Japanese American Incarceration in California, 1941-1992

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Summary

Creators:
Abstract:
Extent:
8 Boxes ; Some oversized items
Language:
Preferred citation:

Japanese American Incarceration in California. California State University, Fullerton, University Archives and Special Collections

Background

Scope and content:

The Japanese American Incarceration in California collection consists of documents related to the relocation program during World War II. It includes items such as the official government report of the Manzanar Relocation Center, oral histories, a photo album, post-war activism materials focused on preserving and remembering the camps, and various clippings and documents. Georgia Day Robertson, vice-principal at a high school in the Poston Relocation Center, collected and donated most of these materials. Additional contributions came from Miss Seiko Ishida, a school teacher who interned at the Manzanar Relocation Center, and Betty Mitson, who organized the collection in collaboration with the CSUF Center for Oral and Public History. Special features of the collection include "Harvest of Hate" by Georgia Day Robertson, research studies by Betty Mitson, bibliographies of printed materials on Japanese American internment, and oral history project reports. While the collection touches on treaties and legislation affecting Japanese Americans in America before World War II, the bulk of the material focuses on events from 1942 to 1946 on the West Coast. There is also some content related to the resurgence of scholarly and popular interest in the late 1960s and 1970s. Previously known as Japanese American Relocation in California and Japanese American Internment in California, the collection was renamed Japanese American Incarceration in California on March 26, 2024, by Lisa Mix, Director of Special Collections.

Biographical / historical:

On February 19th, 1942, President Franklin D. Roosevelt signed Executive Order 9066, which authorized the forced removal of Japanese-American citizens on the West Coast. For the duration of the war, 110,000 citizens forcibly resided in Relocation Centers across the western half of the United States. Most famous of these internment camps was Manzanar, near Death Valley, and Tule Lake in Northern California. Although the relocation program was authorized due to fears of a Japanese attack from within US borders; not a single internee was convicted for a war related crime.

Access and use

Restrictions:

The collection is open for research. Some materials within the collection are subject to reproduction restrictions.

Terms of access:

Property rights reside with the California State University, Fullerton University Archives and Special Collections. No part may be quoted for publication without the written permission of the University Archives & Special Collections, CSU Fullerton or the copyright holder.Requests for permission to quote from these materials should be addressed to: California State University, Fullerton University Archives & Special Collections 800 N. State College, PLS-352 |Fullerton, CA 92834-3599 (657) 278-3444

Preferred citation:

Japanese American Incarceration in California. California State University, Fullerton, University Archives and Special Collections

Location of this collection:
800 N. State College Blvd.
Pollak Library South, Room 352
Fullerton, CA 92834-4150, US
Contact:
(657) 278-3445
uasc@fullerton.libanswers.com
Website