WAUMinidokaRelocCampPHColl384.xmlGuide to the Minidoka Relocation Camp Photograph Collection 1942-1943Minidoka Relocation Camp Photograph CollectionFunding for encoding this finding aid was partially provided through a grant awarded by the National Endowment for the Humanities.Special Collections, University of Washington Libraries© 2016 (Last modified: 9/20/2024)
Seattle, WA 98195
Finding aid written in English.Finding aid based on DACS (Describing Archives: A Content Standard).University of Washington Libraries, Special CollectionsPH0384Fukuyama, BettyMinidoka Relocation Camp Photograph Collection1942-194313 photographic prints (1 folder)Collection materials are in English.Photographs documenting life at the Minidoka Relocation Center, Hunt, Idaho; taken for the U.S. War Relocation Authority by photographer Francis Stewart

The Japanese bombing of Pearl Harbor in 1941 led to fear and concern within the United States. Residents along the Pacific Coast of the U.S. were particularly affected by this event and feared additional bombing of their cities, homes, and businesses. In this atmosphere, Executive Order 9066 was signed by President Roosevelt on February 19, 1942. Executive Order 9066 evacuated, relocated, and interned 120,000 American citizens and permanent resident aliens who were of Japanese ancestry. President Roosevelt established the War Relocation Authority in March 1942 to oversee the construction of relocation centers on federally owned land in remote locations in six western states and Arkansas.

The Minidoka Relocation Center was established in August, 1942, in central Idaho and operated until October, 1945. The center was comprised of more than six hundred buildings including administrative, religious, residential, educational, medical, manufacturing, warehouse, and security structures. The internees lived in barracks and shared communal facilities. They engaged in light manufacturing, agriculture, and livestock production in order to provide food and clothing for the camp. President Clinton designated the Minidoka Relocation Center as a national monument on January 17th, 2001.

The photographs in this collection document life at the Minidoka Relocation Center near Hunt, Idaho. They were made for the U.S. War Relocation Authority and taken by photographer Francis Stewart in 1942 and 1943. The majority of the photographs show the people participating in the day-to-day activities of the Center. Other photographs in this collection portray individuals engaging in their respective professions in the Center; the back of these photographs includes the name, former place of employment, and current occupation in the relocation center. In addition, there are two panoramic photographs of the Center.

Eniter collection is available on the UW Libraries' Digital Collections site

Entire collection can be viewed on the Libraries’ Digital Collections website. Permission of Visual Materials Curator is required to view originals. Contact Special Collections for more information.

Restrictions may exist on reproduction, quotation, or publication. Contact Special Collections, University of Washington Libraries for details.

The photographs were transferred from the Betty Fukuyama Papers, 1944-1991 (manuscripts Accession no. 4411-1, 4411-2).

Gift of Mary A. Fukuyama, Gainesville, Florida on June 14, 1993, July 21, 1993, and Aug. 5, 1994. The photographs were from her mother, Betty Fukuyama, who was born Betty Marie Adkins in Heppner, Oregon, in 1922. She married Tom (Tsutomu Tom) Fukuyama, the son of pioneer Japanese immigrants, in 1945. Tom Fukuyama served as a clergyman while interned in the Minidoka Relocation Center during the early 1940s. Betty Fukuyama died in 1992.

Processed by Rebekah Dalby, 2002.

Stewart, FrancisStewart, FrancisUnited States. War Relocation AuthorityMinidoka Relocation Center--PhotographsJapanese Americans--Evacuation and relocation, 1942-1945Japanese Americans--PhotographsConcentration camps--Idaho--Hunt--PhotographsConcentration camp inmates--Idaho--Hunt--PhotographsWorld War, 1939-1945--Japanese Americans--PhotographsWorld War, 1939-1945--Concentration camps--Idaho--Hunt--PhotographsVisual Materials Collections (University of Washington)IdahoPhotographsJapanese AmericansCivil Rights

 

1Minidoka Relocation Center, Hunt, Idaho Dec. 9, 1942 2Mrs. Eizo Nishi in her barracks apartment Dec. 9, 1942 3Community store in Block 30 Dec. 9, 1942 4Children in free-hand drawing class Dec. 9, 1942 5Student Tatsuo Matsuda serving as a model in drawing class Dec. 9, 1942 6Architect George Nakashima (formerly an architect in Seattle) constructing and decorating model apartment Dec. 9, 1942 7Carpenter O. Kenneth Hikogawa (formerly a carpenter in Tacoma) polishing "grease-wood" to make furniture Dec. 9, 1942 8Chef Dave H. Yoshida (formerly employed by Benjamin Franklin Hotel in Seattle) and crew preparing lunch Dec. 9, 1942 9Minidoka Relocation Center Dec. 10, 1942 10Watchmaker Sokichi Hoshide (formerly a watchmaker in Seattle) in watch repair shop Dec. 10, 1942 11Hospital ward Dec. 10, 1942 12Dental laboratory Dec. 10, 1942 13Toshi Boi and Henry Kumasaka sledding Jan. 9, 1943