This photograph is of a man holding a baby in camp. Most likely the camp is Rowher because "Arkansas" is on the back of the photo. The baby is holding a small stuffed animal, and they are posing in front of the bare barracks of Rowher. Many children were born and grew up in these prison camps, and their innocence is a sharp contrast to the camps they were born in.
This historic photograph taken in Wyoming, shows the outline of a small child, named Gerald, watching the sunset. He's gazing over the Heart Mountain incarceration camp, while the sun is going down behind the clouds. Gerald is one of many small children that were incarcerated with their parents and families during WWII. The back says "Gerald admiring the sunset in Wyoming". His small silhouette contrasts to the vast expanse of the Wyoming sky and the Heart Mountain prison camp.
This document is an Order of Merit that was presented to Roy Nakano from the War Relocation Authority. It was awarded to evacuee workers who demonstrated outstanding work in their service to the WRA. The WRA appreciated the hard work that Roy, as well as many other Japanese American workers, did during their imprisonment. Note how the document is addressed to "Mr. Ray Nakano", spelling Roy's name wrong.
This photograph taken in the Jerome incarceration camp, shows a baby posed on top of a box. The caption under the photo says "11 months" explaining how young the child is. On the back it says, "Prepared to go to Wyoming. From Arkansas." The family in this photo is getting ready to be forcibly removed once again to a prison camp. Japanese Americans were forced to hop from camp to camp quite frequently.
This photo taken in Jerome, Arkansas, shows three men sawing a log. Prisoners had various jobs at the camp, and these men were in charge of cutting up wood. They're posing for the picture and smiling, showing the spirit of Japanese Americans while they were imprisoned. On the back of the photo it says, "Cutting down trees in the woods for fuel to heat the barracks in Arkansas".
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 is the nameplate of Eddie Shimomura, father of Roger Shimomura, noting he was a registered pharmacist. Eddie was a registered pharmacist and as such was able to work in the hospital while incarcerated at Minidoka Incarceration Camp after he and his family was forcibly removed. They were originally removed to the Puyallup Assembly Center before they were finally temporarily relocated to Minidoka in Idaho.
This photograph is of three small children standing in front of the barracks. The three children's names are Taka, Aki, and Yukiharu Sugimoto, and they are standing in the Tule Lake concentration camp. These children were incarcerated with their family at the Tule Lake detention center. There were many children that had to endure incarceration with their parents.
This is the Yunder-Sutter-Butte Colusa Chapter bulletin of the Japanese American Citizens League (JACL) and is titled Bulletin No. 18, Suggestions of Things to Take. It contains personal notes by Bill Fuchigami on what items he wanted to bring to the relocation camp.
The Bulletin states that mess equipment such as plates, cups, knives, forks, etc, were to be provided at the Assembly and Reception Centers, but would not be provided at the Relocation Centers.
The Bulletin suggests bringing canvasses that were used to roll blankets to use them as flooring in the centers, to bring curtain material to use them as partitions in their temporary living quarters, and also to bring additional bedding.
Other items the Bulletin suggested to bring were soap, small wash tubs, small bassinet cribs, baby necessities, bottles, nipples, bath-warmers, high-chairs and mosquito nets (which Bill underlined). Mirrors, scissors, needles, thread, safety pins, toilet articles, books, portable typewriters, musical instruments, games, athletic equipment, carpenter tools, light sockets, writing materials, extension cords, small radios, bed lamps, and extra bulbs were encouraged. Bill underlined the items mosquito nets, mirrors, books, light sockets, and extension cords.
The clothing the Bulletin suggested that the people should bring were durable items, for there were no dry cleaning facilities in the camps. Other items included bath robes, yukata, shower caps, and shoes.
Of toilet and sanitary articles, the Bulletin suggested to only bring a small amount because there would be a shop to purchase them from.
Bill underlined laundry basins and irons in the laundry equipment section, as well as canteen and water bags dor drinking water. In the margins, Bill wrote "electric plate" and "tea or coffee kettle".
The Bulletin had a list of items that were NOT recommended - refrigerators, bicycles, motorcycles, tricycles, scooters, sewing machines, tubs, chairs (other than nursery chairs), and other furniture.
The Bulletin also stated that storage would be provided and there was no limit on how many boxes would be accepted as long as they were properly crated for shipment. It stated a procedure that would be put in place for the boxed items in storage and where the boxes would be going. It also said that belongings would be shipped to the relocation centers free of charge.
This photo was taken in the Jerome Concentration camp, and depicts the hospital area in the prison in Denson, Arkansas.The barracks and the hospital are sprawling over the barren landscape. One of the major functions of the hospital was handling all the camp babies that were born while Japanese Americans were imprisoned. Many children were born during WWII and the time that the Japanese Americans were confined, so the hospital was one of the most important buildings in each of the concentration camps.
Seisaku Aoyagi was born on June 4, 1888 in Sumiyoshi, Yamanashi, Japan. Seisaku Aoyagi immigrated to Hilo, Hawai’i from Yokosuka, Kanagawa-ken, Japan in 1907 and originally worked as a plantation contract laborer. In 1921, Seisaku Aoyagi married Kin Aoki, and together they founded the business Hawaii Junk and sold military surplus from World War I as well as buying scrap metal. Seiji Aoyagi was also a
Seisaku Aoyagi registered with the Selective Service Proclamation on April 25, 1942, and was given a Registration Certificate (D.S.S. Form 2). The physical description for Seisaku Aoyagi said he was “oriental”, was 5’2” and 132 lbs, with black hair, a light brown complexion, and had a scar on the back of his head. Seisaku Aoyagi also registered as an Alien under the Alien Registration Act of 1940.
Kin Aoki Aoyagi was born on June 29, 1892 in Japan. Her occupation was a housewife.
Kin and Seisaku had two children, a daughter named Midori Aoyagi and a son, Seiji Aoyagi. Seiji Aoyagi passed away on October 13, 2015.
Seisaku Aoyagi was sent to the Lordsburg Internment Camp in New Mexico. It opened on June 15, 1942, and closed in 1944. Lordsburg held the largest number of Issei prisoners with a peak population of Issei at 1,500. Seisaku and Kin Aoyagi were both Issei. Lordsburg was an enemy alien camp managed by the Department of Justice, and its first prisoners consisted of a group of Japanese men deemed dangerous by the FBI.
The infamous killings of Toshio and Hirota Isomura happened at Lordsburg on July 27, 1942. These two elderly prisoners were shot and killed by a guard, Private First Class Clarence Burleson, who claimed they had been running towards the fence to escape. The guard was found not guilty by an army court-martial board even after prisoners testified that Kobata and Isomura were both physically disabled (Kobata had tuberculosis and Isomura had a bad back). This led to a protest of prisoners, and it turned out that Colonel Lundy had violated the Geneva Convention by forcing prisoners to build military facilities in harsh conditions without pay. Colonel Lundy was retired and Lordsburg was closed after this, with everyone in the camp relocating to the Santa Fe Detention Camp in New Mexico.
On October 22, 1945, The Commanding General ended the prohibition of all that were removed from Hawai’i under the provisions of Executive Order 9066 and Executive Order 9489 and stated that they were allowed to return.
Executive Order 9066 was signed by President Franklin D. Roosevelt on February 19, 1942 following the attack on Pearl Harbor, and enabled the Secretary of War to create military exclusion zones were persons who were a threat to national security could be excluded from. Most affected by Executive Order 9066 were Japanese Americans; they were forcibly removed from their homes on the west coast and sent to prison camps for the duration of the war.
Executive Order 9489 authorized and directed the Secretary of War to designate a Military Commander for the Territory of Hawai’i and to prescribe this territory as a military area and thus turn it into a military exclusion zone that those considered a threat to national security could be excluded from. It was signed on October 18, 1944 by President Franklin D. Roosevelt.
Seisaku Aoyagi was one of the men selected for removal from Hawai’i; he was put on the sixth transfer boat from Honolulu on September 16, 1942. The ship had 28 men onboard. It listed his address as Hilo, Hawai’i. This list that stated what boat he was on was a list that stated who had been transferred from Hawai’i to the mainland.
There is an Aoyagi Family Scholarship at the University of Hawai’i, Hilo Campus that provides scholarship support to Hawai’i Island students attending the University of Hawai’i at Hilo majoring in Business or Economics.
This service flag is donated by Roger Shimomura, depicting that one member of the family was serving in the armed forces. Single blue star in the center represents there was a family member in service.
This haunting photo taken in the Heart Mountain prison camp, shows the camp in Wyoming at night. The lights from each barrack shines in the night, creating a starry scene in the concentration camp. It shows the bare vastness and uniformity of the camp. In the middle of nowhere in Wyoming, this camp sticks out bright and out of place.
This belt was made by Joe Yamakido while imprisoned in Texarkana. He was the lone draft resister from the Jerome War Relocation camp. When Executive Order 9066 was signed Joe along with his family were moved to the Santa Anita Assembly Center. A riot broke out, and the FBI falsely accused and jailed Joe Yamakido, while his family was moved to the Jerome War Relocation camp. After Joe was released, he was sent to the Tule Lake WRA camp. He wanted to be reunited with his family so he obtained a travel permit and went to Jerome. After his arrival to Jerome, much of his family was then transferred to Tule Lake, so, wanting to be with his family, and knowing Tule Lake was for "disloyal" prisoners, he denounced his U.S. Citizenship. While this was happening though, he received a draft notice. He avoided this draft notice and refused to serve until he eventually got arrested. He was prosecuted and sentenced to three years at Texarkana, where he was a victim to racism and discrimination within the jail. He made this belt out of cigarette wrappers and aluminum foil during his imprisonment. This belt is symbolic of all the time he spent incarcerated and discriminated against in all kinds of different ways. Many Japanese American prisoners made things out of odd materials. Common materials for these crafts were old wood, wire, or seashells that they found, but the cigarette wrapper cellophane that Joe used is an especially unique material. It represents the creativity, the character, and the fighting spirit of Joe Yamakido.
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 is part of Bill Fuchigami's application for indefinite leave from the Granada War Relocation Center, dated December 12, 1943.
Part of the application process for applying for indefinite leave included a Memorandum of Understanding, which was a signed document by Bill stating that he understands that upon his release from the Granada Relocation Center, he is not eligible for return for residence to the Granada Relocation Center without prior written approval of the Relocation Officer. It also states that Bill understands that if he has no blood relatives remaining at the Granada Center after his departure that he may never return for residence at the Granada Center.
The document is written in both English and Japanese to ensure that the memorandum would be understood.
This is the event program for Topaz High School's 1944 Block 5 graduation ceremony. The program lists ten people on the left inside page and the schedule of events on the right inside page. Personal signatures are also found throughout the program. Topaz High School was located in the Topaz War Relocation Center, a Japanese American prison camp in Utah that was active between September 1942 and October 1945. Topaz held a total of over 11,000 Japanese American prisoners during WWII.
This is a Registration Certificate (D.S.S. Form 2) in accordance with the Selective Service Proclamation for Seisaku Aoyagi. The Selective Service Proclamation required all male citizens and non-citizen immigrants over the age of 18 to register to be eligible for potential military conscription. Today, it is only for men between the ages of 18-25.
Seisaku Aoyagi registered on April 25, 1942. The physical description for Seisaku Aoyagi said he was “oriental”, was 5’2” and 132 lbs, with black hair, a light brown complexion, and had a scar on the back of his head. Seisaku Aoyagi also registered as an Alien under the Alien Registration Act of 1940.
Seisaku Aoyagi was sent to the Lordsburg Internment Camp in New Mexico. It opened on June 15, 1942, and closed in 1944. Lordsburg held the largest number of Issei prisoners with a peak population of Issei at 1,500. Seisaku and Kin Aoyagi were both Issei. Lordsburg was an enemy alien camp managed by the Department of Justice, and its first prisoners consisted of a group of Japanese men deemed dangerous by the FBI.
This small note is a graduation announcement from Topaz High School for the class of 1944. Topaz High School was located in the Topaz War Relocation Center, a Japanese American prison camp in Utah that was active between September 1942 and October 1945. Topaz held a total of over 11,000 Japanese American prisoners during WWII. The interior says, "The Senior Class of Topaz High School announces its Commencement Exercises Friday evening, June second at eight o'clock High School Auditorium".