Okubara Family Collection, circa 1943-2008
Table of Contents
- Overview of the Collection
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Biographical Note
Historical Note
- Content Description
- Use of the Collection
- Administrative Information
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Detailed Description of the Collection
- Postcards of Washington Heights personnel quarters, Tokyo, Japan, undated
- Pamphlets, 1952-2008
- Inserts for phonograph records, circa 1946
- Photograph of Sam Okubara’s class at the United States Army language school, 1946
- Tora Okubara’s suitcases, circa 1943
- Art from relocation camps, circa 1943
- Phonograph records. Familiar Waltzes from Favorite Operas, 1946
- Phonograph records from notebook 1
- Phonograph records from notebook 2
- Phonograph records from notebook 3
- Names and Subjects
Overview of the Collection
- Creator
- Okubara family
- Title
- Okubara Family Collection
- Dates
- circa 1943-2008 (inclusive)19432008
- Quantity
- 4.5 linear feet of shelf space, (6 containers)
- Collection Number
- SC 014.2 (collection)
- Summary
- The Okubara Family Collection consists primarily of materials dating from the family’s time in Japan where Mokoto (Sam) Okubara served in the United States Army during the post-World War II occupation of Japan. Materials include phonograph records, artifacts from incarceration camps, and ephemera related to post-War Japan.
- Repository
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Washington State University Libraries' Manuscripts, Archives, and Special Collections (MASC)
Manuscripts, Archives, and Special Collections
Terrell Library Suite 12
Pullman, WA
99164-5610
Telephone: 509-335-6691
mascref@wsu.edu - Access Restrictions
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This collection is open and available for research use.
- Languages
- English, Japanese
Biographical Note
In April 1942, the Okubara family was forcibly removed from their home in Mill Valley, California by the War Relocation Authority under powers outlines by Executive Order 9066. The Okubaras were sent to Granada Relocation Center, Colorado, which was also known as Camp Amache. Harry and Tora Okubara’s son, Mokoto (Sam) served in the United States Army after World War II as a language instructor. Sam completed his training at Fort Snelling, Minnesota and served at the Washington Heights barracks in Tokyo.
Historical Note
Executive Order 9066:
In 1942, President Franklin D. Roosevelt signed Executive Order 9066, which resulted in the incarceration from 1942 to 1946 of approximately 120,000 adults and children of Japanese ancestry, many of whom were United States citizens. They were expelled from their homes and placed in incarceration camps without due process and in violation of their civil rights. These camps were euphemistically referred to as “relocation centers” or “internment camps”. After decades of advocacy by the Japanese American community, in 1988 the United States issued a formal apology and began redress to survivors of Japanese incarceration during World War II.
Content Description
This collection contains materials from the Okubara family’s time in Japan from 1947-1952. These materials consist of phonograph records, photographic postcards, and pamphlets. The collection also includes two suitcases used by Tora Okubara at Granada Relocation Center, Colorado and polished wood art, one of which was made at Rohwer Relocation Center, Arkansas.
Use of the Collection
Alternative Forms Available
Some items in this collection have been digitized and are available online as part of the Japanese American Incarceration Collection.
Restrictions on Use
Copyright restrictions apply.
Preferred Citation
[Item description]
Okubara Family Collection, circa 1943-2008 (SC 014.2)
Manuscripts, Archives, and Special Collections, Washington State University Libraries, Pullman, WA.
Administrative Information
Arrangement
This collection is arranged in one series.
Acquisition Information
The Okubara Family Collection was donated to Washington State University by Patricia Okubara in 2011 (MS 2011-40).
Processing Note
This collection was processed by Steven Bingo in 2012. A grant from the National Park Service provided funding for processing and digitization of materials about Heart Mountain.
In 2021, in response to evolving societal understanding regarding the language used to describe the impact of Executive Order 9066, this finding aid was revised to more accurately provide context to the mass incarceration of people of Japanese ancestry during World War II.
Separated Materials
The following items were removed and cataloged separately:
"A buried past II : a sequel to the annotated bibliography of the Japanese American Research Project Collection" (1999), compiled by Yuji Ichioka, Eiichiro Azuma.
"By order of the president : FDR and the internment of Japanese Americans" (2001), by Greg Robinson.
"Confinement and ethnicity : an overview of World War II Japanese American relocation sites" (2002), by Jeffrey Burton, et. al.
"Ellison S. Onizuka : a remembrance" (1986), by Dennis Ogawa and Glen Grant.
"Just Americans : how Japanese Americans won a war at home and abroad : the story of the 100th Battalion/442d Regimental Combat Team in World War II" (2006), by Robert Asahina.
"Last witnesses : reflections on the wartime internment of Japanese Americans" (2001), edited by Erica Harth.
"Nisei: the quiet Americans" (1969), by Bill Hosokawa.
"The principled politician: the Ralph Carr story" (2008), by Adam Schrager.
"Suspended : growing up Asian in America" (2000), by Clifford I. Uyeda.
Related Materials
George and Frank C. Hirahara Photograph Collection of Heart Mountain, Wyoming, 1932-2016 (SC 014)
Tom T. Hide Collection, 1925-2012 (SC 014.1)
Takeda Family Collection, 1938-circa 2012 (SC 014.3)
Kenneth Nishiyori Collection, 1942-1944 (SC 014.4)
George and Doris McIntyre Papers, 1944-1945 (SC 014.5)
Mari Tsuruyama Okumura Collection, 1936-2014 (SC 014.6)
Patti Hirahara Collection, 1955-2020 (SC 014.7)
Terry Ishihara Collection, 1989-2012 (SC 014.8)
Mike Mackey Collection, 1940-2002 (SC 014.9)
Heart Mountain High School Tempo, 1945 (SC 014.10)
Fusataro Nakaya Photographs, circa 1944 (SC 014.11)
Nabata Family Collection of Heart Mountain Photographs, circa 1942-1945 (SC 014.12)
Frank Chin Oral History Collection, 1974-1986 (Cage 654)
Inez Puckett McEwen Collection on Japanese-American Incarceration, 1942-1943 (Cage 4923)
Japanese American Redress Collection, 1976-2000 (Cage 5126)
Detailed Description of the Collection
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Description: Postcards of Washington Heights personnel quarters, Tokyo, JapanDates: undatedContainer: Box 1, Folder 1
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Description: PamphletsDates: 1952-2008Container: Box 1, Folder 2
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Description: Inserts for phonograph recordsDates: circa 1946Container: Box 1, Folder 3
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Description: Photograph of Sam Okubara’s class at the United States Army language schoolDates: 1946Container: Box Map Drawer
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Description: Tora Okubara’s suitcasesDates: circa 1943Container: Box 2-3
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Description: Art from relocation campsDates: circa 1943Container: Box 4
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Description: Phonograph records. Familiar Waltzes from Favorite OperasDates: 1946Container: Box 5, Folder 5-7
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Description: Phonograph records from notebook 1Container: Box 5, Folder 8-18
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Description: Phonograph records from notebook 2Container: Box 5-6, Folder 19-28
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Description: Phonograph records from notebook 3Container: Box 6, Folder 29-38
Names and SubjectsReturn to Top
Subject Terms
- Japanese Americans -- Forced removal and internment, 1942-1945
Corporate Names
- ranada Relocation Center -- History -- Sources
Family Names
- Okubara family -- Archives
