From 1942-1945 over 110,000 people of Japanese ancestry living on the West Coast were incarcerated in one of ten War Relocation Authority (WRA) camps located in western states. A reaction to the December 7, 1941, Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor, the incarceration was ordered under the pressure of wartime expediency despite the fact that there was not a single documented case of espionage carried out by a member of the Japanese American community.
This collection of interviews offers rare first-hand accounts from the children of families incarcerated at Manzanar. Recorded decades after incarceration, they reflect on their own experiences in the camp, the experiences of their parents, and how their understanding of incarceration changed over time.
Archie Miyatake on his father’s photography at Manzanar
John Wakamatsu on his family’s experience at Manzanar
Chiyeko Matoba on her high school graduation at Manzanar
Mary Ichino on teen years in Manzanar
With more than 2,000 primary sources, comprehensive coverage of time periods and events, and intuitive research tools, The Asian American Experience prepares student researchers to conduct rigorous and targeted explorations across multiple dimensions of Asian American history and culture.
