Interviews
Interned at age fifteen, I saw camp as an adventure
At fifteen, I think the thing was more of an adventure. I think that different people at different ages had different reactions, but for me at fifteen, it was sort of an adventure. What was going to happen next? [At] fifteen you know you’re invincible. You could do anything, so . . . I don’t recall any negative experience, at least initially. I think that set in later. No one realized that there would be no school until—well we didn’t know, but there was no school until the fall, but we were right in the middle of school. So that left a big void. And of course, there wasn’t really anything to do. That was one of the biggest problems.
Date: June 12, 1998
Location: California, US
Interviewer: Darcie Iki, Mitchell Maki
Contributed by: Watase Media Arts Center, Japanese American National Museum
Explore More Videos
The role of the media in influencing people's opinions
(b. 1925) Draft resister
Reaction to a 1942 speech by Mike Masaoka, Japanese American Citizen League's National Secretary
(1915 - 2011) Nisei florist who resettled in New York City after WW II. Active in Japanese American civil rights movement
Deciding whether to answer "yes-yes" on the loyalty questionnaire in order to leave camp
(b. 1925) Draft resister
Reasons for conformity and competitiveness in Gardena, California
(b. 1946) Lawyer
Role of the redress movement in helping Nisei to open up about their wartime experiences
(b. 1946) Lawyer
Not recognizing father after reunion at Crystal City, Texas
(1937 - 2021) Teacher
A child's memories of activities at Crystal City, Texas
(1937 - 2021) Teacher
Japanese American railroad workers are fired following the bombing of Pearl Harbor
(b. 1923) Chick sexer
A racist encounter at a movie theater following the bombing of Pearl Harbor
(b. 1923) Chick sexer
Traveling to Manzanar
(b. 1921) Nisei veteran who served in the occupation of Japan
Jobs in Manzanar
(b. 1921) Nisei veteran who served in the occupation of Japan