This is a letter from President George H. W. Bush to Japanese Americans who were imprisoned due to Executive Order 9066. Written on parchment, it was an attempt to apologize for wrongs done to the Japanese Americans. The President's signature is in autopen on the bottom.
This ribbon bar was awarded to Joe Nishimoto along with his Medal of Honor on June 21, 2000 by President Bill Clinton. This ribbon would be worn on the dress tunic for ceremonial occassions. This Medal of Honor was awarded to Private First Class Joe M. Nishimoto of the 442nd Regimental Combat Team for extraordinary heroism in action near La Houssière, France.
This is the Department of Justice Compromise Settlement issued to Roy Nakano, May 12, 1952. The document outlines claims in terms of lost income, $26,374.92, and property damages, $4,937.92. According to the verdict, Nakano was awarded $1,566.40. Many unfair settlements like this were handed out in the years following the end of WWII.
This Medal of Honor was awarded to Private First Class Joe M. Nishimoto of the 442nd Regimental Combat Team for extraordinary heroism in action near La Houssière, France. Born in Madera, California on February 21, 1919, Nishimoto was initially incarcerated at Jerome Concentration Camp. He enlisted out of Columbus, Ohio on October 4th, 1943, and was sent to Camp Shelby, Mississippi to train with the newly-formed 442nd Regimental Combat Team. After serving throughout Italy and Southern France, Nishimoto witnessed heavy combat throughout the Vosges Mountains, including saving of the Lost Battalion. On November 7th, 1944, after experiencing numerous days under stress from enemy fire and hidden mines, Nishimoto led a bold attack through the German lines. Private Joe Nishimoto died the following week in combat on November 15th, 1944. Originally awarded the Distinguished Service Cross for his actions on November 7th, 1944, he was later awarded the Medal of Honor by President Bill Clinton on June 21st, 2000 along with 21 other distinguished Asian American soldiers.
A four page report written by the War Relocation Authority describing the history, process, and organization of relocation for Japanese Americans. It's a detailed description of the steps that led to the incarceration of Japanese Americans on the west coast. This letter provides a list of concentration camps with camp populations, policies of the camps, and regulations of resettlement for families wishing to leave the camp. Dated June, 1943.
This radio report was issued by Dillon S. Myer, the director of the War Relocation Authority, and contains information about the Tule Lake Concentration Camp and its use as a segregation camp for "disloyal" or "hostile" Japanese Americans. The report vaguely describes what has come to be known as the Loyalty Questionnaire, in which all Japanese Americans were asked to fill out a form that would prove their loyalty or lack thereof. There were two crucial questions that involved participation in war efforts, and disbanding any loyalty to Japan and its Emperor, if a prisoner answered "no" to any of these questions, they were deemed disloyal and sent to Tule Lake. The report also details an account of a protest from the incarcerated at Tule Lake, as well as the building of the site.
Four page letter written to Edward Barron relating to one applicant, Frank Ohye, and issues relating to his interview with Marian MacDonald, an interviewer on behalf of Edward Barron. The document states that Mr. Ohye was still under investigation by the FBI as an enemy alien, and his wife was pending an FBI hearing. He was also further detained for possessing a camera with a telescopic lens, which was already turned into the policy by Mr. Ohye. The document concludes by reassuring Mr. Barron that the situation was an error on behalf of the Department of Justice and that Mr. Ohye was cleared for resettlement in Maryland if he accepted the offer. Dated January 13, 1944.
Six page written letter addressed to. Margaret Barron from Mrs. Shizuka Yamasaki. States that Mr. Yamasaki and her arrived at Seabrook Farms, New Jersey the previous week. Both were able to find jobs, and request Mrs. Barron about forwarding mail to their new address. Seabrook Farms was one of the most accepting and open places that helped Japanese Americans reestablish their lives and get back on their feet. This food plant employed many former prisoners, and gave them the first steps to get back to their normal lives. Letter is dated January 4, 1945.
Contact sheet of negatives by George Wakiji documenting the United States Commission on Wartime Relocation and Internment of Civilians (CWRIC) Hearings in Washington, D.C. Name stamp of George Wakiji on back. Photo label of those depicted affixed on reverse.
The CWRIC was a bipartisan commission formed by President Jimmy Carter to investigate the facts and circumstances surrounding Executive Order 9066 (EO 9066) and the incarceration of American citizens, as well as the mistreatment of the Alaskan natives of the Pribilof and Aleutian Islands. The following contact sheet documents the hearing held on July 14th, 1981. It features members of commission and captures the testimonies from various members of Congress, including Representatives Daniel Akaka (D-Hawaii), Michael E. Lowry (D-Washington), and Senator Ted Stevens (R-Alaska), Supreme Court Justice Abe Fortas, Min Yasui and Gordon Hirabayashi (plaintiffs in Supreme Court challenges to Japanese American incarceration).
The people in the highlighted cells are as follows:
Contact sheet of negatives by George Wakiji documenting the United States Commission on Wartime Relocation and Internment of Civilians (CWRIC) Hearings in Washington, D.C. Name stamp of George Wakiji on back. Photo label of those depicted affixed on reverse.
The CWRIC was a bipartisan commission formed by President Jimmy Carter to investigate the facts and circumstances surrounding Executive Order 9066 (EO 9066) and the incarceration of American citizens, as well as the mistreatment of the Alaskan natives of the Pribilof and Aleutian Islands. The following contact sheet documents the hearing held on July 14th, 1981 and features the testimonies from members of Congress. Present that day were Senators Daniel K. Inouye (D-Hawaii), Spark Matsunaga (D-Hawaii), and Ted Stevens (D-Alaska) and Representatives Daniel Akaka (D-Hawaii), Mervyn Dymally (D-CA), and Cecil Heftel (D-Hawaii). Also present were federal officials, Leland Barrows a high level official at the War Relocation Authority.
The people in the highlighted cells are as follows:
Contact sheet of negatives by George Wakiji documenting the United States Commission on Wartime Relocation and Internment of Civilians (CWRIC) Hearings in Washington, D.C. Name stamp of George Wakiji on back. Photo label of those depicted affixed on reverse.
The CWRIC was a bipartisan commission formed by President Jimmy Carter to investigate the facts and circumstances surrounding Executive Order 9066 (EO 9066) and the incarceration of American citizens, as well as the mistreatment of the Alaskan natives of the Pribilof and Aleutian Islands. The following contact sheet documents the hearing held on July 14th, 1981 and a benefit reception held by the JACL at the International Club in Washington, DC on July 13, 1981. At the reception were Jim Tsujimura, the national JACL president, CWRIC commission members, and Senators Inouye (D-HI) and Matsunaga (D-HI) and Representativew Robert Matsui (D-CA). The images from the hearing captures the commission members, and various members of the audience.
Contact sheet of negatives by George Wakiji documenting the United States Commission on Wartime Relocation and Internment of Civilians (CWRIC) Hearings in Washington, D.C. Name stamp of George Wakiji on back; an address label (George M. Wakiji/5820 Iron Willow Court/ Alexandra, VA 22310) affixed to back covering another, perhaps previous address. Photo label of those depicted affixed on reverse.
The CWRIC was a bipartisan commission formed by President Jimmy Carter to investigate the facts and circumstances surrounding Executive Order 9066 (EO 9066) and the incarceration of American citizens, as well as the mistreatment of the Alaskan natives of the Pribilof and Aleutian Islands. The following contact sheet documents the hearing held on July, 14 1981 and on July 16, 1981. It features members of commission and captures the testimonies from a number of figures associated with the legal challenges to Japanese American incarceration. Former Supreme Court Justice Abe Fortas is features, as well as Gordon Hirabayashi and Min Yasui. Both Hirabayashi and Yasui were plaintiffs in two Supreme Court cases.
The people in the highlighted cells are as follows:
Contact sheet of negatives by George Wakiji documenting the United States Commission on Wartime Relocation and Internment of Civilians (CWRIC) Hearings in Washington, D.C. Name stamp of George Wakiji on back; an address label (George M. Wakiji/5820 Iron Willow Court/ Alexandra, VA 22310) affixed to back covering another, perhaps previous address. Photo label of those depicted affixed on rever.
The CWRIC was a bipartisan commission formed by President Jimmy Carter to investigate the facts and circumstances surrounding Executive Order 9066 (EO 9066) and the incarceration of American citizens, as well as the mistreatment of the Alaskan natives of the Pribilof and Aleutian Islands.
The following contact sheet documents the hearing held on July, 16 1981. It features members of commission and captures the testimonies from Jack Greenberg of the NAACP Legal & Education Fund, Ed Nakawatase of the American Friends Service Committee, and influential Japanese American civil rights activist Yuri Kochiyama. Kochiyama, whose family was incarcerated at Santa Anita and Jerome, worked during the civil rights movement in forging an alliance between Asian American and African American communities. She is most known for being with Malcom X on the night of his assassination.
The people depicted in the highlighted cells are as follows:
Contact sheet of negatives by George Wakiji documenting the United States Commission on Wartime Relocation and Internment of Civilians (CWRIC) Hearings in Washington, D.C. Name stamp of George Wakiji on back; an address label (George M. Wakiji/5820 Iron Willow Court/ Alexandra, VA 22310) affixed to back covering another, perhaps previous address. Photo label of those depicted affixed on reverse.
The CWRIC was a bipartisan commission formed by President Jimmy Carter to investigate the facts and circumstances surrounding Executive Order 9066 (EO 9066) and the incarceration of American citizens, as well as the mistreatment of the Alaskan natives of the Pribilof and Aleutian Islands. The following contact sheet documents the hearing held on July 16, 1981. It features members of commission and captures the testimonies from Ed Nakawatase of the American Friends Service Committee, Jack Greenberg of the NAACP Legal and Education Fund, and conservative activist Lilian Baker, a proponent of Japanese American incarceration.
The people in the highlighted cells are as follows:
Contact sheet of negatives by George Wakiji documenting the United States Commission on Wartime Relocation and Internment of Civilians (CWRIC) Hearings in Washington, D.C. Name stamp of George Wakiji on back. Photo label of those depicted affixed on reverse.
The CWRIC was a bipartisan commission formed by President Jimmy Carter to investigate the facts and circumstances surrounding Executive Order 9066 (EO 9066) and the incarceration of American citizens, as well as the mistreatment of the Alaskan natives of the Pribilof and Aleutian Islands. The following contact sheet documents the hearing held on July 14th, 1981 and features the testimonies form historians Neal Peterson, David Trask, Fred Beck, and Orville Shirey, Gordon Hirabayashi, a Japanese American sociologist who challenged Japanese American incarceration before the US Supreme Court, and Supreme Court Justice Abe Fortas.
The people in the highlighted cells are as follows:
Contact sheet of negatives by George Wakiji documenting the United States Commission on Wartime Relocation and Internment of Civilians (CWRIC) Hearings in Washington, D.C. Name stamp of George Wakiji on back; an address label (George M. Wakiji/5820 Iron Willow Court/ Alexandra, VA 22310) affixed to back covering another, perhaps previous address. Photo label of those depicted affixed on reverse.
The CWRIC was a bipartisan commission formed by President Jimmy Carter to investigate the facts and circumstances surrounding Executive Order 9066 (EO 9066) and the incarceration of American citizens, as well as the mistreatment of the Alaskan natives of the Pribilof and Aleutian Islands. The following contact sheet documents the hearing held on July 14, 1981. It features members of commission and captures the testimonies from Min Yasui and Gordon Hirabayashi, Supreme Court Justice Abe Fortas, Orville Shirey. Both Yasui and Hirabayashi were plaintiffs in Supreme Court challenges to Japanese incarceration. Shirey worked with the 442 combat regiment and wrote about his experiences. Also to testify was level War Relocation Authority official Leland Barrows and Senators Inouye and Matsunaga.
The people in the highlighted cells are as follows:
Contact sheet of negatives by George Wakiji documenting the United States Commission on Wartime Relocation and Internment of Civilians (CWRIC) Hearings in Washington, D.C. Name stamp of George Wakiji on back; an address label (George M. Wakiji/5820 Iron Willow Court/ Alexandra, VA 22310) affixed to back covering another, perhaps previous address. Photo label of those depicted affixed on reverse.
The CWRIC was a bipartisan commission formed by President Jimmy Carter to investigate the facts and circumstances surrounding Executive Order 9066 (EO 9066) and the incarceration of American citizens, as well as the mistreatment of the Alaskan natives of the Pribilof and Aleutian Islands. The following contact sheet documents the hearing held on July 16, 1981 inside the Senate Caucus Building, room 318 in the Russell Senate Office Building. It features members of commission and captures the testimonies from Mike Masaoka and William Hohri. Mike Masaoka was a prominent Japanese American activist who held leadership positions at the Japanese American Citizens League (JACL). William Hohri served as the lead plaintiff on the National Council for Japanese American Redress (NCJAR) class action lawsuit. He was also an important figure in the redress movement.
The people in the highlighted cells are as follows:
Contact sheet of negatives by George Wakiji documenting the United States Commission on Wartime Relocation and Internment of Civilians (CWRIC) Hearings in Washington, D.C. Name stamp of George Wakiji on back; an address label (George M. Wakiji/5820 Iron Willow Court/ Alexandra, VA 22310) affixed to back covering another, perhaps previous address. Photo label of those depicted affixed on reverse.
The CWRIC was a bipartisan commission formed by President Jimmy Carter to investigate the facts and circumstances surrounding Executive Order 9066 (EO 9066) and the incarceration of American citizens, as well as the mistreatment of the Alaskan natives of the Pribilof and Aleutian Islands. The following contact sheet documents the hearing held on July, 16 1981. It features members of commission and captures the testimonies from Jack Greenberg of the NAACP Legal & Education Fund, Ed Nakawatase of the American Friends Service Committee, and influential Japanese American civil rights activist Yuri Kochiyama. Kochiyama, whose family was incarcerated at Santa Anita and Jerome, worked during the civil rights movement in forging an alliance between Asian American and African American communities. She is most known for being with Malcom X on the night of his assassination. Also featured was Lillian Baker a conservative activist Lilian Baker and a proponent of Japanese American incarceration.
Contact sheet of negatives by George Wakiji documenting the United States Commission on Wartime Relocation and Internment of Civilians (CWRIC) Hearings in Washington, D.C. Name stamp of George Wakiji on back; an address label (George M. Wakiji/5820 Iron Willow Court/ Alexandra, VA 22310) affixed to back covering another, perhaps previous address. Photo label of those depicted affixed on reverse.
The CWRIC was a bipartisan commission formed by President Jimmy Carter to investigate the facts and circumstances surrounding Executive Order 9066 (EO 9066) and the incarceration of American citizens, as well as the mistreatment of the Alaskan natives of the Pribilof and Aleutian Islands. The following contact sheet documents the hearing held on July 14th and 16th, 1981. . It features members of commission and captures the testimonies from Gordon Hirabayashi, Min Yasui, and Mari Michener. Mari Michener (née Sabusawa) was Michener’s third wife and a second-generation Japanese American who was incarcerated with her family, first at the Santa Anita Assembly Center in California, then at Grenada in Colorado, before being released to attend Antioch College in Ohio. Both Yasui and Hirabayashi were plaintiffs in Supreme Court challenges to Japanese incarceration.
The people in the highlighted cells are as follows:
13 Chiye Tomihiro (Chicago), Mari Sabusawa Michener (St. Michaels, MD)
Contact sheet of negatives by George Wakiji documenting the United States Commission on Wartime Relocation and Internment of Civilians (CWRIC) Hearings in Washington, D.C. Name stamp of George Wakiji on back. Photo label of those depicted affixed on reverse.
The CWRIC was a bipartisan commission formed by President Jimmy Carter to investigate the facts and circumstances surrounding Executive Order 9066 (EO 9066) and the incarceration of American citizens, as well as the mistreatment of the Alaskan natives of the Pribilof and Aleutian Islands. The following contact sheet documents the hearing held on July 14th, 1981. It features members of commission and captures the testimonies from various members of Congress, including Senators Daniel Inouye (D-Hawaii), Ted Stevens (R-Alaska), and Spark Matsunaga (D-Hawaii).
The people in the highlighted cells are as follows: