Inventory of the Papers of Hayao "Sam" and Toshiko Chuman SPC.2023.010
Yoko Okunishi
California State University Dominguez Hills, Gerth Archives and Special Collections
University Library South -5039 (Fifth Floor)
1000 E. Victoria St.
Carson, CA 90747
Business Number: 310-243-3895
archives@csudh.edu
Contributing Institution:
California State University Dominguez Hills, Gerth Archives and Special Collections
Title: Hayao "Sam" and Toshiko Chuman Papers
Identifier/Call Number: SPC.2023.010
Physical Description:
1 box
(1 document box)
Physical Description:
0.42 Linear Feet
(1 box)
Date (inclusive): 1913-1991; undated
Abstract: This collection documents World War II experiences of Hayao "Sam" and Toshiko Chuman, who were Kibei Nisei born in the United
States but grew up and completed school in Japan, and then returned to the U.S. prior to the war. It chronicles the Chumans's
incarceration from the Santa Anita Assembly Center, through Jerome, Rohwer, Tule Lake camps, and the Santa Fe and Crystal
City internment camps as well as their struggle for restoring their U.S. citizenships in the 1960s. The collection consists
of mostly textual material, including correspondence, affidavits, incarceration camp records, lease agreements, financial
documents, receipts, pamphlets, and booklets.
Language of Material:
English
, Japanese
.
There are no access restrictions on this collection.
Immediate Source of Acquisition
The collection was donated by Gale Sasano and Kay Ing, who are daughters of Hayao "Sam" and Toshiko Chuman on April 24, 2023.
Sam Hayao Chuman 中馬速男 (1913-2001) was born in Los Angeles, California on May 24, 1913 as a Nisei son to Suehiko and Sato Chuman
who were Japanese immigrants from Kagoshima, Japan. When he was three months old, the Chumans decided to return to Kagoshima.
While he was raised and completed school in Japan, Hayao had been determined to return to his native country, America. In
1931, he returned to the U.S. with his uncle and family, and stayed with them in Venice, California. He realized that an American
education was the key to success and decided to attend high school at Venice High School and Oceanside High school, learning
agricultural science. He was proud of America's constitutional democracy and determined to give up his dual citizenship so
he renounced his Japanese citizenship. In 1934, he became independent and moved to Bellflower, California and started his
own nursery business.
After the attack on Pearl Harbor, he was removed from the West Coast and incarcerated in the Santa Anita Assembly Center in
April 1942. The exclusion order horrified him, causing him to sign up for repatriation. He was transferred to the Jerome incarceration
camp and then to the Rohwer incarceration camp in order to board the M.S. Gripsholm which would depart from New York to Japan
for the exchange of prisoners of war. Hayao was, however, not able to board the ship and was transferred to the Tule Lake
Segregation Center. While incarcerated at the Tule Lake camp he participated in 祖國研究靑年團 Sokoku Kenkyu Seinendan (or Sokoku
Seinen Dan), a group that was created to provide cultural and recreational activities. The group was later overtaken by a
gang of violent right-wing extremists that transformed and renamed the group 報國靑年團 Hokoku Seinendan (or Hokoku Seinen Dan)
for young men and 即時帰國奉仕團 Sokuji Kikoku Hoshidan (or Sokuji Kikoku Hoshi Dan) for men. Without his consent, Hayao was elected
vice chair of the group but he was associated with the group in name only. He could not resign under threat of harm. Hayao
applied for repatriation again to prevent transfer to other camps and face public hostility. He believed his deportation to
Japan was inevitable because of his renunciation of American citizenship and classification as an enemy alien. He wanted to
keep his family together and believed repatriation was the only way.
Toshiko Chuman (nee Nakamura) (1918-2000) was born on August 27, 1918 to Issei Japanese immigrants, Chohachiro and Tei Nakamura,
in Los Angeles, California. When she was eight years old, she and her sisters were taken to Japan to be raised by their grandmother
while her parents remained in the United States, operating a chop suey restaurant. After completing high school, she returned
to the U.S. and helped her parents run their restaurant. During the war, she and her family were sent to the Santa Anita Assembly
Center and transferred to the Jerome camp where she married Hayao Chuman in August 1943. Since Hayo had requested repatriation,
she followed him and was transferred to the Rohwer camp in September 1943 and the Tule Lake Segregation Center in October
1943. After Hayao was transferred to the Santa Fe Internment camp in January 1945, Toshiko and Junko, who was their first
child born in the Tule Lake camp, were transferred to the Crystal City Enemy Alien Internment camp in March 1946 and then
the Santa Fe Internment camp to join him in 1946 or 1947.
In June 1947, Hayao was hired by the Seabrook Farms Company in New Jersey and the family was released from the Crystal City
internment camp under the supervision of their attorney, Wayne Collins. They relocated to a few locations, including Massachusetts
and Illinois, and finally returning to California in 1953. They had eight children: Junko born in Tule Lake camp; Shunsuke
born in Seabrook, New Jersey; Kay and Amy in Falmouth, Massachusetts; Mina and Iwane in Chicago, Illinois; and Canna and Gale
in Gardena, California.After years of litigation, Hayao and Toshiko were able to regain their American citizenship. Toshiko's
renunciation was cancelled on November 6, 1958, and Hayao's was cancelled on June 14, 1967.
For information about citing archival material, see the
Citations for Archival Material guide, or consult the appropriate style manual.
The collection was organized and filed into three binders along with twelve separate items by the donor. The binders were
labeled as "Pre-War/Relocation," "Repatriation," and "Post War/Reparations/Miscellaneous" respectively. "Miscellaneous" consisted
of four articles excerpted from newspapers and other publications. All items have been rehoused into archival folders, retaining
the original order while the twelve separate items have been integrated into relevant folders. The labels have been slightly
modified to reflect the contents: "Pre-war," "Incarceration," "Repatriation," "Post-war," "Reparations," and "Articles."
The collection was processed by Yoko Okunishi in 2023.
The Wayne M. Collins Papers 1918-1974 held at The Bancroft Library, University of California, Berkeley. For the further information,
please see
the Wayne M. Collins Papers finding aid .
Gripsholm Exchanges (Manuscript). Memoir by Atsushi Archi Miyamoto
Gripsholm Exchanges (Manuscript). Memoir by Atsushi Archi Miyamoto held at CSU Dominguez Hills Gerth Archives and Special
Collections. For the further information, please see
the Gripsholm Exchanges (Manuscript) finding aid .
Kiyoshi Uyekawa Tule Lake Camp Collection
This collection contains newspapers published by 祖國研究靑年團 Sokoku Kenkyu Seinendan (or Sokoku Kenkyu Seinen Dan) 報國靑年團 Hokoku
Seinendan (or Hokoku Seinen Dan), and 即時帰國奉仕團 Sokuji Kikoku Hoshidan (or Sokuji Kikoku Hoshi Dan) in the Tule Lake Segregation
Center. Hayao "Sam" Chuman's writings are included. For the further information, please see
the Kiyoshi Uyekawa Tule Lake Camp Collection finding aid .
The collection documents World War II experiences of Hayao Sam and Toshiko Chuman, who were Kibei Nisei born in the United
States but grew up and completed school in Japan, and then returned to the U.S. prior to the war. It chronicles the Chumans'
incarceration from the Santa Anita Assembly Center, through Rohwer, Jerome, Tule Lake camps, and the Santa Fe and Crystal
City internment camps as well as their struggle for restoring their U.S. citizenships in the 1960s. The collection consists
of mostly textual material, including correspondence, affidavits, incarceration camp records, lease agreements, financial
documents, receipts, pamphlets, and booklets. Noted are affidavits written by the Chumans detailing their motivations for
repatriation and describing the brutal situation where they were threatened to renounce their U.S. citizenships in the Tule
Lake Segregation Center, and correspondence from Wayne M. Collins between 1951 and 1961, who filed thousands of court cases
to restore the renunciants' citizenships. In addition, there are pre-war documents regarding Hayao's nursery business and
financial records, including a few dozens of canceled checks issued between September 1941 and May 1942 which record his spending
before/at his incarceration.
All requests for permission to publish or quote from manuscripts must be submitted in writing to the Director of Archives
and Special Collections. Permission for publication is given on behalf of Special Collections as the owner of the physical
materials and not intended to include or imply permission of the copyright holder, which must also be obtained.
Subjects and Indexing Terms
Tule Lake Segregation Center
Santa Anita Assembly Center (Calif.)
Jerome Incarceration Camp
Rohwer Relocation Center (Ark.)
box 1, folder 1-11
Pre-war 1913-1942 February 27; undated
Physical Description: 11 folders
Language of Material: English, Japanese.
Materials were created and collected prior to World War II incarceraton of Hayao "Sam" and Toshiko Chuman. Included are their
birth certificates, a Japanese passport issued to Tei Nakamura, Hayao Sam's school group photo taken in Japan, a steerage
check, bank statements and cancelled checks, a receipt for property taxes, Rosecrans Nursery financial documents and license,
tax forms, and a notice of classification card.
box 1, folder 12-13
Incarceration 1942 April-1947, 1992 1942 April-1947
Physical Description: 2 folders
Language of Material: English.
Materials are incarceration camp documents issued to and filed by Hayao "Sam" and Toshiko Chuman during their incarceration
in the Santa Anita Assembly Center, Jerome, Rohwer, Tule Lake camps, and Santa Fe Internment Camp. Included are instructions
on disposition of motor vehicles issued by Western Defense Command and Fourth Army Wartime Civil Control Administration along
with a motor vehicle registration form filled by Hayao in the Santa Anita Assembly Center; correspondence and instructions
on transferring camps for the Gripsholm WWII exchanges; an alien registration book issued in the Santa Fe Internment Camp;
and a tenant's agreement between Hayao "Sam" Chuman (tenant) and Seabrook Farms Company (landlord) in New Jersey that was
signed when the family was released from the Santa Fe Internment Camp in June 1947.
box 1, folder 14-27
Repatriation 1942-1967
Physical Description: 14 folder
Language of Material: English.
Materials are documents, correspondence, memorandum, release notices, and application forms regarding Hayao "Sam" and Toshiko
Chuman's repatriation as well as cancellation of repatriation and restoration of the U.S. citizenship. Included are correspondence
between Hayao Sam Chuman and Thomas M. Cooley II, Jr., a letter from Chuman to Chief Justice Earl Warren, correspondence from
Tule Lake Defense Committee, a pamphlet titled "Outline of Events Leading to Renunciation of Citizenship", correspondence
by Wayne M. Collins, affidavit and statements by the Chumans, and copies of "Final Order, Judgment, and Decree" by the U.S.
District Court.
box 1, folder 28-36
Post-war 1946 October 22-1991 January 16; undated
Physical Description: 9 folders
Language of Material: English.
Contain materials issued to Hayao "Sam" Chuman after being released from incarceration. Included are a union card by the Meat
and Cannery Workers Union, receipts, a motor vehicle registration certificate, hospital records, and a loan statement and
payment record that were issued in the locations where the family had been settled, including Seabrook, New Jersey, Falmouth,
Massachusetts, and Chicago, Illinois prior to returning to California. There are also materials issued in California since
1960, including a land sale contract, loan payments to the State Mutual Savings, a lease agreement between the Chumans and
the Union Oil Company of California, an affidavit for relinquishment of her estate in Japan written by Toshiko Chuman, a letter
from the U.S. Department of Army regarding their son's assignment to the 7th Psychological Operations Battalion, interview
questions for Hayao Sam Chuman, correspondence between Hayao and American Friends Service Committee, 3M Company information,
and a handwritten letter by an unknown author.
box 1, folder 37-44
Reparations 1985 April-1991; undated
Physical Description: 8 folders
Language of Material: English, Japanese.
Contains materials regarding redress and reparations. Included are the Civil Liberties Act of 1988 forms filled by Hayao "Sam"
and Toshiko Chuman, correspondence from the U.S. Department of Justice Civil Rights Division, letters of apology, a letter
from NCRR, a booklet titled "It had to be so," blank forms for redress and workshop fliers, newspaper clippings, a note recording
the mailing address for redress, and "The Civil Liberties Act of 1988 Questions and Answers" booklet.
box 1, folder 45-46
Articles undated
Physical Description: 2 folders
Language of Material: English.
Materials are excerpts collected from newspapers and other publications that were originally labeled as "Miscellaneous" by
the donor. Included are: "Past History" which is a biography of Hatsuji Chuman written by Frank Fumio Chuma; "The Postwar
Dreams of Soviet Airwomen: a Veteran of Many Combat Flights Writes to the Women of America about her Plans for the Future"
by Yevdokia Rachevich; "An Appeal to California" by Pearl S. Buck; and "Problems of Supply dDominant in Far East: Geography
Will Profoundly Influence The Future Course of the War" by Hanson W. Baldwin.