James H. Osborne Nisei Collection

Collection

Identifier: SPC-2017-001

Staff Only

Scope and Contents

The James H. Osborne Nisei Collection (1941-1971, undated) contains mostly correspondence between Emiko and Usami Terada, incarcerees in the Rohwer incarceration camp, McGehee Arkansas, and the Thomas family in Lawndale, California. Also included are photographs of the Teradas and Thomases, including images taken while the Teradas were incarcerated at Rohwer. The letters describe the trip from the Santa Anita Assembly Center to the Rohwer incarceration camp, their lives and conditions in the camp, their concerns about their properties in Lawndale, California; and other topics. Also included are: fliers published during wartime, holiday and sympthany cards from the Terada and Nakawaki families to the Thomas family, clippings regarding Japanese American incarceration, exhibit flyers,and other documents.

Dates

1941-1971, undated

Creator

Terada, Emiko (Person)

Conditions Governing Access

There are no access restrictions on this collection.

Conditions Governing Use

All requests for permission to publish or quote from manuscripts must be submitted in writing to the Director of Archives and Special Collections. Permission for publication is given on behalf of Special Collections as the owner of the physical materials and not intended to include or imply permission of the copyright holder, which must also be obtained.

Rohwer Incarceration Camp History

On February 19, 1942, President Franklin D. Roosevelt signed Executive Order 9066 which gave the military the authority to exclude any citizen who posed a threat to national security. As a result, approximately 120,000 Japanese-Americans living on the West Coast were removed and incarcerated in concentration camps. One of these camps was Rohwer incarceration center located in Desha County in southeastern Arkansas- a heavily wooded and swampy area with high humidity. Most of the incarcerees imprisoned at Rohwer came from Los Angeles and San Joaquin counties in California. The living quarters in the main residential area was approximately 500 acres and was surrounded by barbed wire fences and eight guard towers that were staffed by military police. All incarcerees were housed within partitioned sections of 20’ by 120’ barracks which were arranged in groups of 12 blocks. Each block housed approximately 200-300 individuals. Rohwer officially closed on November 30, 1945 making it the last WRA camp to close, except for the Tule Lake Segregation Center.

Biography

Emiko [Amy] Terada (1924-) and her brother Usami [Sam] Terada (1923-2013) were living in Lawndale, California before they were forcibly removed and sent to Rohwer incarceration camp in 1942. While living in Lawndale, they were neighbors with Albert William (A.W.) Thomas (1883-1974), his wife Helen L. Thomas (1888-1987) and their daughter Laura E. Thomas (1928-) who were also living on Prairie Avenue in Lawndale. In 1949, Emiko married Dave T. Nakawaki.

Extent

1 box

.20 Linear Feet

Language of Materials

English

Additional Description

Abstract

The James H. Osborne Nisei Collection contains mostly correspondence between Emiko and Usami Terada, incarcerees in the Rohwer incarceration camp, McGehee Arkansas, and the Thomas family in Lawndale, California and some photographs of the Teradas and the Thomases. The letters describe the trip from the Santa Anita temporary detention faciility to the Rohwer incarceration camp, their lives and conditions in the camp, and their concerns about their properties in Lawndale, California. Also included are photographs taken in the camp, fliers published during wartime, holiday and sympthany cards from the Terada and Nakawaki families to the Thomas family, clippings regarding Japanese American incarceration, and other documents. Some of this collection is digitized and available online.

Arrangement

Collection is arranged in 1 box.

Related Materials

This collection is part of the California State University Japanese American Digitization Project. For related materials please consult: CSU Japanese American Digitization Project.