By 1941, when the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor, approximately one hundred Nikkei Christian congregations had already been established. Much of this was due to the zealous efforts of churches and…
Another matter greatly debated during resettlement was whether religious denominations should resume the segregated Japanese ethnic churches or push for integration. Almost from the start of relocation, the WRA began…
In addition to college opportunities for some, many Christians saw the need to provide education for children behind the barbed wire. This ministry of school teachers deserves special mention as…
During the internment, Japanese American college students were also granted leave to continue their education at participating institutions. Permission for leave took a great deal of time and paperwork, so…
After the war, churches and other service organizations banded together to help with the work of resettlement. The exodus began as a trickle, but would become a torrent by the…
Almost immediately after opening the camps, the WRA considered plans for Nikkei resettlement. They knew it would be cheaper to pay them to leave than to continue providing them food,…
The Jerome Relocation Center in southeastern Arkansas was a living environment that, at least initially, was soul-destroying, sickening—literally. As the Jerome camp director Paul Taylor conceded to his superiors in…
Hiro Mizushima’s first impression of the Rohwer Relocation Center in southeastern Arkansas was its sparseness: “The barrack itself was just tar paper on the outside. We had a pot belly…
Among the ten Relocation Centers, Gila River in central Arizona was perhaps the most well-kept and therefore ideal for publicity.[1] Temperatures still reached 105 degrees or hotter in July. As…
The Poston Relocation Center was located in the isolated desert wilderness of Arizona. As temperatures often reached 115 degrees, residents would pour water on their canvas cots to keep cool…