United States War Relocation Authority collection

Collection

Identifier: MS 042

Staff Only

Scope and Content Note

Publications, reports, manuals, correspondence, photographs, and other materials relating mainly to the internment of Japanese Americans during World War II.

The largest group of material encompasses Community Analysis Reports from 11 individual relocation centers. The centers were located in Poston and Rivers, Ariz.; Denson and Rohwer, Ark.; Manzanar and Newell, Calif.; Amache, Colo.; Hunt, Idaho; Oswego, N.Y.; Topaz, Utah; and Heart Mountain, Wyo. The center at Oswego, N.Y. housed war refugees from southern Europe.

The next largest group of materials is comprised of official W.R.A. pamphlets, as well as typescript studies by various W.R.A. personnel, including Spicer. These studies are often concerned with sociological issues such as racism, the effects of center life on the evacuees, and their attitudes about Japan. Among the newspapers, two are in Japanese: the "Washington Daily News Digest," 1945, and an issue of the "Doho," 1943, from New York. Incoming and outgoing correspondence relates both to Spicer and John F. Embree, of the Community Analysis Section; also Dillon S. Myer of the W.R.A. Some letters are from the community analysts informally reporting events at the different relocation centers.

Statistic reports include relocations by state, and returns to the West Coast by city. Government documents relate to House and Senate bills and resolutions, cases before the Supreme Court, the administration of alien property, and hearings before the House Committee on Un-American Activities. Among the miscellaneous items are maps, organizational charts, the official administrative manual, information on Buddhism, transcripts of speeches and radio broadcasts, bibliographic citations, and poetry written by center residents. Black-and-white photographs are well-identified by place, photographer, subject, and often individuals' names. They depict the centers; W.R.A. officials; soldiers of the all-Japanese American 442nd Combat Team

Some materials are in Japanese.

Dates

Creation: 1942-1946

Restrictions

There are no restrictions on this collection.

Copyright

It is the responsibility of the user to obtain permission to publish from the owner of the copyright (the institution, the creator of the record, the author or his/her transferees, heirs, legates, or literary executors). The user agrees to indemnify and hold harmless the Arizona Board of Regents for the University of Arizona, its officers, employees, and agents from and against all claims made by any person asserting that he or she is an owner of copyright.

Historical Note

The U.S. War Relocation Authority was responsible for the relocation, internment, and reintegration of Japanese and Japanese Americans during World War II. From 1942 to 1946, Edward H. Spicer, Anthropology professor at the University of Arizona, was Head of the Community Analysis Section of the War Relocation Authority, in Washington, D.C.

Extent

9 Linear Feet

Language of Materials

English

Additional Description

Abstract

Publications, reports, manuals, correspondence, photographs, and other materials relating mainly to the internment of Japanese Americans during World War II.