densho-1000-79-37) - 00:04:10
Revisiting Minidoka concentration camp (ddr-densho-1000-79-38) - 00:05:23
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ddr-densho-1000-79-22 (Legacy UID: denshovh-smay-01-0022)

Reciting the "Pledge of Allegiance" in camp

00:03:15 — Segment 22 of 38

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October 28, 1997

Densho Visual History Collection

Densho

Courtesy of Densho

ddr-densho-1000-79

May K. Sasaki

May K. Sasaki Interview

01:56:37 — 38 segments

October 28, 1997

Seattle, Washington

Nisei female. Born May 31, 1935, in Seattle, Washington. Spent prewar years in Seattle's Nihonmachi, or Japantown. Incarcerated as child at Puyallup Assembly Center, Washington, and Minidoka concentration camp, Idaho. Resettled in Seattle. In her interview, discusses issues of shame and loss of Japanese American identity as a result of incarceration.

Lori Hoshino, interviewer; Alice Ito, interviewer; Matt Emery, videographer

Densho

Courtesy of Densho

API