Conditions Governing Access
Immediate Source of Acquisition
Family History
Preferred Citation
Processing Information
Wayne M. Collins Papers
Gripsholm Exchanges (Manuscript). Memoir by Atsushi Archi Miyamoto
Kiyoshi Uyekawa Tule Lake Camp Collection
Scope and Contents
Conditions Governing Use
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
.
Conditions Governing Access
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.
Family History
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.
Preferred Citation
Processing Information
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.
Wayne M. Collins Papers
Gripsholm Exchanges (Manuscript). Memoir by Atsushi Archi Miyamoto
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 .
Scope and Contents
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.
Conditions Governing Use
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.)