741 items
741 items
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Art Ishida Interview (ddr-densho-1000-363)
Nisei male. Born June 2, 1921, in Fresno, California. Grew up in the Gardena area of Los Angeles, California, before moving to Japan with parents in 1929 and returning to California in the 1930s. During World War II, removed to the Santa Anita Assembly Center, California, and the Jerome concentration camp, Arkansas. Gave a qualified answer …
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Henry Miyatake Interview II (ddr-densho-1000-54)
Nisei male. Born April 28, 1929, in Seattle, Washington. Incarcerated at Puyallup Assembly Center and Minidoka concentration camp, Idaho. Had some key childhood experiences with discrimination that made him a self-described, "independent thinker," and later, an influential figure in the Japanese American community. While a teenager in camp, he wrote and defended an essay criticizing the …
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 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, …
Narrator Thomas T. Kobayashi
Nisei male. Born September 4, 1916, in Seattle, Washington. Grew up in Seattle and graduated from the University of Washington prior to World War II. Fired from job at Seattle City Light after the bombing of Pearl Harbor. During the war, was removed to the Puyallup Assembly Center, Washington, and Minidoka concentration camp, Idaho. Volunteered for …
Narrator Sharon Maeda
Sansei female. Born February 16, 1945, in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, where parents had resettled after leaving the Minidoka concentration camp, Idaho, during World War II. Moved at an early age to Portland, Oregon, and then Seattle, Washington. Attended the University of Washington where she was active in student groups. Got involved in numerous political campaigns supporting Asian …
Narrator Shiz Inaba
Nisei female. Born September 19, 1929, in Portland, Oregon. Grew up in Milwaukie, Oregon, where parents ran a farm. During World War II, removed to the Portland Assembly Center, Oregon, and the Minidoka concentration camp, Idaho. After leaving camp, returned to Oregon and parents ran a hotel business in Portland. Went to business school and worked …
Narrator Chiyo Koiwai
Nisei female. Born June 11, 1919, in Tacoma, Washington. Grew up in Tacoma where family ran a hotel. Was studying to be a nurse when World War II broke out, so lobbied to be sent to the Puyallup Assembly Center, separate from parents, in order to stay in Washington state to finish training. After Puyallup, sent …
Narrator Jim Akutsu
Nisei male. Born January 25, 1920, in Seattle, Washington. Incarcerated at the Puyallup Assembly Center, Washington, and Minidoka concentration camp, Idaho. Resisted the draft, with the rationale that the U.S. government had classified him 4-C, an enemy alien, and he was therefore under no obligation to serve. Imprisoned at McNeil Island Penitentiary, Washington. Vocal critic of …
Narrator Emi Somekawa
Nisei female. Born May 10, 1918, in Portland, Oregon. Grew up in the small town of Brooks, Oregon, where parents ran a farm. Prior to World War II, became a nurse, married, and had a child. During World War II, removed to the Portland Assembly Center, Oregon, and the Tule Lake concentration camp, California, and worked …
Narrator Gus Tanaka
Nisei male. Born August 3, 1923, in Portland, Oregon. Grew up in Portland, where father was a physician in Japantown. Was attending college prior to World War II. During the war, removed to the Portland Assembly Center, Oregon, and the Minidoka concentration camp, Idaho. Left camp to attend college before being drafted in 1944. Served in …
Narrator Yoji J. Matsushima
Nisei male. Born January 31, 1933, in Portland, Oregon. Grew up in Portland, where parents ran a general merchandise store. During World War II, removed to the Portland Assembly Center, Oregon, and the Minidoka concentration camp, Idaho. Left camp for the East Coast because parents wanted to repatriate to Japan. Did not secure a place on …
Narrator Gerald L. Beppu
Sansei male. Family owned Linc's Tackle, a longtime Japanese American business in Seattle, Washington. Prior to World War II, father became the owner of Togo's Tackle shop. During the war, removed to the Puyallup Assembly Center, Washington, and the Minidoka concentration camp, Idaho. While the family was in camp, their prewar insurance agent paid the premiums …
Narrator Toru Sakahara
Nisei male. Born September 19, 1916, in Fife, Washington. During World War II, incarcerated at Puyallup Assembly Center, Washington, and Minidoka concentration camp, Idaho. Resettled during the war to Salt Lake City, Utah, and returned to Seattle after the end of World War II. Mr. Sakahara worked on behalf of individuals filing claims for restitution under …
Narrator Etsuko Ichikawa Osaki
Nisei female. Born February 19, 1931, in Fresno, California. Family moved to Seattle, Washington, where father became minister of the Seattle Buddhist Temple. During the war, removed to the Puyallup Assembly Center, Washington, and Minidoka concentration camp, Idaho. Transferred to the Crystal City internment camp, Texas, to be reunited with father, who was arrested by the …
Narrator Shosuke Sasaki
Issei male. Born March 26, 1912, in Yamaguchi-ken, Japan. Immigrated to United States in 1919. Lived in Pomeroy, Washington, and Seattle, Washington, before World War II. Incarcerated at the Puyallup Assembly Center, Washington and the Minidoka concentration camp, Idaho. Resettled in New York. As a member of the Newspaper Guild, led effort to eliminate pejorative use …
Narrator Betty Morita Shibayama
Nisei female. Born May 30, 1933, in Hood River, Oregon. Raised in the Hood River valley on family farm. After December 7, 1941, removed to the Pinedale Assembly Center, California, and then to the Tule Lake concentration camp, California. In 1943, moved with family to the Minidoka concentration camp, Idaho, before leaving camp for Chicago, Illinois, …
Narrator Kaz T. Tanemura
Male, Issei-han. Born April 27, 1928, in Japan. As an infant, came to the U.S. where parents had previously immigrated. Family ran a hotel in Seattle's Pioneer Square neighborhood. After the bombing of Pearl Harbor, removed to the Puyallup Assembly Center, Washington, and the Minidoka concentration camp, Idaho. After the war, returned to Seattle, finished high …
Narrator Warren Koichi Suzuki
Nisei male. Born February 27, 1921, in Seattle, Washington. At age ten, was sent to Japan to live and attend school. Returned to Seattle prior to World War II. During the war, was removed to the Puyallup Assembly Center, Washington, and the Minidoka concentration camp, Idaho. Answered "no-no" on the so-called "loyalty questionnaire" and was transferred …
Narrator David Sakura
Sansei male. Born March 28, 1936, in Seattle, Washington. Grew up in Eatonville, Washington, where father worked for a lumber company. During World War II, removed with family to the Puyallup Assembly Center, Washington, and the Minidoka concentration camp, Idaho. Father served in the U.S. Army during the war. After leaving camp, lived in public housing …
Narrator Robert Mizukami
Nisei male. Born December 20, 1922, in Star Lake, Washington. Grew up in the Renton area and later in Fife, Washington. Immigrant father began three-generation greenhouse business in Fife. Following Executive Order 9066, the Mizukami family was removed to the Puyallup Assembly Center, Washington (nicknamed "Camp Harmony"). Later, transported to Minidoka concentration camp, Idaho. Served in …
Narrator May Y. Namba
Nisei female. Born May 12, 1922, in Seattle, Washington. Spent brief time in Japan as a young child, then returned to Seattle. Worked as a clerk in the Seattle School District until the onset of World War II, then was forced to resign under pressure from parent groups. Removed with family to Puyallup Assembly Center, Washington, …
Narrator George Morihiro
Nisei male. Born September 19, 1924, in Tacoma, Washington, and spent childhood in Fife, Washington. Following the bombing of Pearl Harbor, removed to the Puyallup Assembly Center and Minidoka concentration camp, Idaho. Drafted into the army in 1944 and joined the 442nd Regimental Combat Team in Europe. Awarded the Purple Heart for actions in the Battle …
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Tsuguo "Ike" Ikeda Interview I (ddr-densho-1000-123)
Nisei male. Born August 15, 1924, in Portland, Oregon. Incarcerated at the North Portland Assembly Center and Minidoka concentration camp, Idaho. Kept a diary beginning December, 1941, and through incarceration. Beginning as a teenager, was exceptionally active as a volunteer leader, first within a Japanese American church in Portland, later in camp with Federated Christian Church, …
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Tsuguo "Ike" Ikeda Interview III (ddr-densho-1000-125)
Nisei male. Born August 15, 1924, in Portland, Oregon. Incarcerated at the North Portland Assembly Center and Minidoka concentration camp, Idaho. Kept a diary beginning December, 1941, and through incarceration. Beginning as a teenager, was exceptionally active as a volunteer leader, first within a Japanese American church in Portland, later in camp with Federated Christian Church, …