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Finding aid for the John Bonomi Papers
2006.22.1
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Title: John Bonomi papers
Dates: 1940-1944
Collection number: 2006.22.1
Creator:
Bonomi, John, 1910-1972
Collection Size:
.25 linear ft.
Repository:
Japanese American National Museum (Los Angeles, Calif.)
Los Angeles, California 90012
Abstract: John Bonomi worked for the Brunswig Drug Company and supplied pharmaceutical materials to Japanese Americans in concentration
camps. This collection contains correspondences from various Japanese Americans who requested medicine and household materials,
discussed payment methods, shared camp life, and friendly inquires. This collection also includes postcards and holiday greeting
cards from Japanese Americans.
Physical location: Stored at Japanese American National Museum's collections.
By appointment only.
Contact the Hirasaki National Resource Center
by e-mail (hnrc@janm.org) or telephone (213.830.5680)
All requests for permission to publish, reproduce, or quote from materials in this collection must be submitted to the Hirasaki
National Resource Center at the Japanese American National Museum (hnrc@janm.org).
[Identification of item], John Bonomi papers. 2006.22.1, Japanese American National Museum. Los Angeles, CA.
Biography / Administrative History
John Bonomi grew up in Los Angeles, California and worked for Brunswig Drug Company shortly before World War II. Bonomi,
a representative for Brunswig, sold wholesale drugs to Pharmacists in Little Tokyo before the war. When his pharmacist clients
were taken to camp, Bonomi continued to keep in contact with his clients. They wrote to Bonomi on the letterhead of the concentration
camp's hospital and asked for certain medicines to be sent to camp. One of the letters asked Bonomi to send a tube of lipstick
for her birthday. The letters not only talked of the supplies needed, but also the conditions of the camp, the health of
their families, their personal feelings about the war, and discussed payment methods. It seems that Bonomi set up a credit
system for those who could not pay him. Bonomi traveled to Manzanar several times to drop off medicine, and also sent supplies
to his old clients in Poston, Gila, etc. Bonomi was relocated to Monterey Park during the War, as there was not much of a
market left in Little Tokyo. When the war was over, Bonomi moved to cover the Long Beach area.
Scope and Content of Collection
The John Bonomi Papers contain correspondences from various senders including envelopes, postcards, and holiday greeting cards.
Series 1: Correspondences from Frank Kumamoto and M. Nobe, 1942 (9 Correspondences)
This series contains five correspondences from Frank Kumamoto (aka Match), four correspondences from Nobe, and one Christmas card.
This series contains five correspondences from Frank Kumamoto (aka Match), four correspondences from Nobe, and one Christmas card.
Series 2: Correspondences from Masuoka Pharmacy, 1942 (5 Correspondences)
This series contains one Christmas card, one postcard, and five correspondences.
This series contains one Christmas card, one postcard, and five correspondences.
Series 3: Correspondences from David S. Miyamoto, 1942-1944 (11 correspondences)
This series contains one New Years greeting card and eleven correspondences from Miyamoto.
This series contains one New Years greeting card and eleven correspondences from Miyamoto.
Series 4: Correspondences from Toshiyuki, 1942 (3 correspondences)
This series contains three correspondences from Toshiyuki.
This series contains three correspondences from Toshiyuki.
Series 5: Correspondences from various senders, 1940-1944 (6 correspondences)
This series contains one Christmas card, one order sheet document, a postcard, and six correspondences.
This series contains one Christmas card, one order sheet document, a postcard, and six correspondences.
The following terms have been used to index the description of this collection in
the library's online public access catalog.
Bonomi, John
Archives, Correspondence
Japanese Americans
California
History
20th century
World War, 1939-1945
Concentration camps
United States
Evacuation and relocation, 1942-1945
Pharmaceutical industry
Pharmacists
Little Tokyo (Los Angeles, California)
Archival resources
Forced exclusion
Concentration camp life
Brunswig Drug Co.