Description
Personal papers of internees: alien registration i.d.s, housing assignments, work
assignments, clothing allowance receipts, recreation passes, co-op memberships, travel
permits.
Background
The Tule Lake project, beginning in May 1942, was the second Japanese Relocation Center
in California. Housing between 14,000 and 15,000 evacuees, Tule Lake was comprised of 7
wards each of which was divided into 9 blocks, with blocks being the basic unit of the
project. For each block, an evacuee was selected as manager by the administration. This
power of "self-government" was contained by centralized War Relocation Authority. Social
and athletic activities boosted morale, especially during the first year.