Yamaoka (Shizue) Papers, 1900s-1980s

Printable guide [HTML]

Summary

Title:
Shizuye Yamaoka papers
Dates:
1900s-1980s
Creators:
Yamaoka, Shizue
Abstract:
This collection contains documents and photographs related to the personal life of Shizuye Yamaoka, dating from approximately 1900 to the 1980s. The contents include correspondence; photographs; birth, marriage, and death certificates; and papers related to Shizuye’s cosmetology career.
Extent:
.05 linear feet (1 box, 1 folder)
Preferred citation:

[Identification of item], Yamaoka (Shizuye) Papers. 99.88, Japanese American National Museum. Los Angeles, CA.

Background

Scope and content:

This collection includes documents and photographs from the personal life of Shizuye Yamaoka, from the early 1900s through the late 1980s. The documents primarily relate to Shizuye’s personal life, her husbands, and her cosmetology work. Personal documents include birth, citizenship, and marriage certificates as well as a few papers from the National Archives related to her time spent at Tule Lake Relocation Center. The documents related to her husbands include correspondence about property ownership while at Tule Lake, death certificates, a divorce settlement, and other papers. Cosmetology documents include licenses to practice, certificates of course completion from multiple schools, and other papers. There are a great number of photographs ranging from Shizuye’s childhood and family photos, to her first marriage, and to her travels. Also in the collection is a wooden bird pin, presumably made or acquired while at Tule Lake.

Biographical / historical:

Shizuye Yamaoka was born December 30, 1905, in Isleton, California. Her parents were Japanese citizens, and Shizuye had a twin sibling who died at age two. Not much is known about her early life, but she was married by 1926 to [unknown first name] Kawahara. In 1928 she married her second husband, Kaichi Yamada. She became a naturalized citizen on October 23, 1931. The couple reported to the Marysville Assembly Center on May 14, 1942, and were moved to the Tule Lake Relocation Center on June 27, 1942. Shizuye departed from Tule Lake on September 2, 1943 with an indefinite leave pass to go to Denver, Colorado. She stayed in Denver for a period of time, took cosmetology courses, and was licensed to practice cosmetology. Eventually Shizuye moved to Southern California and practiced cosmetology there. She divorced her second husband in 1951. Shizuye married her third husband, Keiji Kijima (owner of a dental laboratory), in 1960, until his death in 1975. She married her fourth husband, Masaichi Morino, sometime later, and they remained together until his death in 1982. She appeared to travel fairly often as an adult, with sailing trips to Japan, and other vacations to Peru and Alaska. Shizuye died December 30, 1994 in Los Angeles.

Processing information:

The collection was processed in 2016 by Jamie Henricks.

Arrangement:

The grouping of materials by subject (usually in large envelopes with Shizuye’s writing) was preserved when possible. The collection is arranged by topic.

Physical location:
Japanese American National Museum. 100 North Central Avenue, Los Angeles, CA 90012.
Rules or conventions:
Finding aid prepared using Describing Archives: a Content Standard

About this collection guide

Collection Guide Author:
Processed by Jamie Henricks.
Date Prepared:
© 2016
Date Encoded:
Machine-readable finding aid created by Lauren Zuchowski. Date of source: December 19, 2016.

Access and use

Restrictions:

By appointment only. Please contact the Collections Management and Access Unit by email (collections@janm.org) or telephone (213-830-5619). Advanced notice is required.

Terms of access:

All requests for permission to publish, reproduce, or quote from materials in this collection must be submitted to the Collections Management and Access Unit at the Japanese American National Museum (collections@janm.org).

Preferred citation:

[Identification of item], Yamaoka (Shizuye) Papers. 99.88, Japanese American National Museum. Los Angeles, CA.

Location of this collection:
Collections Management & Access Unit
100 North Central Avenue
Los Angeles, CA 90012, US
Contact:
213-625-0414
collections@janm.org
Website