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6620 items

Narrator Sumi Okamoto

Nisei female. Born January 7, 1920, in Seattle, Washington. Spent childhood in Spokane, Washington, where father worked for the Alaska Junk Company. Attended Irving Grade School and Lewis & Clark High School. Wedding took place on December 7, 1941, the day of Japan's attack on Pearl Harbor. Husband passed away in 1946, and Ms. Okamoto worked …

Narrator Rose Matsui Ochi

Nisei female. Born December 15, 1938, in Los Angeles, California. As a child, removed to the Santa Anita Assembly Center, California, and the Rohwer concentration camp, Arkansas. Following World War II, became a teacher and then went to law school. In 1974, worked for Los Angeles Mayor Bradley as a legislative research coordinator and eventually executive …

Narrator Aya Uenishi Medrud

Nisei female. Born April 9, 1925, in Malden, Washington. Grew up in Seattle, Washington, before being removed with family to the Puyallup Assembly Center, Washington, and the Minidoka concentration camp, Idaho. From Minidoka, relocated with family to Utica, New York. Worked in Japan for the U.S. Army of Occupation, and for the Tokyo General Army Hospital …

Narrator Yuri Kochiyama

Nisei female. Born May 19, 1921, in San Pedro, California. During World War II, incarcerated in the Santa Anita Assembly Center, California, and the Jerome concentration camp, Arkansas. After leaving camp, lived and worked in Mississippi before marrying and moving to the Harlem neighborhood of New York City. Became involved in a number of political causes …

Narrator Marian Shingu Sata

Nisei female. Born August 31, 1935, in Los Angeles, California. Grew up in Gardena, where father was a prominent community leader and principal of the Japanese language school. During World War II, removed with family to the Stockton Assembly Center, California, and the Rohwer concentration camp, Arkansas. Left camp along with a group of Japanese American …

Narrator Kiyo Nikaido Morimoto

Nisei female. Born November 30, 1919, in Walnut Grove, California. Paternal grandparents immigrated to the United States with father. Grew up in the Madera, California, area, and was married with a child by the time World War II broke out in 1941. During the war, removed to the Fresno Assembly Center, California, and the Jerome concentration …

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 Charles Oihe Hamasaki

Nisei male. Born October 7, 1922, in Japan, while parents were visiting family. Came to the U.S. at three months old, and grew up in Terminal Island, California. After the bombing of Pearl Harbor, picked up along with Issei father and taken to Fort Lincoln (Bismarck), North Dakota. Transferred from Fort Lincoln to the Santa Anita …

Narrator Jim Matsuoka

Nisei male. Born July 27, 1935, in Los Angeles, Califonia. Grew up in Los Angeles' Little Tokyo neighborhood prior to World War II. After the bombing of Pearl Harbor, removed with family to the Manzanar concentration camp, California. After leaving camp, returned to Los Angeles and attended school. Became involved in gang activity in L.A. in …

Narrator Fred Tadashi Shingu

Nisei male. Born April 14, 1923, in Yuba City, California. Grew up in Elk Grove, California. After the bombing of Pearl Harbor, moved with family to Florin, California, and was removed to the Marysville Assembly Center, California, and the Tule Lake concentration camp, California. While in Tule Lake, refused to sign the so-called "loyalty questionnaire," and …

Narrator Helene J. Minehira

Nisei female. Born April 30, 1925, in Waipahu, Hawaii. Just before World War II, moved with family to the Ewa Beach area of Oahu, near Pearl Harbor. Witnessed the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941. Because of proximity to the harbor, family was forced to evacuate their home in Ewa Beach and had …

Narrator Frank S. Kawana

Nisei male. Born June 29, 1933, in Graham, Washington. Moved with family at an early age to Los Angeles, California, where father owned and operated a kamaboko business. During World War II, removed to the Santa Anita Assembly Center, California, and the Rohwer concentration camp, Arkansas. After leaving camp, lived briefly with family in a trailer …

Narrator Spark M. Matsunaga

Nisei male. Born October 9, 1916, in Kukui'ula, Kauai'i, Hawaii. During World War II, served as an original member of the 100th Infantry Battalion, later the 1st Battalion of the 442nd Regimental Combat team, and also with the Military Intelligence Service. In 1954, was elected to the Hawai'i Territorial Legislature. He was later elected to Congress, …

Narrator June Yasuno Aochi (Yamashiro) Berk

Nisei female. Born October 17, 1932, in Los Angeles, California. Grew up in Los Angeles, and was involved at an early age with traditional Japanese dancing and stage performance. During World War II, removed with family to the Santa Anita Assembly Center, California, and the Rohwer concentration camp, Arkansas. After leaving camp, family resettled in Denver, …

Narrator Junko Mizuta

Nisei female. Born 1925 in Portland, Oregon. Grew up in Portland, where parents ran a laundry business and managed an apartment house. After the bombing of Pearl Harbor, father was arrested by the FBI, and the rest of the family was removed to the Portland Assembly Center, Oregon. While at the assembly center, Junko, a teenager, …

Narrator Sam Araki

Nisei male. Born July 12, 1931, in Saratoga, California. Grew up in Saratoga, where father worked as a gardener on a large estate. After the bombing of Pearl Harbor, father moved the family inland to Reedley in an attempt to avoid mass removal. Eventually removed to Poston concentration camp, Arizona. After leaving camp, returned to California …

Narrator Kiwamu "Kiyo" Tsuchida

Nisei male. Born February 2, 1923, in Auburn, Washington. Grew up in Auburn, where father worked for the Great Northern Railroad and the family also ran a farm. During World War II, removed to the Pinedale Assembly Center and Tule Lake concentration camp, Oregon. Family then transferred to the Topaz concentration camp, Utah. Kiwamu left camp …

Narrator Mas Okabe

Nisei male. Born December 2, 1929, in Sacramento, California. Grew up in Sacramento, where parents operated a restaurant. During World War II, removed to the Merced Assembly Center, California, and the Granada (Amache) concentration camp, Colorado. Transferred to the Crystal City internment camp, Texas, in 1945, then went to Japan with family. Lived in Japan for …

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 Giro Nakagawa

Nisei male. Born March 13, 1921, in Seattle, Washington. Grew up in Kent, Washington, where parents ran a farm. In the 1930s, moved to South Bend, Washington, to work for the New Washington Oyster Company. During World War II, removed to the Pinedale Assembly Center, California, and soon left to work on farms in Utah for …

Narrator Makoto Otsu

Nisei male. Born March 26, 1926, in Steveston, British Columbia, Canada. Grew up in Steveston, where father fished for a cannery. During World War II, the family was forced to leave Steveston and moved to the abandoned Minto Mine site in the Bridge River Valley of British Columbia. After staying for a few years, Makoto moved …

Narrator James Omura

Nisei male. Born November 27, 1912, on Bainbridge Island, Washington. After the bombing of Pearl Harbor, moved to Denver and took a job as English Editor of a Japanese American vernacular newspaper, the Rocky Shimpo. As editor, wrote about and supported the Fair Play Committee in Heart Mountain concentration camp. Was charged and tried for conspiracy …

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 Gloria Kubota

Nisei female. Born June 6, 1916, in Santa Clara County, California. Raised in Santa Clara, and met and married Issei Guntaro Kubota, one of the leaders of the Heart Mountain Fair Play Committee. During World War II, incarcerated at Heart Mountain concentration camp, Wyoming, along with daughter. Gave birth to a son in camp. Husband Guntaro …

Narrator Elaine Ishikawa Hayes

Nisei female. Born June 30, 1923, in Willows, California. Grew up in Sacramento, California, prior to World War II. During the war, was removed to the Sacramento Assembly Center, California, and the Tule Lake concentration camp, California. Left camp to attend college in Wisconsin, and later moved to Chicago, Illinois. Post-World War II, was active in …
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