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BH: Today is Tuesday, May 20, 2014. My name is Betty Jean Harry and I'm a volunteer with Oregon Nikkei Endowment. I'll be interviewing Jinx Fujii as part of the Minidoka Oral History Project. We're in Jinx's home in Portland, Oregon, and our videographer is Ian McCluskey.

[Interruption]

BH: Let's start with some personal details. When and where were you born?

SF: I was born in Brooks, Oregon, and it's very close to Salem, and Salem is the capital.

BH: And what year were you born?

SF: Oh, I was born in 1930.

BH: And what was the name you were given at birth?

SF: Well, Mom and Dad named me Suzuko Tamiyasu, and later on, because of going to school, they started calling me. Susie is from Suzuko.

BH: A more American name. And, but now everybody knows you as Jinx. So where did that come from?

SF: Well, my sister, Pauline, started calling me Jinx. And the name, I didn't know where it came from, so I had to ask her, and she said her favorite movie actress at that time was Jinx Falkenburg. [Laughs] Can you believe that? She picks a movie star name?

BH: Okay, let's talk about your parents. Your father was born in 1899, and he was given the name Shigeto, but what did most people call him?

SF: Well, yeah, his given name was Shigeto, but they used to call him Tom.

BH: Do you know where that came from?

SF: Well, Tom is from Tamiyasu.

BH: Oh, that makes sense. And where in Japan was he from?

SF: He's from Hiroshima.

BH: And do you know what kind of work your father's family did in Japan?

SF: Well, they were farmers.

BH: And did they have any brothers and sisters that you're aware of?

SF: Yes, he did. The only one that I know was here in the United States.

BH: Did he come before or after your dad?

SF: He came after.

BH: And did your father have an opportunity to become educated?

SF: I don't think he went to school. He was trying to make his life fortune like everyone else. [Laughs]

BH: So how and when did he decide to come to America?

SF: Well, he came when he was fifteen years old. And then he figured he's going to make it rich in the United States.

BH: Okay, now, your mom was born in 1904. What was her name?

SF: Kisayo.

BH: And what was her last name?

SF: Kisayo Sadakuni.

BH: And was she also from Hiroshima?

SF: She was from Hiroshima, and they lived on a farm, also. Mother had... I know she had a brother that died with the atomic bomb.

BH: And did she have an opportunity to become educated?

SF: Here in the States?

BH: Or in Japan?

SF: I really don't know, but when she came here, she didn't. She didn't go to school.

<End Segment 1> - Copyright © 2014 Oregon Nikkei Endowment and Densho. All Rights Reserved.