Archives West Finding Aid
Table of Contents
Genji Mihara scrapbook, 1941-1943
Overview of the Collection
- Creator
- Mihara, Genji, 1890-1982
- Title
- Genji Mihara scrapbook
- Dates
- 1941-1943 (inclusive)19411943
- Quantity
- 0.33 cubic feet (1 box)
- Collection Number
- 5560 (Accession No. 5560-001)
- Summary
- Scrapbook of letters and other documents during World War II internment
- Repository
-
University of Washington Libraries, Special Collections
Special Collections
University of Washington Libraries
Box 352900
Seattle, WA
98195-2900
Telephone: 2065431929
Fax: 2065431931
speccoll@uw.edu - Access Restrictions
-
Open to all users.
- Additional Reference Guides
- Languages
- English
Biographical NoteReturn to Top
Genji Mihara (1890-1982) came to Seattle in 1907 from Izumo, Hikawa-gun in Shiman prefecture, Japan. With his first wife, Setsuko Inouye, he owned and operated the Occidential Café beginning in 1919. They had 4 sons: Arthur, Henry, Roy, and George. Mihara was president of the Japanese Restaurant Association from 1931-1938, and served as the first Japanese elder at the First Presbyterian Church, 1931-1941. Two years after his first wife's death in 1938, Mihara married Katsuno Kushi. Mihara was arrested in December 1941, spending 2 weeks in the Seattle Immigration and Naturalization Service (INS) before being transferred to Fort Missoula in Montana at the end of December 1941. In June 1942 Mihara was moved to Lordsburg U.S. Army internment camp in New Mexico and then to Minidoka, Idaho in March 1943. Released in 1945, Mihara returned to Seattle, serving as elder of the Japanese Presbyterian Church, and as president of the Japanese Community Service from 1949-1980. Mihara died October 3, 1982.
Content DescriptionReturn to Top
(1941-1943) 146 letters or documents comprised of 151 actual pages written by Mihara during his World War II internment. The bulk of the letters are to his wife, Katsuno Kushi, with one letter to his son George, and one letter to Mihara from Edward J. Ennis, Director of the Department of Justice, Alien Enemy Control Unit. Most of the letters are written in English, with the exception of 5 which are written in Japanese. Also included are one police report and 2 newspaper clippings dated December 16, 1941.
Use of the CollectionReturn to Top
Restrictions on Use
The creators' literary rights have been transferred to the University of Washington Libraries.
Administrative InformationReturn to Top
Names and SubjectsReturn to Top
Personal Names
- Mihara, Genji--Archives
Names and SubjectsReturn to Top
Subject Terms
- Personal Papers/Corporate Records (University of Washington)
