6865 items
Narrator Grace K. Seto
Nisei female. Born September 23, 1935, in San Francisco, California. Grew up in California, where father worked as a bookkeeper. During World War II, removed to the Manzanar concentration camp, California. After leaving camp, moved with the family to a rural community in Maryland, then to Seabrook Farms, New Jersey, before eventually returning to California.
Narrator Masuko Oyama
Nisei female. Born February 21, 1927, in Portland, Oregon. Grew up in Portland where parents ran a hotel business. During World War II, removed with family the Portland Assembly Center, Oregon, and the Minidoka concentration camp, Idaho. After leaving camp, attended high school for a time in Salt Lake City, Utah, before returning to Portland.
Narrator Albert A. Oyama
Nisei male. Born April 10, 1926, in Portland, Oregon. Grew up in Montavilla, Oregon, where father ran a Japanese-language newspaper. During World War II, removed to the Portland Assembly Center, Oregon, and the Minidoka concentration camp, Idaho. After the war, served in Korea in the U.S. military. Returned to Oregon and became a physician.
Narrator Tonko Doi
Nisei-Sansei female. Born December 6, 1941, in Los Angeles, California. During World War II, sent with family to the Santa Anita Assembly Center, California, and the Rohwer concentration camp, Arkansas. After leaving camp, lived in a Quaker-run hostel in Cincinnati, Ohio. Eventually moved to Chicago, Illinois, where parents ran a cleaners business.
Narrator Wilbur Sato
Nisei male. Born April 26, 1929, in Pasadena, California. Grew up on Terminal Island, California. During World War II, removed to the Manzanar concentration camp, California. After leaving camp, family lived for a time in a hostel in Des Moines, Iowa, before returning to California. After the war, became an attorney and longtime community activist.
Narrator Minoru Endo
Nisei male. Born February 14, 1917, in San Francisco, California. Grew up in San Francisco and attended the University of California at Berkeley. After the bombing of Pearl Harbor, removed to the Tanforan Assembly Center, California, and the Topaz concentration camp, Utah. Served in the Military Intelligence Service. After the war, resettled in New York.
Narrator Harvey Watanabe
Nisei male. Born February 7, 1919, in Exeter, California. Spent prewar childhood in Visalia, California. Drafted prior to World War II. Served in an activated National Guard unit at Fort Lewis, Washington. When World War II broke out, he and all the other Nisei servicemen at Fort Lewis were sent inland. About twenty, Harvey included, went …
Narrator Norman I. Hirose
Nisei male. Born June 22, 1926, in Oakland, California. Grew up in Oakland and Berkeley, California. After the bombing of Pearl Harbor, removed with family to the Tanforan Assembly Center, California, and Topaz concentration camp, Utah. Signed "no-no" on the so-called "loyalty questionnaire" in 1943 because of mother's wish to have the family move to Japan. …
Narrator Bill Thompson
Nisei male of Japanese and Scottish descent. Born in Hilo, Hawaii, 1924. Volunteered and served in the all Japanese American 442nd Regimental Combat Team, Headquarter's Company, Second Battalion's Anti-tank Platoon. Returned to Hawaii following the war where he attended the University of Hawaii, and later worked for the municipal government. Active in the 442nd Veterans Club …
Narrator Chiye Tomihiro
Nisei female. Born December 20, 1924, in Portland, Oregon. Incarcerated at the Portland Assembly Center, Oregon, and Minidoka concentration camp, Idaho. Resettled first in Denver, Colorado and later in Chicago, Illinois. Former witness chair for Chicago area hearings of the Commission on Wartime Relocation and Internment of Civilians (CWRIC) and former chairperson of the JACL Chicago …
Narrator Peggie Nishimura Bain
Nisei female. Born March 31, 1909, in Vashon Island, Washington. Raised in Vashon Island and Des Moines, Washington, before being removed with her two children to the Pinedale Assembly Center, California. Later transferred to Tule Lake concentration camp, California, and Minidoka, Idaho, before resettling in Chicago, Illinois. Lived and worked in Chicago before eventually returning to …
Narrator Mollie Nakasaki
Nisei female. Born November 17, 1930, in Salinas, California. Grew up in Salinas's Japantown community before moving to various towns in California after the bombing of Pearl Harbor. Removed to Poston concentration camp, Colorado. Left camp with family for Denver, Colorado, in 1945 before returning to California and establishing the Mandarin Restaurant in San Jose's Japantown.
Narrator Archie Miyatake
Nisei male. Born November 6, 1924, in Los Angeles, California. Grew up in Los Angeles, where father, renowned photographer Toyo Miyatake, established a photo studio. During World War II, was removed to the Manzanar concentration camp, California. In camp, father became the camp's photographer. After the war, Archie Miyatake returned to Los Angeles and eventually took …
Narrator Tosh Tokunaga
Nisei male. Born January 2, 1925, in Selleck, Washington. Grew up in the Selleck logging camp before moving with family to Seattle, Washington, for high school. During World War II, removed to the Puyallup Assembly Center, Washington, and Minidoka concentration camp, Idaho. Volunteered for the military as a paratrooper, and served in Europe. Eventually returned to …
Narrator Isao East Oshima
Nisei male. Born April 20, 1921, in Berkeley, California. Family moved frequently as a child, and was living in Oakland, California, when Japan bombed Pearl Harbor in 1941. During World War II, removed to the Tanforan Assembly Center, California, and the Topaz concentration camp, Utah. Left camp for Cleveland, Ohio, eventually settling permanently in the Twin …
Narrator Alley Watada
Nisei male. Born July 20, 1930, in Plateville, Colorado. Grew up in Fort Lupton, Colorado, where parents ran a farm. Continued farming in Fort Lupton during World War II, employing German prisoners of war as well as Japanese Americans who had been in concentration camps. Attended Colorado State University and UC Davis, earning a PhD in …
Narrator John Tateishi
Nisei male. Born August 21, 1939, in Lawndale, California. Served as National Redress Director of the Japanese American Citizens League (JACL), and was involved in the movement to obtain redress and reparations for Japanese Americans. Founded Tateishi/Shinoda and Associates, a management and public affairs consulting firm. In 1999, became the National Executive Director of the JACL.
Narrator Margaret Saito
Nisei female. Born March 14, 1933, in El Centro, California. Grew up in California where parents were farmers. During World War II, removed with family to the Pomona Assembly Center, California, and Heart Mountain concentration camp, Wyoming. After leaving camp, lived for a short time in Spokane, Washington, before moving to Sacramento with family and finishing …
Narrator Bob Y. Sakata
Nisei male. Born April 15, 1926 in Alameda, California. Spent childhood in Alameda where family operated 10-acre farm. Removed to Tanforan Assembly Center, California, and Topaz concentration camp, Utah. Resettled in Brighton, Colorado, and resumed farming. Along with wife and son, owns and operates Sakata Farms, currently one of the top produce growers in the country.
Narrator Frances Midori Tashiro Kaji
Nisei female. Born April 30, 1928, in Los Angeles, California. Grew up in the Boyle Heights neighborhood, where father was a prominent medical physician. During World War II, removed to the Poston concentration camp, Arizona. Left camp with family to work on a sugar beet farm in Colorado, and eventually returned to Los Angeles, where father …
Narrator Mary Suzuki Ichino
Nisei female. Born December 9, 1924, in Stockton, California. Grew up Sacramento and Boyle Heights, California. Attended the Maryknoll Catholic school in Los Angeles. During World War II, removed to the Manzanar concentration camp, California. After leaving camp, returned to Los Angeles and worked for the War Relocation Authority, providing assistance to returning Japanese Americans seeking …
Narrator Roy Murakami
Nisei male. Born January 15, 1931, in Los Angeles, California. Prior to World War II, father was a community leader who helped to establish the first judo dojo in Los Angeles. During World War II, removed to the Manzanar concentration camp, California. Following the war, served in the military during the Korean War, and eventually returned …
Narrator Isao Kikuchi
Nisei male. Born December 9, 1921, in Los Angeles, California. Grew up in Los Angeles. During World War II, volunteered to move to Manzanar concentration camp, California, early in order to help with the construction of the camp. After leaving camp, relocated to Chicago, Illinois. Drafted into the 442nd Regimental Combat Team and served overseas. Eventually …
Narrator Haruye Murakami Hagiwara
Nisei female. Born March 25, 1928, in Hilo, Hawaii. Grew up in Hilo, where father worked for a Japanese-language newspaper. Following the bombing of Pearl Harbor, father was arrested and detained at the Kilauea Military Camp and Sand Island internment camp. After the war, attended the University of Hawaii, then returned to Hilo in 1950.
Narrator Chikaye Sande Azeka Hashimoto
Nisei female. Born May 29, 1936, in Los Angeles, California. Grew up in Los Angeles, where parents ran a cleaning business. During World War II, removed to the Manzanar concentration camp, California, with family. After leaving camp, returned to Los Angeles where parents reestablished the family business. Studied and performed Japanese classical dance during and after …