Densho Digital Archive
Densho Visual History Collection
Title: Arthur Ogami Interview
Narrator: Arthur Ogami
Interviewer: Alice Ito
Location: Seattle, Washington
Date: March 10, 2004
Densho ID: denshovh-oarthur-01-0007

<Begin Segment 7>

AI: Well, before we get into the war years, let me ask you just a little bit more about Whittier High School. I'm wondering, in high school, were there very many other Japanese Americans, or other ethnic minorities beside yourself?

AO: Yes, there were some minorities. There was two Koreans, Florence Pak. There was one or two Chinese. Their last name was Wu. I remember Jimmy Wu. And I believe the girl was Helen Wu. Very few blacks, I don't remember any black students. There were a few Japanese. They came from their farm in Blue Hill and they would drive. They had, they had money enough to buy automobiles. And I remember one of 'em, the Nishio family. They were quite wealthy and they had this huge Chrysler Air Flow. They were rounded on the front and rounded on the back so you couldn't tell whether it was going forward or backwards. And I remember riding with them in that car. And, but, I still remember that they, the family. I did meet one of the Nishio brothers, lived in Pasadena. I did meet him. And I did meet Roy Nishio, which was the, one of the older brothers.

AI: Well, I was wondering, while you were at Whittier High School, did you ever feel prejudice against you because you were Japanese American?

AO: I didn't feel that. No. There was no prejudice at any time.

AI: So really, as you were growing up, you didn't face too much direct discrimination?

AO: No.

<End Segment 7> - Copyright © 2004 Densho. All Rights Reserved.