Participant Accounts
(This is a painting from Kango
Takamura, and man in the internment camp, showing the conditions in
whick they lived.)
1. Describe the
location and weather of the camp.
2. What is the most
important aspect of this painting.
An Interview with Marielle
Tsukamoto: A First-hand Account of Japanese Internment
Question: How long
did your family spend in an internment camp?
Answer: We were sent from Florin, California, to a temporary facility
at the Fresno County fairgrounds for 6 months beginning in May of 1942.
From there our family along with others from California were sent to
Jerome, Akansas. We were never at Topaz. The US government set up 10
internment camps in various locations in the United States. These camps
were located in desolate, unpopulated places throughout the continental
states. The government did not want the people of the United States to
know much about the internment of 120,000 Americans of Japanese
ancestry.
Question: What is
one thing you would like everyone to know about Japanese American
internment.?
Answer: First, I would want everyone to know that all of us, the
American citizens born in this country as well as our grandparents and
parents who originally came from Japan were innocent of any wrong. We
were loyal Americans. The FBI and military investigated all persons of
Japanese ancestry and found we were loyal Americans. There was no
single incident of any hint of treason or wrong.
Question: What was
a typical day like for you in the camps?
Answer: A typical day in an internment camp such as Jerome would begin
with families getting up. Remember we did not have any water in our
rooms. We just had one light bulb and a small stove. We had to get
dressed and go to the middle of the block to use the toilet, wash up
and take showers. Usually there were people waiting in lines. After you
brushed your teeth and cleaned up, you had to go to a separate building
for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. They had two sessions. If you were
late or forgot your ticket, you could not eat. We stood in line for the
food, which was served on metal trays, and we sat at long wooden tables
with benches. There really wasn't much to do the rest of the time. My
dad ran the recreation center for our block. Mother organized and
coordinated YWCA (Young Women's Christian Association) and USO
activities. The USO was organized to welcome Nisei soldiers who were
visiting their families. At night we would stay in our room. We didn't
have TV in those days. And we did not have a radio.
Question: What do
you remember about having to leave your home in Florin, California?
Answer: We lived on a small farm in Florin, California. My father
raised grapes and strawberries. I had a small Australian shepherd named
Uppie. I remember going into our garden and seeing my grandmother
crying on the day we left. I told her not to worry; she would come back
and her beautiful garden would still be there. Family friends drove us
to the railway station in Elk Grove. I was not allowed to take my dog.
He died before we returned. My dads' good friend, Bob Fletcher, took
care of our farm, so we had a farm to return to. This was not true for
most of the other families that lived near us.
Elk Grove Train Station
Question: What
were the saddest memories you remember?
Answer: I think the saddest memory is the day we had to leave our farm.
I know my mother and father were worried. They did not know what would
happen to us. We had no idea where we would be sent. People were all
crying and many families were upset. Some believed we would not be
treated well, and maybe killed. There were many disturbing rumors.
Everyone was easily upset and there were many arguments. It was a
horrible experience for all of us, the old people like my grandparents,
my parents and children like me. We were all innocent. The government
had no real reason to send us into these camps. There were racists who
did not want the Japanese to own land and begin to prosper. Racism,
prejudice, greed, and lack of political leadership caused the
evacuation and internment.
Jerome Internment Camp (Arkansas)
Question: What
were some of the happy moments you remember?
Answer: I remember getting some Christmas presents in Jerome. My
grandmother made me a pair of mittens. Most of the presents we received
were made from things people found in camp. My dad made a cute
woodpecker to put by our door so I would know which room was our home.
All of the barracks and doors looked alike. I was only four and could
not read the letters and numbers on the buildings, so I would get lost
sometimes after using the bathroom.
Question: What
would you like us to know about your mother?
Answer: I want people to know that she was a great teacher who loved
her family and her country. She had the courage to speak out and do
something about the injustice. She worked hard to pass redress. When a
group of people feel they have been treated unfairly by the government,
the US Constitution guarantees you the right to redress the government.
The Japanese Americans did that and because the Civil Liberties Act of
1988 was passed by Congress, our constitution is strong again. It was
weakened by Executive Order 9066 when President Roosevelt ordered
120,000 innocent Japanese Americans into internment camps. Mary
Tsukamoto always took the initiative to follow her beliefs. She was a
respected author (she wrote the book, We the People, a Story of
Internment in America), a political activist and someone who worked for
world peace. She was selected by the California State Senate as a
Notable Californian.
Note: Marielle Tsukamoto is currently an educator and administrator in
the Elk Grove School District, Elk Grove, California. The above
electronic interview was conducted by 5th grade students at Barbara
Comstock Morse Elementary School, who were fortunate to attend Ms.
Tsukamoto's Time of Remembrance Program - and wanted to learn more
about this important chapter in our nation's history. For further
information regarding this project, contact Gail Desler, 5th grade
teacher, BC Morse Elementary School.
1. What was Marielle’s main concern about
Japanese-American Internment?
2. Explain why the day she left for the camp was the
saddest day?
3. Summarize life in an internment camp based on
Marielle’s experience.
(This is a letter from Tetsuzo Hirasaki, a
young boy in the internment camp who's writing to a friend of his
outside of the camp.)
(Full Text Below)
322-14-d
Poston, Arizona
November 16, 1942
Dear Miss Breed,
Guess who? Yup it's ole unreliable
again, none other than yours truly, Tetsuzo. Gosh the wind's been
blowing all night and all morning. Kinda threatening to blow the roofs
down. Dust is all over the place. Gives everything a coating of fine
dust.
The food has been all right except
for quantity...The medical situation here is pitiful. For that matter
in all three camps. The main and the only hospital is at Camp I 15
miles away. Here in Camp III there is one young doctor with not too
much experience and one student doctor working in an emergency clinic.
They are supposed to take care of approximately 5000 people!!!! and
they (the Big shots) wonder why we squawk about inadequate medical
attention.
No I haven't hiked to the river yet.
I'd better do it soon cause there is going to be a fence around this
camp!!!!!! 5 strands of barbed wire!!!!!!!!!! They say it's to keep the
people out. . . . It's also to keep out cattle. Where in the cattle
countries do they use 5 strands of barbed wire??
If they don't watch out there's going
to be trouble. What do they think we are, fools?? At Santa Anita at the
time of the riot the armored cars parked outside of the main gates,
pointed the heavy machine guns inside and then the army had the gall to
tell us that the purpose of that was to keep the white folks from
coming in to mob the Japs. Same thing with the guards on the watch
towers. They had their machineguns pointed at us to protect us from the
outsiders, hah, hah, hah, [I'm] laughing yet.
I am sending you a few things in
appreciation for what you have done for me as well as for my sister and
all the rest.... Your name plate I made from mesquite as are also the
lapel pins. However the dark pin is made from a pine knot from Santa
Anita. The rest are all Poston Products.
I've got to close now so that I can
make the outgoing mail today.
Very truly yours,
Tetsuzo
P.S. Have a nice Thanksgiving dinner.
TH
P.S. Do you think you could send me
some Welch's peanut brittle?
1.
Why do you think there are 5 strings of barbed wire on the fence?
2.
What is the main problem Tetsuzo alludes to?
3.
Compare Tetsuzo’s experience with that of Marielle’s.