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RP: This is an oral interview for the Manzanar National Historic Site. This morning we're talking with Doris Taketa and our interview is taking place at Main Street Station in Las Vegas, Nevada. The date of our interview is August 10, 2010, the videographer is Mark Hatchmann and Joanna is recording notes. Your last name Joanna?

JB: Blial.

RP: Blial. And Richard Potashin is the interviewer. We'll be talking with Doris about her experiences as a former internee at the Fresno Assembly Center, the Jerome War Relocation Center, and the Rohwer War Relocation Center and framing our discussion with her experiences before and after World War II. Our interview will be archived in the Park's Library, and Doris, do I have your permission to go ahead and continue our interview?

DT: Sure.

RP: Thank you very much for -- time today.

DT: My pleasure.

RP: To come up and share your family history with us. First of all can you give us your date of birth and where you were born?

DT: December 28, 1929, in Florin, California.

RP: Were you born at home or at a hospital nearby in Sacramento?

DT: I think at the midwife's home. We had midwives... my mother, I mean a lot of the people didn't go to hospital. It was either home or midwife, 'cause she had a place that all the kids were born.

RP: Like a birthing home?

DT: Yes.

RP: She serviced the Florin, Elk Grove area?

DT: Yes, I believe so I was there but I don't remember exactly. [Laughs]

RP: And what was your given name at birth, Doris?

DT: Doris Yukiko Taka Nitta, N-I-T-T-A.

RP: And you always used your American name?

DT: Well, let's see. My relatives called me Do for short and then my mother's friends called me Yuki-chan and "yuki" is snow, white, I mean I guess I was born in the winter time so they called me Yuki.

RP: And who gave you the name Doris, do you know?

DT: I believe it was my mother's cousin. 'Cause they didn't know too much English so I understand her cousin gave him the name.

<End Segment 1> - Copyright &copy; 2010 Manzanar National Historic Site and Densho. All Rights Reserved.