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 …

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 …

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 …

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 …

Kibei Nisei couple. Kikuno was born in the United States, then moved to Japan with her family after her father passed away. In the lead up to World War II, her uncle sent Kikuno and her brother back to the United States, where they were raised in foster care in northern California. During World War II, …

Kibei Nisei couple. Kikuno was born in the United States, then moved to Japan with her family after her father passed away. In the lead up to World War II, her uncle sent Kikuno and her brother back to the United States, where they were raised in foster care in northern California. During World War II, …

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 …

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, …

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 …

Issei female. Born 1907 in Shimonoseki, Japan. Attended school in Japan, and was encouraged by father to study English. Married a Buddhist minister and immigrated to the United States. Lived in Fresno, California, then returned to Japan for two years. Moved to Seattle, Washington, where husband was a minister at the Seattle Buddhist Temple. During World …

Nisei female. Born November 17, 1920, in Seattle, Washington. Grew up in Seattle, and graduated salutatorian from Broadway High School. Was enrolled in the pre-medical program at the University of Washington on December 7, 1941. During the war, removed to the Puyallup Assembly Center, Washington, and the Minidoka concentration camp, Idaho. Left camp to attend the …

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 …

Kibei male. Born August 1, 1915, in Portland, Oregon. Sent with siblings to be educated in Japan when ten years old. Returned to the United States in 1935. During World War II, was incarcerated at the Portland Assembly Center, Oregon, and Minidoka concentration camp, Idaho. Active in Seattle's postwar Japanese American community as a member and …

Nisei female. Born August 18, 1925 in Tacoma, Washington. Raised in Seattle, Washington, where family operated a grocery store. Attended Washington Grammar School and Garfield High School in Seattle. Following the bombing of Pearl Harbor, father was arrested by the FBI and sent to Missoula internment camp, Montana. Family was removed to Puyallup Assembly Center, Washington, …

Nisei female. Born September 5, 1928, in Tacoma, Washington, moved with her family to Seattle at age four. At age six, began singing, taking voice lessons and performing on stage for Japanese American community events. In 1942, was incarcerated with her family at Puyallup Assembly Center and Minidoka concentration camp, Idaho, where she continued to sing …

Nisei female. Born July 15, 1906, in Bedderavia, California. Was given for adoption by her parents to a couple who could not have children of their own. Grew up on a family farm and was one of the oldest Nisei in the Santa Barbara area of California. Incarcerated at the Puyallup Assembly Center, Washington, and Minidoka …

Nisei male. Born October 19, 1916, in Hood River, Oregon. Earned a law degree from the University of Oregon law school and was practicing law prior to World War II. In 1942, deliberately defied the curfew imposed upon Japanese Americans in Portland, Oregon, and was arrested. His case was tried, and he was sentenced to one …

Nisei male. Born June 10, 1922, in Seattle, WA. Father was employed by the U.S. Immigration and Naturalization Service as interpreter for twenty years, until he was separated from family on December 7, 1941, and interned as an enemy alien. Graduated 1941, Cleveland High School, and attended University of Washington before being removed from Seattle with …

Nisei-han male. Born January 2, 1936, in Portland, Oregon, where father worked for the railroad. During World War II, removed to the Portland Assembly Center, Oregon, and the Minidoka concentration camp, Idaho. After leaving camp, family moved to a small community outside of Spokane, Washington, to farm. Went to UC Berkeley and Caltech, then taught at …

Nisei male. Born July 10, 1925, in Seattle, Washington. Grew up in the Thomas-Auburn area of Washington. Following Executive Order 9066, family was removed to the Pinedale Assembly Center, then to Tule Lake concentration camp in California. Later transferred to Minidoka concentration camp, Idaho. Volunteered as a replacement for the 100th/442nd Regimental Combat Team and trained …

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 …

Nisei female. Born December 30, 1927, in Seattle, Washington. Lived in Japan for fifteen months as a child, before returning to Seattle to attend junior high school. After the bombing of Pearl Harbor, father was picked up by the FBI and taken to the Department of Justice camp at Missoula, Montana. Removed to the Puyallup Assembly …

Female, child of Issei parents. Born July 5, 1923, in Fukuoka, Japan while her mother and two older Nisei brothers visited relatives. Named Mitsuye Mei Yasutake at birth. From age 3, grew up in Seattle, WA. Father employed by the U.S. Immigration and Naturalization Service as interpreter for twenty years, until separated from family on December …