Central Utah Relocation Center, Utah; World War II; Japanese American Internment;
Photograph of workers clearing fields for agricultural use. Some of the works appear to be adolescents.
unknown
Utah State University, Merrill-Cazier Library, Special Collections & Archives, Leonard J. Arrington Photograph Collection (P0316, Box 3, Fd. 27, image 18B)
Digitized by the Digital Initiatives Unit, Merrill-Cazier Library, Utah State University
Reproduction for publication, exhibition, web display or commercial use is only permissible with the consent of the USU Merrill-Cazier Library, Special Collections & Archives (email: SCWeb@usu.edu)
Central Utah Relocation Center, Utah
Photograph of internees pounding dough to make mochi (a sticky Japanese rice cake) for New Years.
Utah State University, Merrill-Cazier Library, Special Collections & Archives, Leonard J. Arrington Photograph Collection (P0316, Box 3, Fd. 27, image 19B)
Topaz High students waiting for assembly
Central Utah Relocation Center, Utah; World War II; Japanese American Internment; Youth;
Image of high school students waiting for an assembly meeting.
Utah State University, Merrill-Cazier Library, Special Collections & Archives, Leonard J. Arrington Photograph Collection (P0316, Box 3, Fd. 27, image 20A)
Utah State University, Merrill-Cazier Library, Special Collections & Archives, Leonard J. Arrington Photograph Collection (P0316, Box 3, Fd. 27, image 20B)
Utah State University, Merrill-Cazier Library, Special Collections & Archives, Leonard J. Arrington Photograph Collection (P0316, Box 3, Fd. 27, image 21)
Side view of Central Utah Relocation Center
Utah State University, Merrill-Cazier Library, Special Collections & Archives, Leonard J. Arrington Photograph Collection (P0316, Box 3, Fd. 27, image 23)
Japanese American youth and adults browsing at the Topaz Co-op Store.
Utah State University, Merrill-Cazier Library, Special Collections & Archives, Leonard J. Arrington Photograph Collection (P0316, Box 3, Fd. 27, image 24)
A map of the Central Utah Relocation Center Project Area.
Utah State University, Merrill-Cazier Library, Special Collections & Archives, Leonard J. Arrington Photograph Collection (P0316, Box 3, Fd. 27, image 33)
An illustration of Japanese American relocation.
Utah State University, Merrill-Cazier Library, Special Collections & Archives, Leonard J. Arrington Photograph Collection (P0316, Box 3, Fd. 27, image 34)
Central Utah Relocation Center, Utah; World War II; Japanese American Internment; Tanforan Assembly Center
A guard on watch duty at Tanforan Assembly Center.
Utah State University, Merrill-Cazier Library, Special Collections & Archives, Leonard J. Arrington Photograph Collection (P0316, Box 3, Fd. 27, image 36)
Tanforan Assembly Center
Japanese Americans working in a strawberry patch
Japanese Americans working in a strawberry patch, caption reads: "In the strawberry patch, Wada, founder of colony, talks things over with the superintendent of a neighboring mine.
Utah State University, Merrill-Cazier Library, Special Collections & Archives, Leonard J. Arrington Photograph Collection (P0316, Box 3, Fd. 27, image 37)
World War II; Japanese American Internment; Tanforan Assembly Center
Map containing the location of the Tanforan Assembly Center.
Utah State University, Merrill-Cazier Library, Special Collections & Archives, Leonard J. Arrington Photograph Collection (P0316, Box 3, Fd. 27, image 38)
Utah State University, Merrill-Cazier Library, Special Collections & Archives, Leonard J. Arrington Photograph Collection (P0316, Box 3, Fd. 27, image 39)
Illustration of Tanforan living quarters
Illustration from Mine Okubo's "Citizen 13660" showing the sawdust covered Tanforan horse stalls where some Japanese Americans were housed in the assembly center.
Okubo, Mine (author and artist)
Utah State University, Merrill-Cazier Library, Special Collections & Archives, "Citizen 13660" (Book Coll 58 no. 15, pg 37)
Columbia University Press
Illustration from Mine Okubo's "Citizen 13660" depicting Japanese American arrival at Topaz.
Utah State University, Merrill-Cazier Library, Special Collections & Archives, "Citizen 13660" (Book Coll 58 no. 15, pg 123)
Japanese Americans gathered around a stove
Illustration from Mine Okubo's "Citizen 13660" which shows Japanese Americans gathered around a pot belly stove.
Utah State University, Merrill-Cazier Library, Special Collections & Archives, "Citizen 13660" (Book Coll 58 no. 15, pg 147)
Illustration from Mine Okubo's "Citizen 13660" showing the first Christmas at Topaz.
Utah State University, Merrill-Cazier Library, Special Collections & Archives, "Citizen 13660" (Book Coll 58 no. 15, pg 156)
Illustration from Mine Okubo's "Citizen 13660" depicting a High School class at Topaz.
Utah State University, Merrill-Cazier Library, Special Collections & Archives, "Citizen 13660" (Book Coll 58 no. 15, pg 166)
Illustration from Mine Okubo's "Citizen 13660" showing the first High School Graduation.
Utah State University, Merrill-Cazier Library, Special Collections & Archives, "Citizen 13660" (Book Coll 58 no. 15, pg 188)
World War II; Japan; Propaganda
This is a World War II Official Navy Poster, created by Hotchkiss-USNR in 1944. The poster describes Japanese labor capabilities, and by doing so, attempts to encourage American workers to increase their own efforts on the homefront.
Hotchkiss-USNR (artist)
Utah State University, Merrill-Cazier Library, Special Collections & Archives, Broadside F0006
United States Industrial Incentive Division
United States
"Instructions to All Persons of Japanese Ancestry"
World War II; Japanese American Internment;
This is a notice posted by the Western Defense Command on May 5, 1942. This poster directs all Japanese Americans to report to the Civilian Control Station and gives them a week to settle their affairs and leave their homes.
Western Defense Command
Utah State University, Merrill-Cazier Library, Special Collections & Archives, Broadside D0010
San Francisco, California
Perceptions of Evacuation and Relocation
Central Utah Relocation Center, Utah; World War II; Japanese American Internment; youth; Topaz High School;
This is an excerpt from "Japanese American Youth in Topaz Relocation Center, Utah: An Oral History," which is a thesis written by Akiko J. Tohmatsu in 1994. In this thesis, Tohmatsu interviews several Japanese American students who attended Topaz High, as well as their teachers. This excerpt has several comments relating to evacuation and life at Topaz. Tohmatsu uses several acronyms in her thesis: NS means Nisei Student, QF means that they used a question form to communicate with the interviewee, CT means Caucasian Teacher, JAT means Japanese American Teacher, OI means Oral interview.
Tohmatsu; Akiko J. (author)
Utah State University, Merrill-Cazier Library, Special Collections & Archives, "Japanese American Youth in Topaz Relocation Center, Utah: An Oral History," (Book Coll 42 no. 68, pg 41-46)
Utah State University, Logan, Utah
Central Utah Relocation Center, Utah; World War II; Japanese American Internment; Topaz High School; youth
This is an excerpt from "Japanese American Youth in Topaz Relocation Center, Utah: An Oral History," which is a thesis written by Akiko J. Tohmatsu in 1994. In this thesis, Tohmatsu interviews several Japanese American students who attended Topaz High, as well as their teachers. This excerpt includes several responses from Japanese American students relating to Topaz High. They discuss the quality of education and what was difficult about school at Topaz.
Utah State University, Merrill-Cazier Library, Special Collections & Archives, "Japanese American Youth in Topaz Relocation Center, Utah: An Oral History," (Book Coll 42 no. 68, pg 64-80)
1992
Central Utah Relocation Center, Utah; World War II; Japanese American Internment; Topaz High School;
This is an excerpt from "Japanese American Youth in Topaz Relocation Center Utah: An Oral History," which is a thesis written by Akiko J. Tohmatsu in 1994. In this thesis, Tohmatsu interviews several Japanese American students who attended Topaz High, as well as their teachers. This excerpt includes several responses from teachers at Topaz High (both white and Japanese American) discussing the quality of education at Topaz High as well as the difficulties of teaching there.
Utah State University, Merrill-Cazier Library, Special Collections & Archives, "Japanese American Youth in Topaz Relocation Center Utah: An Oral History," (Book Coll 42 no. 68, pg 80-88.)
This is an excerpt from "The Education Program Central Utah Relocation Center" which is an explanation of the curriculum for both the elementary schools and high school at Topaz. Also included is a brief history of the education program. This particular excerpt has excerpts from High School student papers about the United States and Internment. These students are anonymous.
War Relocation Authority
Utah State University, Merrill-Cazier Library, Special Collections & Archives, "The Education Program Central Utah Relocation Center" (General Book Coll, 375.Un3e, pgs 115-120)
United States War Relocation Authority
High School Teachers Reports of Students
This is an excerpt from "The Education Program Central Utah Relocation Center" which is an explanation of the curriculum for both the elementary schools and high school at Topaz. Also included is a brief history of the education program. This excerpt contains some faculty reports of Topaz High teachers and their views on their students.
Utah State University, Merrill-Cazier Library, Special Collections & Archives, "The Education Program Central Utah Relocation Center" (General Book Coll, 375.Un3e, pgs 120-123)
Overview of High School Curriculum and Graduation Speeches
This is an excerpt from "The Education Program Central Utah Relocation Center" which is an explanation of the curriculum for both the elementary schools and high school at Topaz. This provides some introduction to how Topaz High was structured and how it functioned. At the end of this excerpt is the valedictorian speeches that were given at the Topaz High graduation.
Utah State University, Merrill-Cazier Library, Special Collections & Archives, "The Education Program Central Utah Relocation Center" (General Book Coll, 375.Un3e, pgs 155-166)
This is an article from "All Aboard" which was a literary magazine that was published in Topaz in the Spring of 1944. Henry Tani was the author while Tamiko Kosakura was the illustrator. This article describes briefly the format and brief history of Topaz High, providing insights into the reason behind the curriculum and the behavior of the students.
Tani, Henry (author); Kosakura, Tamiko (artist)
Central Utah Relocation Center. Historical Section. Project Reports Division. All Aboard (Spring 1944). Digitized from a original copy generously lent to Utah State University Library by the Topaz Museum.
This is a U.S. government document and as such is freely available without restriction.
This is an article from "All Aboard" which was a literary magazine that was published in Topaz in the Spring of 1944, written by 7th grade students at Topaz High. This article records several experiences and stories from the lives of these students from Pearl Harbor to living at Topaz.
7th Grade Students at Topaz High
M. Yubuki created this hand drawn map of evacuation, which was published in "All Aboard" in 1944, a literary and art magazine published in Topaz. Included on the map are eight relocation centers as well as major cities in the western United States.
Yubuki, M. (illustrator)
Hiro Katayama wrote this article which was included in "All Aboard," which was a literary and art magazine published by Japanese Americans in 1944 at Topaz. This article discusses the difficulties that youth encountered at Topaz, including boredom and lack of educational support. The article argues that in order for youth to become Americanized, they must be able to relocate outside of the internment camps.
Katayama, Hiro (author); Sugihara, Yuriko (illustrator)
Written in October 1942 to staff of the War Relocation Authority, this paper stresses the importance of understanding the cultural background of the Japanese Americans living in relocation centers. It describes common behavior patterns among the older Japanese (issue) such as use of a go-between for negotiating sensitive matters between two people or parties to avoid embarrassment. It urges staff to become personally acquainted with as many of the center residents as possible to build confidence and allay fears. To communicate new policies, Embree recommends they be explained directly by the center's head instead of via a middle person. He describes the anxieties and attitudes likely to be operating in the three groups making up relocation center populations: issue (born in Japan); nisei (born in U.S., educated in U.S.); and kibei (born in U.S. , educated in Japan).
Embree, John F. (writer)
Utah State University, Merrill-Cazier Library, Special Collections & Archives, Topaz Internment Camp Documents, (MSS 170, Box 1, Fd. 8)
Guidebook to the Central Utah Relocation Project in Topaz, Utah describes to incoming residents the layout, facilities, and services of the center. Illustrated by Yuri Sugihara, the guidebook contains maps, building layouts, a diagram of the "Topaz shield," schedules for work, religious services, etc., and written policies, procedures as well as a list of "do's" and "don'ts." Cover says: Welcome to Topaz!
Central Utah Relocation Center
Utah State University, Merrill-Cazier Library, Special Collections & Archives, Leonard J. Arrington Historical Archives, (LJAHA COLL 1, Series XII, Box 146, Fd. 7)
Japanese American students interned at the Topaz Relocation Center produced high school yearbooks during the 1943 and 1944 school years. The introduction to the 1943 yearbook provides some insight into the unusual nature of their school: "The Topaz High School Student Body Association is composed of students from almost all of the big and small towns and cities of California, and includes some from the Hawaiian Islands. In one year's time these children of truck gardeners, grocerymen, merchants, clerks, domestic works, carpenters, ministers, laundrymen, teachers, and others have amalgamated into a well organized functioning student body. Sports and activities have taken place in which every student has participated with an effervescent spirit although there was dire need for equipment. The first graduating class had one hundred and ninety-six seniors and twenty summer session students, many graduating with honors.
The Associated Students of Topaz High School
Utah State University, Merrill-Cazier Library, Special Collections & Archives, Topaz Internment Camp Documents, (MSS 170, Box 1, Fd. 10)
Ramblings '44 is the second yearbook produced by the Associated Students of Topaz High School. Covering the school year September 1943 through June 1944, it describes the scholastic activities and accomplishments of Japanese American students interned at the Topaz Relocation Center in Utah during World War II.
Digitized from a copy of Ramblings generously loaned by the Topaz Museum. The Associated Students of Topaz High School. Ramblings 1944. (Central Utah Relocation Center, Topaz, Utah, 1944)
Central Utah Relocation Center, Utah; World War II; Japanese American Internment; Topaz Times Newspaper
Chiura Obata, a renowned art professor and artist interred at Topaz, produced the art and text for this story. It was originally published in the New Year’s edition of the ""Topaz Times"" in January of 1943. Translated, the story reads: “Under the spring sun, our fateful journey began from Berkeley, California. Our destiny after ""Pearl Harbor"" was to be determined by a Higher Power—who could foretell our fate? Now, looking back, we feel nostalgia as we see the panorama of the past eight months of our life. While buses carried us across the great San Francisco Bay Bridge, we caught a glimpse of the San Francisco skyline silhouetted in the rain. We felt a tug in our hearts as we bid farewell to the familiar surroundings to which we had become so attached. We waded in rain, through slush and mud up to our knees, only to stumble into empty horse stalls. Many an involuntary sob escaped our lips as we began our life at Tanforan. The spirit of ten thousand people, however, could not be crushed for long. Presently, we made our own way of life among ourselves and found a bond of attachment with everything around us. But our journey was not yet over. We were soon to say farewell to the community we had helped to build and to the familiar grandstand which towered above. Good-bye, California! Good-bye to our beloved mother state. Our last adieus were said as we sped past the beautiful Feather River. Hello, Utah! But how dry and wild the desert country is! Resting beside the railroad, we girded our spirits and prepared ourselves for our coming life. The desert dust storm! Barracks, rooms—everything, everywhere was sunk in darkness! But not so our hopes and determination to conquer nature’s violence. We looked up, and there, as if in answer, not fifty feet above us we saw the pure blue of the skies. Four months of hardship have passed. Our strong hopes and iron will to succeed have never wavered. At last, we see the beautiful dawn as reflected in the morning sun bright against the snow-covered Mt. Topaz!” (Translation from: Lawson Fusao Inada, Only What We Could Carry: The Japanese American Internment Experience (Berkeley: Heyday, 2000), 50.)
Obata, Chiura (artist)
Utah State University, Merrill-Cazier Library, Special Collections & Archives, Topaz Internment Camp Documents, (MSS 170, Box 1, Fd. 2)
This is the first issue of the "Topaz Times Jr.," the Topaz High newspaper, published on December 23, 1944. Later, the name was changed to "The Topazette," and it included a section for the jr. high. This issue announces a school play as well as message from the Student Body Government. This issue also has a faculty list, a list of books that students requested for the school for Christmas, a sports and editorial page, as well as a Christmas comic.
Topaz High Student Journalism Class of 1942
Utah State University, Merrill-Cazier Library, Special Collections & Archives, Topaz Internment Camp Documents, (MSS 170, Box 1, Fd. 3)
To Parents, Patrons, and Friends of the Topaz City High School
This is a newsletter from L.G. Noble, the principle of Topaz High in 1942, to the parents of the high school and jr. high students. This document lists a number of expectations and goals that the high school staff hoped to accomplish. Topics include addressing school curricula, attendance, and the prohibition of tobacco. The second half of the document is a translated version of the letter in Japanese.
Noble, L.G. (compiler)
Utah State University, Merrill-Cazier Library, Special Collections & Archives, Topaz Internment Camp Documents, (MSS 170, Box 1, Fd. 7)
World War II; Japanese American Internment; Tanforan Assembly Center, California
This copy of the "Tanforan Totalizer" Vol 1, No. 19 is the final issue of the magazine published on September 12, 1942. This issue includes a history of life at Tanforan and is by far the largest issue. It also includes an introduction to the Topaz internment camp as most of the Tanforan internees were assigned to relocate there. Most Japanese Americans had been living in Tanforan since April 28, 1942 before they were relocated to Topaz.
Katayama, Taro (editor)
Utah State University, Merrill-Cazier Library, Special Collections & Archives, Oversized collection 88, Volume 1, Number 19.
Tanforan Assembly Center, California
Central Utah Relocation Center, Utah; World War II; Japanese American Internment; youth
This is an oral history with Donald Nakahata, who was 12 at the time of evacuation and 15 by the time he left Topaz. Nakahata discusses his impressions and recollections of his internment experience.
Tateishi, John (editor); Nakahata, Donald (interviewee)
Utah State University, Merrill-Cazier Library, Special Collections & Archives, "And Justice For All: An Oral History of the Japanese American Detention Camps" (Book Coll 58, No. 75, pg 32-37)
Unknown
World War II; Japanese American Internment; youth
This is an excerpt from "A Fence Away From Freedom," edited by Ellen Levine. This item explores Kay Uno's memories of Pearl Harbor as a child on the West Coast. Kay Uno was later interred at the Granada Colorado relocation center.
Uno, Kay (interviewee)
Ellen Levine, "A Fence Away From Freedom: Japanese Americnas and World War II," (New York: G. P. Putnam's Sons, 1995), 14-16.
G. P. Putnam's Sons
All rights reserved. No portion of this work may be reproduced in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying and recording, or by any information storage or retrieval system, without permission in writing from G.P. Putnam's Sons.
California
Minoru Kiyota, a perspective of a Kibei at Topaz.
This is an excerpt of Minoru Kiyota's book "Beyond Loyalty: The Story of a Kibei." Originally, this book was published in Japan as "Nikkei Hangyaku" but was later translated into English. This excerpt describes Kiyota's memories of an FBI interview at Topaz. The FBI was suspicious of Kiyota because he was a Kibei, someone who was born in the United States, but was educated in Japan. As a result, Kiyota was not allowed to leave the camp and go to college as his other classmates did.
Kiyota, Minoru (author)
Minoru Kiyota, "Beyond Loyalty: The Story of a Kibei," (Honolulu: University of Hawaii Press, 1997), 76-84.
University of Hawaii Press
All rights reserved. No portion of this work may be reproduced in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying and recording, or by any information storage or retrieval system, without permission in writing from the University of Hawai'i Press.
This photo was taken at Topaz in September of 2019 by Alyson Griggs at the Topaz Museum in Delta, Utah. This is the interior of the barracks replica. All of the furniture—except the beds—were created by Japanese Americans at Topaz.
Griggs, Alyson (photographer)
Topaz Museum, Delta, Utah
Exterior of Recreation Hall at the Topaz Museum
This photo was taken at Topaz in September of 2019 by Alyson Griggs at the Topaz Museum in Delta, Utah. This is a refurbished recreation hall. The recreation halls were built to house a variety of activities. Some became cantinas, while others became art classrooms. Each block had a rec hall with a unique activity.
Interior of Recreation Hall at the Topaz Museum
This photo was taken at Topaz in September of 2019 by Alyson Griggs at the Topaz Museum in Delta, Utah. This is the interior of the refurbished recreation hall at the Topaz Museum. The recreation halls were built to house a variety of activities. Some became cantinas, while others became art classrooms. Each block had a rec hall with a unique activity.
This photo was taken at Topaz in September of 2019 by Alyson Griggs. All that remains at this site is some of the foundations of the hospital and other administrative buildings, pottery debris, and wood scraps. After the relocation centers were closed, many local residents removed the barracks which some used for barns and sheds.
Topaz Site, Utah
Barbed wire lettering at the Topaz site
This photo was taken at Topaz in September of 2019 by Alyson Griggs. This barbed wire lettering is located next to the Topaz Monument at the Topaz Site.
"Meeting of County Commissions on Importation of Japanese"
Utah; Japanese American Internment: World War II;
These are the meeting minutes from Utah's County Commissioners on the subject of Japanese American relocation, held in the state capitol on March 16, 1942. The manuscript has a list of responses from various counties as to whether or not they would accept Japanese Americans into their communities.
Utah State Government
Utah State University, Merrill-Cazier Library, Special Collections & Archives, LJAHA, Series 12, Box 146, Box 6, Fd. 6, Item 7.
Utah
Midvale City Council letter to Utah Governor Herbert B. Maw
Utah; Japanese American Internment; World War II;
This is a letter from the Midvale City Council to Utah Governor Herbert B. Maw, dated April 8, 1942. The letter describes a "colony of Japanese" in the Salt Lake area who the council deemed to be a "definite hazard" to the community. This letter is a good example of some of the anti-Japanese sentiment that existed in Utah during World War II.
Midvale City Council
Utah State University, Merrill-Cazier Library, Special Collections & Archives, LJAHA, Series 12, Box 146, Box 6, Fd. 6, Item 11.