Francis Stewart - Japanese Internment

 Residents of Colorado River Relocation Center for persons 

of Japanese ancestry requesting repatriation to Japan, 1942

 

 Robert Naeda, 9, son of the first family to arrive at this War Relocation Authority center, 

studies his school lessons in a home-made chair, Poston, Arizona, 1942

 

 Rose Nakagawa, former student from San Francisco, California, now works 

as a mimeograph operator on the Topaz Times. Topaz, Utah, 1943

 S. Hanasaki, former vegetable seed specialist from San Jose, California, shown inspecting 

carrot plants, now ready to be harvested for seeds, Rivers, Arizona, 1942

 

 Selling skates in community store in Block 30. 

(L to R) Betty Yasunobu, Nellie Arai, salesgirl. Hunt, Idaho, 1943

 

 Sewing school. Evacuee students are taught here not only to design 

but make clothing as well, Poston, Arizona, 1943

 

 Student Mary Sakai, former resident of Stockton, California, is shown 

putting sliced carrots in a double boiler in preparation for the drying process, 1943

 

 Takeshi Shindo, Reporter for the Manzanar Free Press, and his girl friend Toshiko Mikami, 

enjoy a pleasant afternoon at the picnic ground at this War Relocation Authority Center. 

Manzanar, California, 1943

 

 The baggage, belonging to evacuees who have just arrived from the assembly center at Puyallup, Washington, is sorted and trucked to their barrack apartments. Hunt, Idaho, 1942

 

 These two little evacuees of Japanese ancestry are getting acquainted at this 

War Relocation Authority center, Poston, Arizona, 1942

 

 These youngsters are playing in the field of a nursery school at Manzanar. 1942

 

 Two young girl evacuees of Japanese ancestry invite their boy friends 

to dance at a barn dance given by Block 12, Poston, Arizona, 1942

 View in the home of Eizo Nishi, showing attractive way this evacuee family 

has decorated their barrack apartment. Hunt, Idaho, 1943

 

 Watering chrysanthemum plants in Nakata and Son hot house. Many rare and 

patented flowers have been developed by this firm, Rivers, Arizona, 1942

 

 Welders in the machine shop at this War Relocation Authority Center, 

Poston, Arizona, 1943

 

 Winter time panorama view. Hunt, Idaho, 1943

 

Yachiyo Honda and Sakae Nakasaki pin a favor on Jean Honda at a barn dance 

given by Block 12 at the War Relocation Authority center where evacuees 

are spending the duration, Poston, Arizona, 1942

Francis Stewart - Japanese internment

 A pupil of the third grade is taught to read and enjoy children's books, like any other young American boy. Manzanar, California, 1943

 A young evacuee of Japanese ancestry entertains on an accordion at a dance given by the Girls' Recreation Committee for fellow evacuees. Manzanar, California, 1943

 Arriving by train at Lone Pine from Elk Grove, California. Newcomers are transported 

by bus from Lone Pine to Manzanar. 1942

 Basketball games are part of the regular scheduled recreational events, which help to fill out the lives of residents in relocation centers. Manzanar, California, 1943

 Dancing class in a girls' recreation hall at Manzanar. 1942

 Esther Naito, office worker from Los Angeles, is shown operating an electric iron 

in her quarters at Manzanar. 1942

 Evacuee farmers are here harvesting Daikon, a large radish like vegetable which is a great delicacy among the Japanese people. Rivers, Arizona, 1942

 Evacuee participants who marched in the Harvest Festival Parade held at this center 

on Thanksgiving day, Rivers, Arizona, 1942

 Evacuees of Japanese ancestry dance the Virginia Reel at a barn dance given by Block 12. 

No music was available so dancers sang pop goes the Weasel 

and clapped hands in time with the dance, Poston, Arizona, 1942

 Evacuees of Japanese ancestry watching Memorial Day services. Manzanar, California, 1942

 Evacuees of Japanese descent watching an outdoor musical performance 

at the War Relocation Authority center, Poston, Arizona, 1942

Florence Yamaguchi (left), and Kinu Hirashima, both from Los Angeles, 

are pictured under an apple tree at Manzanar. 1942

Japanese Internment - Francis Stewart

I just recently discovered a comprehensive archive of photos taken in the internment camps for Japanese-Americans during World War II. (It's here.) I've been culling the best from this collection and cleaning them up. The photos are fairly low resolution compared to others I have been posting here, but they are good enough.

I have to say, I find these photos immensely poignant. To be sure, there is a propaganda factor at play here, depicting the camps in the best light possible, and I'm sure that behind these smiling faces there were some dark undercurrents. Nonetheless, I am truly impressed with how these people coped with their situation and made the best of it.

 A group of children evacuees enjoying a game of Black Jack 

at the War Relocation Authority center, Poston, Arizona, 1942

 A group picture of the sewing school, Poston, Arizona, 1943

 A small evacuee of Japanese ancestry amuses himself while his parents are entertained by an outdoor musical show at this War Relocation Authority center, Poston, Arizona, 1942

 A view at a dance given to celebrate the Harvest Festival at Camp 2, Thanksgiving day, Rivers, Arizona, 1942

 A view at a dance given to celebrate the Harvest Festival at Camp 2, Thanksgiving day, Rivers, Arizona, 1942

 A view of cauliflower, which is being grown for its seed, Rivers, Arizona, 1943

 A view of the Reports Office, at this War Relocation Authority Center. Russell Bankson, Reports Officer, is shown on the far right. Topaz, Utah, 1943

 A young evacuee of Japanese ancestry entertains her fellow evacuees with a demonstration of her tap dancing ability. This was one number in an outdoor musical show, Poston, Arizona, 1942

 Barn dance given in Block 12. No music was available so evacuees of Japanese descent sang "Pop Goes the Weasel" and clapped hands while dancing the Virginia Reel. Poston, Arizona, 1942

 Beauty shop. Maye Morikawa, Poston, Arizona, 1943

 Butte Nursery and Kindergarten children's snack hour. Rivers, Arizona, 1944

 Cheiko Neeno, Nurse's Aid student at the Poston Hospital, 

attending a baby patient in the children's ward, 1943

 Dry goods canteen, camp 1, Poston, Arizona, 1943

Editors on the Topaz Times, who have volunteered for combat duty in the army. 

All male members of the staff have volunteered. Topaz, Utah, 1943