362 items
362 items
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Fred Shiosaki Interview (ddr-densho-1016-1)
Nisei male. Born August 23, 1924 in the area of Spokane, Washington, known as Hillyard. Grew up in a multi-ethnic Hillyard area where his parents owned the Hillyard Laundry. When World War II began, was a senior at Rogers High School. Went on to attend Gonzaga University and then volunteered for military service, joining the 442nd …
Narrator Art Abe
Nisei male. Born June 12, 1921, in Seattle, Washington. Grew up in an area of Seattle with few other Japanese Americans, and was attending the University of Washington when Japan bombed Pearl Harbor. Removed to the Puyallup Assembly Center, Washington, and the Minidoka concentration camp, Idaho. Left Minidoka several times on temporary work leave to work …
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Sue Takimoto Okabe Interview (ddr-densho-1000-74)
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 …
Narrator Nobu Suzuki
Nisei female. November 25, 1909, in Seattle, Washington. Father established one of the largest oyster companies in the United States prior to World War II. Graduated from Garfield High School, the University of Washington, and then the Pacific School of Religion where she earned a master's degree in religious education. At the outbreak of WWII, assisted …
Narrator Frank Miyamoto
Nisei male. Born July 29, 1912, in Seattle, Washington. Wrote 'Social Solidarity Among the Japanese in Seattle' as a Master's thesis, published in 1939 as one of the first academic works on the Japanese immigrant community. Incarcerated in Tule Lake concentration camp, California. Member of the Evacuation and Resettlement Study which studied the incarceration and resettlement …
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 Ben Uyeno
Nisei male. Born November 30, 1918, in Yakima, Washington. Spent two years of childhood in Japan. Returned to Seattle and became an active participant in Japanese American community life. Was attending the University of Washington when World War II started. Avoided incarceration with the help of the Friends (a Quaker organization), which hid him and helped …
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 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 Richard Kosaki
Nisei male. Born September 14, 1924, in Waikiki, Hawaii. Attended McKinley High School, where he was student body president, just prior to the bombing of Pearl Harbor in 1941. Served as a language instructor for the U.S. Military Intelligence Service during World War II, and was stationed in Japan during the U.S. occupation. Earned PhD in …
Narrator Ryo Imamura
Sansei male, born April 28, 1944, in the Gila River concentration camp, Arizona. His father was the late Rev. Kanmo Imamura, a former Bishop of Hawaii and a minister for the Hawaii Kyodan and the Buddhist Churches of America (BCA). His mother Jane Imamura composed many of the children's gathas sung in the Dharma Schools. Both …
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Minoru Kiyota Interview (ddr-densho-1000-36)
Kibei male, born October 12, 1923, in Seattle, Washington. Raised primarily in San Francisco, California, spending four years in Hiratsuka, Japan. Was incarcerated with his family at Topaz concentration camp, Utah. Refused to sign the so-called "loyalty questionnaire," and as a consequence was moved to Tule Lake Segregation Center, California. In Tule, he renounced his U.S. …
Narrator Jim Hirabayashi
Nisei male. Born October 30, 1926, in small town of Thomas, Washington, on family farm. Attended school in Auburn, Washington, before being removed to the Pinedale Assembly Center and Tule Lake concentration camp, California. Left camp to work in Idaho, and was subsequently joined by family. Postwar, became a social anthropologist, and later became only the …
Narrator Kiyoshi Seishin Yamashita
Nisei male. Born February 14, 1920, in Kent, Washington. Grew up in the nearby town of Auburn, where parents ran a farm. Family was involved Auburn Buddhist Church. Graduated from the University of Washington in 1942 and removed to the Pinedale Assembly Center and Tule Lake concentration camp, California. Recruited out of Tule Lake to teach …
Narrator Marjorie Matsushita Sperling
Nisei female. Born July 27, 1922, in Wapato, Washington. Grew up in Wapato, where family ran a farm. Was attending the University of Washington when the war broke out on December 7, 1941. Removed with family to the Portland Assembly Center, Oregon, and the Heart Mountain concentration camp, Wyoming. While in camp, worked for the recreation …
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Ehren Watada Interview (ddr-densho-1000-200)
Male of Japanese and Chinese American descent. Born 1978 in Honolulu, Hawaii. Graduated from Hawaii Pacific University in 2003, and enlisted in the U.S. Army. Received his officer's commission, and served in Korea in 2004 and 2005. While stationed in Fort Lewis, Washington, in 2006, asked for permission to resign his commission based on his understanding …
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Ronald Ikejiri Interview (ddr-densho-1000-461)
Sansei male. Born December 3, 1948, in Los Angeles, California. During World War II, parents had been incarcerated at the Tule Lake concentration camp, California. Father signed 'no-no' on the so-called 'loyalty questionnaire', renounced U.S. citizenship, and was sent to the Department of Justice camp at Bismarck, North Dakota. Family did not end up expatriating to …
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Barneston's Japanese Community (ddr-densho-381-175)
A report prepared for the Seattle Water Department that discusses the history of Japanese immigration and community in Barneston, Washington, including a transcript of Yoshi Hibiya's oral history.
Narrator Katsugo Miho
Nisei male. Born May 15, 1922, in Kahului, Maui, Hawaii. Grew up in Kahului, where parents ran a hotel. Was attending the University of Hawaii as a member of the Reserve Officers' Training Corps (ROTC) when Japan bombed Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941. As a member of the ROTC, was inducted into the newly formed …
Narrator Roger Shimomura
Roger Shimomura's paintings, prints, and theater pieces address sociopolitical issues of Asian America. The inspiration for many of his works are the diaries kept by his late immigrant grandmother for fifty-six years. He received his undergraduate degree from the University of Washington in Seattle, and his graduate degree from Syracuse University, New York. Shimomura has had …
Narrator Teresa Maebori
Sansei female. Born February 13, 1945, in Caldwell, Idaho. During World War II, parents were incarcerated at the Tule Lake concentration camp, California. After leaving camp, moved to Auburn, Washington, where father's family had a pottery business and mother was a dressmaker. Teresa grew up in Auburn and graduated from the University of Washington. Served in …
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Tosh Yasutake Interview (ddr-densho-1000-138)
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 …
Narrator Tosh Yasutake
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 …
Narrator Dale Minami
Sansei male. Born in Los Angeles, California on October 13, 1946, and grew up in Gardena, California. Received B.A. in Political Science from University of Southern California, graduated magna cum laude and Phi Beta Kappa in 1968. Received J.D., 1971, from Boalt Hall School of Law, University of California. Mr. Minami was a co-founder of the …
Narrator Pramila Jayapal
Born September 21, 1965 in Madras, India. Attended the Jakarta International School in Indonesia before moving to the United States to attend college at Georgetown University. Worked as an investment banker in New York City as well as in the management development program for Physio-Control. Currently, Pramila is the founder and Executive Director of Hate Free …