Recovering the money to build the church that father had hidden at the start of the war
This material is based upon work assisted by a grant from the Department of the Interior, National Park Service. Any opinions, finding, and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this material are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily …
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 …
Sansei male. Born December 13, 1920, in Fresno, California. Father was born in Hawaii, mother was born in Japan. Grew up in Fresno, where parents ran a successful bicycle shop and general store. During World War II, removed to the Fresno Assembly Center, California, and the Jerome concentration camp, Arkansas. Signed "no-no" on the so-called "loyalty …
Nisei male. Born November 2, 1929, in Fresno, California. Moved with family at a young age to Seattle, Washington, where father was the minister of the Seattle Buddhist Temple. Father was arrested by the FBI following the bombing of Pearl Harbor, and removed to various Department of Justice internment camps. The rest of the family was …
Discussion of differences between Hawaii and the mainland U.S. during World War II, and the Hawaiian spirit of aloha
This material is based upon work assisted by a grant from the Department of the Interior, National Park Service. Any opinions, finding, and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this material are those of the author(s) and do …
Feelings about the onset of World War II: "Our loyalties were clear. We're Americans, and we'd try to do our best"
This material is based upon work assisted by a grant from the Department of the Interior, National Park Service. Any opinions, finding, and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this material are those of the author(s) …
Having to work in a factory to support the war effort: "it was devastating, but everybody had no choice"
This material is based upon work assisted by a grant from the Department of the Interior, National Park Service. Any opinions, finding, and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this material are those of the author(s) and do …
Nisei male. Born March 31, 1913, in San Francisco, California. Spent difficult childhood years in San Francisco under care of a guardian while family lived in Japan. Graduated with a degree in business administration from the University of California at Berkeley before World War II. Removed to Tanforan Assembly Center, California, and then to Topaz concentration …
Nisei male. Born April 1, 1920, in Calexico, California. Grew up in the Orange County area. Drafted into the army during World War II, while family was removed to the Poston concentration camp, Arizona. Father and brothers were all transferred to Department of Justice camps, and eventually went to Japan. After military service, Mr. Uchida returned …
Selected article titles: "House Committee Clears Way For Debate, Vote This Week On Evacuee Claims Proposal" (p. 1), "Senate Passes Amendment to Soldier Brides Act. Will Permit Entry Into U.S. of 'Ineligible Alien' Spouses of American Servicemen" (p. 1), "JACL Committee in Japan Discusses Assistance to Nisei" (p. 1), "Real Estate Operator's Plan For Exclusion of …
Caption above image reads, "GOD BLESS AMERICA--Hana Tada, 93, (center) leads group of Japanese-Americans in singing 'God Bless America' at a service here 2/19 commemorating the internment of them & 3,600 other Japanese-Americans in camps here during WWII. Tada & her group do not speak English, saying they were too busy making livings as farmers to …
Original summary excerpt: No new events were sources of major press attention this week. In terms of number of papers showing interest, the evacuee property situation on the West Coast was most important issue. On March 16, WRA issued an official denial of prevalent reports that large stores of evacuee-owned farm machinery were still undisposed of. …
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 September 1, 1919, in Millwood, Washington, where father worked for SP&S railroad. After serious injury, father quit the railroad and moved family to Spokane, Washington, where they operated numerous hotels. Sent to Japan with siblings in 1933 to attend school. Was only one in the family to return to the U.S. three years …
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 …
Born August 20, 1938, in Lima, Peru. Parents ran a laundry business and father was a prominent community leader. During World War II, the FBI arrested George's father and the entire family was placed on a ship and sent to the Department of Justice camp at Crystal City, Texas. After leaving camp, the family was not …
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 male. Born December 1, 1918, in Kent, Washington. Became interested in music in junior high school, and played in various music groups. Upon graduating from high school, worked for a manufacturing plant, and then volunteered for the army. Separated from unit along with other Japanese Americans after the bombing of Pearl Harbor, and eventually served …
Injuries sustained during the beating by War Relocation Authority officials (Japanese language)
This interview was conducted in Japanese. The transcript is a translation of the original interview. This material is based upon work assisted by a grant from the Department of the Interior, National Park Service. Any opinions, finding, and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this …
Sister's decision to return to the United States after the war (Japanese language)
This interview was conducted in Japanese. The transcript is a translation of the original interview. This material is based upon work assisted by a grant from the Department of the Interior, National Park Service. Any opinions, finding, and conclusions or recommendations expressed in …
Being beaten up by War Relocation Authority personnel in Tule Lake (Japanese language)
This interview was conducted in Japanese. The transcript is a translation of the original interview. This material is based upon work assisted by a grant from the Department of the Interior, National Park Service. Any opinions, finding, and conclusions or recommendations expressed in …
Arthur Ogami: Nisei male. Born April 10, 1922 in Whittier, California. Spent childhood in California, before being removed to Manzanar concentration camp in 1942. Left Manzanar several times to work as a beet topper for local farmers. Decided to expatriate to Japan because of mother's wishes, and was transferred to Tule Lake concentration camp. In 1945, …
Looking back on the World War II experience: blaming individuals, not the U.S. government (Japanese language)
This interview was conducted in Japanese. The transcript is a translation of the original interview. This material is based upon work assisted by a grant from the Department of the Interior, National Park Service. Any opinions, finding, and conclusions or …
Perspectives on why Americans of Japanese ancestry were incarcerated during World War II (Japanese language)
This interview was conducted in Japanese. The transcript is a translation of the original interview. This material is based upon work assisted by a grant from the Department of the Interior, National Park Service. Any opinions, finding, and conclusions or recommendations …
This interview is audio-only. It contains raw footage used by Steven Okazaki in his 1985 film Unfinished Business.
This material is based upon work assisted by a grant from the Department of the Interior, National Park Service. Any opinions, finding, and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this material …
