Densho Digital Archive
Densho Visual History Collection
Title: Chizuko Norton Interview
Narrator: Chizuko Norton
Interviewer: Alice Ito
Location: Seattle, Washington
Date: April 27, 1998
Densho ID: denshovh-nchizuko-01-0029

<Begin Segment 29>

CN: And I should stop right here and say to you, you asked me about some of the community feelings and community activities and all. I forgot to tell you that we had lots of parties. Whenever they'd get a shipment of eggs, we would urge the cooks to set aside at least a dozen hard boiled eggs so that we could make egg salad sandwiches. So we did have -- and I know we ate more than the egg salad sandwiches, but that's all I can remember. [Laughs]

AI: So, again, a strange combination of some festive times, some happy times, and yet some really heart-wrenching times, too.

CN: Yeah, it was really... I will never forget this little boy walking around with all those diapers on him. But, anyway, those were, it was a very difficult time. In fact, the farmers went on strike, too.

AI: Can you tell me about that?

CN: Well, I don't remember what, what the issue was, but I do remember that we were all urged to go work on the farms, so my friends and I did go. We went to dig, well, pick up, I guess, not apples, but potatoes. And I thought it was lots of fun.

AI: So these were the farms that were actually worked by the Tule Lake inmates. And that at one point, I think I did read that the farmers had gone on strike.

CN: Yeah. As I say, I don't remember what the issue was. I think it had to do with food and maybe...

AI: Maybe the quality of the food that you received as compared to the effort that they were putting into the farm labor.

CN: Maybe, maybe so. I'm sorry that I don't remember 'cause I'm sure that was all written up.

AI: And I think you mentioned there were also, that you had heard that you were going -- not you, but the camp was going to be featured on newsreel?

CN: Yes, with all the demonstrations as well as -- well, not just the demonstrations. Well, I think a couple people were murdered and people were being hit over the head, the demonstrators against those who weren't demonstrating. And so we were, Mr. Best slapped a curfew on us, and so all the more, the chaos and fighting broke out. And we were informed that the newsreel people were at Tule Lake filming all this and that we did -- we were on, on the newsreel. You know, years ago when you go to a movie, they would run ads on what the new films would be, and then you would always have a newsreel of all the up-to-date news. And I guess we were on and I'm sure we were. We, I remember getting a letter from a friend who had left the camp saying, "What's the matter with you people?" And, "Are you people safe?" Because it made it sound as if all of us were in this turmoil. Well, we were, but not physically.

AI: So in those days, being on the newsreel was a very major exposure nationwide.

CN: Yes, it was and certainly nothing to be proud of. And it was during this time, during when we were, the curfew was instituted that it was New Year's Eve, that we were told because it was New Year's Eve, we would be able to stay out until midnight. My two friends and I thought it would be lots of fun to jump around in the snow that was... and there was lots of snow in Tule Lake, and there was just huge amounts of it along the barb-wire fence. And so, forgetting that we shouldn't get so close, we were jumping and stomping around when the MPs came and picked us up. And really we had to go before -- I was going to say the magistrate -- whoever the soldier was. He sat at a table at one side and the three of us were being interrogated as we sat on the other side. And we kept saying, "But Mr. Best said it was all right, that we would get to stay out until midnight." Well, he did not believe us. And there were two guards or soldiers with bayonets on either side of him, and we were quite intimidated. Anyway, we were released, (after) they found out that we were indeed telling the truth. And what really got us mad was not that we were picked up, but he didn't even have the courtesy to apologize. So the feelings, even on our level, was almost as if every little thing seemed to point out that the management of the camp was really lacking in...

AI: It sounds, it sounds quite oppressive and repressive at every level, and for almost every aspect of your life.

CN: It was. It was very bad.

<End Segment 29> - Copyright © 1998 Densho. All Rights Reserved.