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3220 items
3220 items

Narrator James Nishimura
Nisei male. Born February 6, 1930, in Seattle, Washington. Following the bombing of Pearl Harbor, was removed to the Puyallup Assembly Center, Washington, and Minidoka concentration camp, Idaho. While in camp, was allowed to leave to attend high school for one year in the nearby town of Eden, Idaho. After leaving camp, Mr. Nishimura moved to …

Narrator Roy Nakagawa
Nisei male. Born December 28, 1916, in Missoula, Montana. Spent early part of childhood in Montana, where parents ran a farm. Moved with family to Seattle, Washington, finished school, and attended the University of Washington. Moved to the Los Angeles area for work. During World War II, removed to the Poston concentration camp, Arizona. After leaving …

Narrator Shiuko Sakai
Nisei female. Born 1923 in Seattle, Washington. Grew up in Seattle where parents operated a hotel. During World War II, removed to the Puyallup Assembly Center, Washington, and the Minidoka concentration camp, Idaho. Left camp to live and work in New York, then worked for several years in Japan for the U.S. occupation forces. Returned to …

Narrator Takeko Yokoyama Todo
Nisei female. Born April 3, 1927, in Seattle, Washington. Grew up in Seattle, where father was a truck driver and mother was a Japanese language school teacher. During World War II, removed to the Puyallup Assembly Center, Washington, and the Minidoka concentration camp, Idaho. Left camp to finish high school in Ohio and work as a …

Narrator Kenji Ima
Nisei-Sansei male. Born July 15, 1937, in Seattle, Washington, where parents ran a hotel. During World War II, removed to the Puyallup Assembly Center, Washington, and the Minidoka concentration camp, Idaho. After leaving camp, family returned to Seattle. After graduating from college and earning a post-doctoral degree, became a professor at San Diego State University. Focused …

Narrator Harold "Hal" Champeness
White male. Born in 1923. Grew up on Bainbridge Island, Washington. Joined the navy during World War II and eventually returned to Bainbridge.

Narrator Yoshi Mamiya
Nisei female. Born October 25, 1924, and raised in Seattle, Washington. During her interview, she discusses memories of growing up in Seattle's Japantown.

Narrator Sumi Saito
Nisei female. Born in Asher, Washington. Grew up in Vale, Oregon, where parents ran a farm. Remained in Oregon during World War II.

Narrator Marian Asao Kurosu
Issei female. Born March 10, 1907, in Fukui prefecture, Japan. Graduated from Jinai Girls School. After grandfather's death, came to Seattle, Washington in 1924 to join father and uncle, working in family-run agricultural greenhouse. Arranged marriage to Mr. Roy Naoe Kurosu, an Issei working in Tacoma sawmills. Started new greenhouse in Sunnydale, Washington until all people …

Narrator Betty Fumiye Ito
Nisei female. Born March 29, 1918, in Seattle, Washington, and spent childhood in Medina and Bellevue, Washington. While in high school was a member of the Bellevue Strawberry Festival's Queen's Court. In 1939 married Kenji Ito, a prominent Japanese American lawyer who practiced in Seattle. Following the bombing of Pearl Harbor, recounts her experiences as her …

Narrator Masao Watanabe
Nisei male. Born December 10, 1923, in Seattle, Washington. Grew up near the Nihonmachi area of Seattle. Incarcerated at the Puyallup Assembly Center, Washington, and Minidoka concentration camp, Idaho. In 1943, volunteered for the army while in camp. Served in Europe with the 442nd Regimental Combat Team, L Company. Returned to Seattle after the war and …

Narrator Wesley K. Watanabe
Ni-ten-gosei (Nisei/Sansei) male. Born May 20, 1935, in Tacoma, Washington. Spent early childhood in Kent, Washington, and was removed with family to the Pinedale Assembly Center at age seven. Family was incarcerated at Tule Lake concentration camp, California, and then moved to Minidoka concentration camp, Idaho. Resettled and attended grade school and high school in Chicago, …

Narrator Mits Takahashi
Nisei male. Born October 22, 1924, in Seattle, Washington. Grew up in Seattle, where father was a prominent member of the Japanese Gardeners Association. During World War II, removed to the Puyallup Assembly Center, Washington, and the Minidoka concentration camp, Idaho. Drafted into the army, and served in Italy with the 442nd Regimental Combat Team. Received …

Narrator Victor Ikeda
Nisei male. Born February 4, 1927, in Seattle, Washington. Grew up in Seattle's Japantown area, where parents operated a hotel. After the bombing of Pearl Harbor, removed to the Puyallup Assembly Center, Washington, and the Minidoka concentration camp, Idaho. Left camp to attend school in Minnesota, was drafted, and trained in the Military Intelligence Service Language …

Narrator Fumiko Hayashida
Nisei female. Born January 21, 1911, in Winslow, Washington. Grew up in Japan and the Fletcher's Bay area of Bainbridge Island, Washington. Member of the first group of Japanese Americans to be forcibly removed from their homes and incarcerated. Incarcerated at Manzanar concentration camp, California, and Minidoka concentration camp, Idaho, while pregnant and caring for two …

Narrator Martha Nishitani
Nisei female. Born February 27, 1920, in Seattle, Washington. Family owned and operated the Oriental Gardens, the first nursery in Lake City. Incarcerated at Puyallup Assembly Center, Washington, and Minidoka concentration camp, Idaho. An award-winning modern dancer who established the Martha Nishitani Modern Dance School and Martha Nishitani Modern Dance Company, she also choreographs for modern …

Narrator David R. Boyd
White male. Born February 2, 1937, in Seattle, Washington. Grew up in Seattle, where his father, Gene Boyd, worked for the Seattle Parks Department. Gene Boyd was the athletic director for the Collins Field House, and had a close relationship with members of the Japanese American community in Seattle. Notably, during World War II, Gene Boyd …

Narrator Marietta Boyd Gruner
White female. Born July 25, 1943, in Seattle, Washington. Grew up in Seattle, where her father, Gene Boyd, worked for the Seattle Parks Department. Gene Boyd was the athletic director for the Collins Field House, and had a close relationship with members of the Japanese American community in Seattle. Notably, during World War II, Gene Boyd …

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Asano Terao Interview II Segment 22 (ddr-densho-1000-109-22)
Leaving Salt Lake City and returning to Seattle, Washington; kindness of friend who took care of Seattle home (Japanese language)
This interview was conducted in Japanese and was translated so as to convey Mrs. Terao's way of speaking as closely as possible. For example, there are instances in which she makes some grammatical errors. These mistakes …

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Ken Yoshida Interview Segment 3 (ddr-densho-1000-428-3)
Childhood memories of Tacoma, Washington
This interview is incomplete. It ends after the first hour of taping, when Mr. Yoshida is describing serving time at the road camp for resisting the draft. This material is based upon work assisted by a grant from the Department of the Interior, National Park Service. Any opinions, finding, and conclusions …

Collection
Bainbridge Island Japanese American Community Collection (ddr-densho-34)
The collection of the Bainbridge Island Japanese American Community, 1890s-1940s, consists primarily of photographs of strawberry farms, businesses, sawmills, and the church and school activities of the Japanese American community on Bainbridge Island, Washington. The collection also includes photographs of the Bainbridge Island community of Port Blakely, the mass removal of Japanese Americans from Bainbridge Island, …

Narrator Connie Thorson Chandler
White female. Born 1938 in Denver, Colorado. Father worked for the Bureau of Reclamation at the time WWII broke out, so family lived in Minidoka concentration camp, Idaho, in 1942. Mrs. Chandler was a child at the time, and attended elementary school in Minidoka. Moved to Twin Falls for junior high and high school years before …

Narrator Mae Kanazawa Hara
Nisei female. Born May 21, 1913, in Seattle, Washington. Spent childhood in Seattle before moving to Chicago, Illinois, for three years to study music. Taught music in Japan for four years before returning to Seattle. After the outbreak of World War II, removed to Puyallup Assembly Center, Washington, and Minidoka concentration camp, Idaho. Left camp with …

Narrator Kazue Yamamoto
Nisei female. Born January 14, 1927, in Wapato, Washington, where family operated a truck farm. Following the bombing of Pearl Harbor, removed to North Portland Assembly Center and Heart Mountain concentration camp, Wyoming. Family left camp in 1945 for Spokane, Washington. Worked as a domestic on Spokane's South Hill before becoming a licensed beautician. Married husband …

Narrator Fumiko Uyeda Groves
Nisei female. Born September 9, 1933, in Seattle, Washington. Parents operated a store in the Sanitary Market (now known as the Pike Place Market). Father was very active in kenjinkai (prefectural organization) activities, both before and after World War II. Spent prewar childhood in and among Seattle's Japanese American community. Incarcerated at the Puyallup Assembly Center, …