The donor's father made this lamp while in Manzanar Relocation Center. Many internees made furniture and other interior decorations from the limited materials available to them at the camps. This particular object was constructed out of orange boxes, twigs from trees growing around Manzanar, burlap scraps from the camouflage net factory at the camp, and glass from a broken windowpane.
These coasters made from raffia cords would have added a personalized touch to the stark and shabby living conditions imprisoned Japanese Americans faced.
This belt was made with string left over from the Works Project Administration (WPA). Before Rohwer Relocation Center was built, the WPA had to first drain the swamp that would become the campground location.
These ironwood tools were made inside Gila River Relocation Center by Yoichi Asada. He used them to make artificial flowers. Many internees made flowers to decorate their barracks in an attempt to brighten their otherwise bleak living conditions. Ironwood refers to woods that have a unique hardness and density.
This rejection letter from Yale University dated July 14, 1945 reflected the prejudicial sentiments that characterized reality for people of Japanese ancestry, like Kinji.
The Rohwer High School National Honor Society created these posters to advertise a war stamp and bond drive they were hosting. Although these people were being imprisoned by the government, they still held events to support the war effort and promote their patriotism.
Despite his large efforts to get into Yale University, Kinji ultimately chose to study at Harvard University. On October 25, 1945, he formally wrote Yale to withdraw his name from the applicants list.
Once Public Proclamation No. 24 went into effect, Kinji reapplied to Yale University among other institutions. Yale acknowledged his re-application in a letter dated September 25, 1945. Like most other Japanese Americans, Kinji was trying to reassemble his life after the war.
Unless people imprisoned in the camps could get outside friends to send them supplies, internees had to rely on what they could find or repurpose for their crafts. For example, this necklace was made from buttons that were used on overalls. Approximately 76 buttons were used to make this necklace.
These ironwood tools were made inside Gila River Relocation Center by Yoichi Asada. He used them to make artificial flowers. Many internees made flowers to decorate their barracks in an attempt to brighten their otherwise bleak living conditions. Ironwood refers to woods that have a unique hardness and density.
These ironwood tools were made inside Gila River Relocation Center by Yoichi Asada. He used them to make artificial flowers. Many internees made flowers to decorate their barracks in an attempt to brighten their otherwise bleak living conditions. Ironwood refers to woods that have a unique hardness and density.
This object is an example of kobu art, in which roots and trunks of trees provide natural sculptures. Some artists left the kobu looking natural, while others carved or painted the piece to use for other purposes. This particular kobu functioned as a vase.
This Relocation Notice documents the heavily restricted life that internees had behind barbed wire. Fresno Assembly Center was in use from May 6 to October 30, 1942, with a peak population of 5,120.
Immunizations were also documented at the camps. Fear of outbreaks of deadly diseases resulted in mass inoculation at assembly centers and relocation centers.
This object was carved from a single piece of wood most likely found from the landscape surrounding the camp or a piece of scrap wood found within it. The carving would have served as a decoration hung on a wall inside the barracks.
This radio was purchased from a Sears, Roebuck, and Company catalogue. These catalogues were found in the internment camp post offices. Internees could order things that they were not able to bring with them from home as long as they could pay for it, and if it was not banned.
This ordinary tin can lid was retrieved from the camp mess hall. The edges were folded up and the center was punched with a nail in order to create a decorative tray.
Many incarcerated people were not prepared for the camps because of the quick “evacuation” process. One major problem was lack of appropriate clothing for the camp environment and for growing children. As a result many people made clothing for their families. This could have been the case for this hand-knit red sweater vest.
Like the radio, this record player was purchased from a Sears, Roebuck, and Company catalogue. Purchasing objects like these made life in the interment camp feel a little bit more like home. Internees could escape the harsh condition of the barracks by listening to their favorite music.