Densho Digital Archive
Emiko and Chizuko Omori Collection
Title: Hisaye Yamamoto Interview
Narrator: Hisaye Yamamoto
Interviewers: Chizu Omori (primary); Emiko Omori (secondary)
Location: San Francisco, California
Date: March 21, 1994
Densho ID: denshovh-yhisaye-01-0005

<Begin Segment 5>

CO: Tell us what the JACL is, first, or what you remember that it was.

HY: Well, I didn't have that much connection with the JACL, which is an acronym for the Japanese American Citizens League. But I remember that there must have been members in, in that community because one of the young ladies came over and asked me to sign a petition which was going to be sent to the president of the United States. And this stated that we would, we were willingly going to camp as part of our contribution to the war effort. And when she told me, asked me to sign it, I said, "No, I'm not going to sign such a thing." You know, I was really indignant. But then she kind of recoiled because you don't talk to your fellow Nisei that way, you know. I mean, you're supposed to get along with them, so I don't know whether I was sorry I offended her and signed it anyway or not. But I hope I didn't, you know. [Laughs] And I don't know who else on the mesa signed it, but...

CO: Well, then it was becoming clear that something was going to happen to all of us.

HY: Oh, yeah. Well, this was after the evacuation orders were posted, I believe.

<End Segment 5> - Copyright © 1994, 2003 Densho and Emiko Omori. All Rights Reserved.