Japanese Americans in the San Fernando Valley Oral History Project Collection, 1993-2005

Summary

Title:

Japanese Americans in the San Fernando Valley Oral History Project Collection

Dates:

1993-2005

Creators:

California State University, Northridge. University Library

Abstract:

The Japanese Americans in the San Fernando Valley Oral History Project consists of interviews conducted by students as part of their course work in Asian American Studies at California State University, Northridge.

Extent:

0.88 linear feet (2 boxes) and 58.5 Gigabytes

Language:

English, Japanese

Preferred citation:

For information about citing items in this collection consult the appropriate style manual, or see the Citing Archival Materials guide.

Background

Scope and content:

The Japanese Americans in the San Fernando Valley Oral History Project Collection began as an Asian American Communities Field Practicum student class project assigned by Professor Edith Chen, Ph.D., of the Asian American Studies Department. Collaborating in the project was the San Fernando Valley Japanese American Community Center, the Japanese American National Museum, and Friends of the Lopez Adobe in the City of San Fernando. The interviews were conducted by students as part of their course work in Asian American Studies at California State University, Northridge.

While the interviews were originally intended to focus on the Japanese American farming community, it quickly evolved into a larger study of the diverse Japanese American community in the San Fernando Valley. These oral histories document the lives of Japanese Americans who lived, or are currently living, in the San Fernando Valley. The participants are multi-generational, and many interviewees experienced forced removal, incarceration, and racial discrimination perpetrated by the U.S. government during World War II. The interviewees also share stories of farming, family emigration from Japan, and the building of their lives and families in the San Fernando Valley both before and after World War II.

Several oral history interviews conducted in 1993 were added to the collection by Dr. Edith Chen of the Asian American Studies Department before the end of the project.

The collection is divided into two series, Video Recordings (1993-2004) and Transcripts (2005). Series I, Video Recordings is further divided into two subseries: Digital Files (1993-2004) and VHS Tapes (1993-2004).

Content Warning: The historical materials in this collection may include euphemistic terms and racist language that were wrongfully used to describe Japanese Americans during and after the World War II period.

Processing information:

The collection was initially processed by Jessica Geiser in 2014. The finding aid was revised in 2026 to address outdated and harmful descriptive language. References to Japanese American "relocation," "evacuation," and "internment" during World War II were removed and replaced with community recommended/currently accepted terminology in 2026, such as "Japanese American incarceration."

Arrangement:

Series I: Video Recordings, 1993-2004

Subseries A: Digital Video, 1993-2004

Subseries B: VHS Tapes, 1993-2004

Series II: Transcripts, 2005

Rules or conventions:

Describing Archives: A Content Standard

Related resources

Alternative form available:

Digital reproductions of selected items in this collection are available electronically as a part of the CSU Japanese American Digitization Project.

Indexed terms

Subjects:

Documents
Audiovisual materials

About this collection guide

Date Encoded:

This finding aid was produced using ArchivesSpace on 2026-05-14 11:48:29 -0700 .

Restrictions:

The collection is open for research use.

Terms of access:

Copyright for unpublished materials authored or otherwise produced by the creator(s) of this collection has not been transferred to California State University, Northridge. Copyright status for other materials is unknown. Transmission or reproduction of materials protected by U.S. Copyright Law (Title 17, U.S.C.) beyond that allowed by fair use requires the written permission of the copyright owners. Works not in the public domain cannot be commercially exploited without permission of the copyright owners. Responsibility for any use rests exclusively with the user.

Preferred citation:

For information about citing items in this collection consult the appropriate style manual, or see the Citing Archival Materials guide.

Location of this collection:

California State University, Northridge, Urban Archives

18111 Nordhoff Street

Northridge, CA 91330, US

Contact:

(818) 677-4594

Website