860 items
860 items
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Fred Korematsu Interview (ddr-densho-1012-1)
Nisei male. Born January 30, 1919, in Oakland, California. Mr. Korematsu was working as a welder in San Francisco when Japan bombed Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941. After Executive Order 9066 was issued in 1942, he decided to resist the evacuation orders, and was not removed with his family. He was arrested in May of …
Collection
Iino Family Collection (ddr-densho-368)
Accession 1: This collection contains selections from two photo albums. One album of photographs and other materials associated with Corporal William Iino's military service with the 442nd Regimental Combat Team in Italy and France between 1944 and 1945. The second album contains photographs and other materials associated with the 50th reunion of the 442nd RCT in …
Narrator Tom Matsuoka
Kibei male. Born August 1, 1903, in Sprecklesville, Maui, Hawaii. Taken to Japan in 1905 and raised by grandparents. Returned to the United States in 1919, joining father at Barneston sawmill in Washington. Married and farmed in Bellevue, Washington. Founded Bellevue Seinenkai and managed the Bellevue Vegetable Growers Association prior to World War II. Was picked …
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Roger Daniels Interview Segment 18 (ddr-densho-1012-17-18)
Thoughts on whether the World War II incarceration can happen again (audio only)
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 …
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Sharon Yuen Interview Segment 2 (ddr-densho-1012-18-2)
First hearing about father Gordon Hirabayashi's actions during World War II (audio only)
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 …
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Janice Sakamoto - Beth Shironaka Interview Segment 2 (ddr-densho-1012-11-2)
First learning about the World War II incarceration experience (audio only)
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 …
Narrator Tad Sato
Nisei male. Born May 9, 1922, in Portland, Oregon. Moved to Seattle with father after parents divorced. Grew up in Seattle's Nihonmachi where father ran a secondhand store. Disinterested in college after seeing a lack of employment opportunities for graduating Japanese Americans. Went to work for Great Northern Railway, laying and maintaining tracks on the West …
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Shosuke Sasaki Interview Segment 13 (ddr-densho-1002-2-13)
Working in the Minidoka fire department
This interview was conducted by sisters Emiko and Chizuko Omori for their 1999 documentary, Rabbit in the Moon, about the Japanese American resisters of conscience in the World War II incarceration camps. As a result, the interviews in this collection are typically not life histories, instead primarily focusing on …
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Roger Daniels Interview Segment 11 (ddr-densho-1012-17-11)
The role of the War Relocation Authority in dispersing Japanese Americans after camp (audio only)
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, …
Narrator Ronald Ikejiri
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 …
Narrator Tokio Yamane
Kibei male. Born Born September 2, 1922, in Hawaii. Moved with family to Hiroshima at age three, then returned to the Fresno area of the U.S. for high school. During World War II, was sent to the Fresno Assembly Center, California, and the Jerome concentration camp, Arkansas. While at Jerome, refused to answer the so-called "loyalty …
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Redress: An Oral History of the Office of Redress Administration (ddr-densho-1020-13)
In 1988, Congress passed and President Ronald Reagan signed the Civil Liberties Act, a historic piece of legislation that sought, for the first time, to provide a measure of justice to Japanese Americans nearly 40 years after their incarceration during World War II. The Japanese American Redress program that resulted is a little-known success story of …
Narrator Frank Sato
Nisei male. Born March 16, 1929, in Puyallup, Washington. Grew up in the Sumner, Washington, area, where parents had a produce business. During World War II, removed with family to the Puyallup Assembly Center, Washington, and the Minidoka concentration camp, Idaho. After the war, attended the University of Washington and the University of Southern California. Established …
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Letter from Ryo Tsai to Commissioner of Immigration and Naturalization (ddr-densho-446-278)
Request for issuance of immigrant visa for Ai Chih Tsai
Narrator Bob Suzuki
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 …
Narrator Joe Yasutake
Nisei male. Born May 25, 1932, in Seattle, Washington. Father employed by the U.S. Immigration and Naturalization Service as interpreter for twenty years, until separated from family on December 7, 1941 and interned as an enemy alien. Removed from Seattle with mother, sister and two brothers in 1942. Attended school (fifth through sixth grades) while incarcerated …
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Gordon Hirabayashi Interview (ddr-densho-1012-2)
Nisei male. Born April 23, 1918, in Seattle, Washington. Spent most of his childhood in Thomas, Washington, where his parents were part of a Christian farming co-op. Attended the University of Washington where he was active in the Young Men's Christian Association (YMCA), the conscientious objector movement, and became a Quaker. At the outbreak of World …
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Lorraine Bannai Interview (ddr-densho-1012-14)
Sansei female. Born 1955 in Los Angeles, CA. Grew up in Gardena, CA, surrounded by a large Japanese American community. Influenced by father's role in community and politics, and mother's emphasis on education. Attended University of California, Santa Barbara where she became increasingly aware of Japanese American history, issues of ethnic identity and racial inequality. Attended …
Collection
Sumida Family Collection (ddr-densho-379)
The Sumida Family Collection contains material about Chimata and Masako Murakami Sumida and their six children, Alice Yuriko Endo, Grace Rayko Nagai, Emmy Ito, Marshall Masaru Sumida, Theodore Tetsuro Sumida, Marjorie Yohko Matsumoto, and their families. Before World War II, Chimata Sumida owned a music store located in Los Angeles’ Japanese Town that sold music, instruments, …
Collection
Takeharu Inouye Collection (ddr-densho-365)
At the age of thirteen, Takeharu Inouye and his immediate family experienced forced relocation to the Sacramento Assembly Center (Walerga), and were subsequently moved to the Tule Lake concentration camp. They remained at Tule Lake for the duration of WWII due to their "disloyal" sentiments. Takeharu recorded his experiences at Tule Lake in three diaries, which …
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Peter Irons Interview (ddr-densho-1012-16)
White male. Born 1940 in Salem, Massachusetts. Family moved frequently during his childhood due to father's employment. Strongly influenced by parents' values regarding racial tolerance and inclusion, and principles learned through Unitarian Church. While attending Antioch College in Ohio, became involved in political and social activism for civil rights. Joined the youth branch of NAACP, the …
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Paul Bannai Interview I (ddr-densho-1000-128)
Nisei male. Born July 4, 1920 in Delta, Colorado. Grew up in small mining and farming towns in Colorado, Utah and Arizona, until his family moved to Boyle Heights in the Los Angeles, California area. After graduating from high school, he tested discrimination and employment practices and eventually succeeded in obtaining a job at a bank. …
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Paul Bannai Interview II (ddr-densho-1000-150)
Nisei male. Born July 4, 1920 in Delta, Colorado. Grew up in small mining and farming towns in Colorado, Utah and Arizona, until his family moved to Boyle Heights in the Los Angeles, California area. After graduating from high school, he tested discrimination and employment practices and eventually succeeded in obtaining a job at a bank. …
Narrator Paul Bannai
Nisei male. Born July 4, 1920, in Delta, Colorado. Grew up in small mining and farming towns in Colorado, Utah and Arizona, until his family moved to Boyle Heights in the Los Angeles, California area. After graduating from high school, he tested discrimination and employment practices and eventually succeeded in obtaining a job at a bank. …
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Keynote Talk: Rev. Ai Chih Tsai Biography and Legacy (ddr-densho-446-353)
Notes for Taiwanese American Historical Society Keynote Talk on May 17, 2017