Interviews
Learned what it meant to be called “Jap” in Heart Mountain
While we were in camp, I began to learn what it meant to be called “Jap.” All the time… Occasionally, the administration of the camp —which was all White—let us out on little tours, fieldtrips, you know, for children, fieldtrips to Cody, Wyoming, which was like, one of those single-street, towns in the middle-West...I don't know how your town was but, one or two main streets and that’s it. So, then, you see signs in the windows, “No Japs welcome here,” “You’re not...” any way, all kinds of handmade signs all around there, even from a child’s point of view you can tell the fieldtrip was ridiculous.
Date: September 15, 2017
Location: California, US
Interviewer: Jennifer Cool
Contributed by: Jennifer Cool, Matthew Purifoy
Explore More Videos
Experiencing discrimination as a child
Co-founder and creative director of San Jose Taiko
Hiding what happened in camp
(1922–2014) Political and civil rights activist.
Camp as a positive thing
(1922–2014) Political and civil rights activist.
Rounding up Issei and Nikkei
(1922–2014) Political and civil rights activist.
His parents' experience with Japanese resistance toward intermarriage with Okinawans
(b.1925) Nisei of Okinawan descent. Had a 38-year career in Japan as a baseball player, coach, scout, and manager.
The birth of a novel through a conversation with her nephew
(b. 1934) Writer
Mixed emotions after declaration of war on Japan
(b.1913) Kibei from California who served in the MIS with Merrill’s Marauders during WWII.
Train ride to Jerome Relocation Center
(b.1913) Kibei from California who served in the MIS with Merrill’s Marauders during WWII.
Atmosphere in his Merrill’s Marauders unit when surrounded by Japanese soldiers
(b.1913) Kibei from California who served in the MIS with Merrill’s Marauders during WWII.
Response to loyalty questionnaire
(b.1909) Nisei from Washington. Incarcerated at Tule Lake and Minidoka during WWII. Resettled in Chicago after WWII
Difficulties finding apartment in Chicago after leaving Minidoka
(b.1909) Nisei from Washington. Incarcerated at Tule Lake and Minidoka during WWII. Resettled in Chicago after WWII