Photo description from Vanna Sing:

When taken: 1980s and 2000s
Where taken: Eastside, Salishan
What memory is contained in these photos? Vanna Sing's childhood in Salishan and Eastside; Growing up in Salishan, spiritual healing. 43 year old survivor from the country of Cambodia. Roots are from SE Asia, Cambodia, Thai, and Laos. Our family escaped the Khmer Rouge in 1978 In July 1979, we entered United States. Our sponsors were from Mineral Wells, Texas. Trying to adapt to the American culture was a struggle. Through the word of mouth, Tacoma, Washington was the place to be. 15 families migrated to Tacoma, WA. We first arrived in Hilltop, Tacoma, around St. Joseph hospital area. We spent a year here. Tacoma Housing Authority supported refugees by providing rental assistance. Department of Social and Healthy Services gave us TANF, food stamp, and medical.

Back of Photo: Elder Pham and Elder Wetzer + Chamman (sp?) and Sarath and Paula and you Vanna; Love Paula Bear Paul Prom

Back of photo:
Eastside youth Center
Jul 9 1968
Constructive Cutting Work 

Interview with Dr. / Attorney Gerald G. Burke filmed in 2022 for the documentary project "The Evolution of Collective Wisdom."

Back of Photo:
Tom Dixon, president of the Tacoma Urban League speaks to the media. The Rev. J.A. Boles sits beyond. These men delivered a statement to the press after conferring with other Black community leaders at St. John Baptist Church. The subject is police procedures and the shooting of a Black purse snatching suspect.
Staff photo by Peter Haley

Back of Photo:
Tom Dixon
Staff photo by Jerry Buck

Back of Photo:
Demonstrations

In a black and white photo, two protestors stand closer to the camera with one person holding an obscured sign behind them. The individual on the left is wearing a patterned wool sweater and matching hat, and holding a sign reading: "Let Our Ancestors Rest They Are Not Here To Defend Themselves."

Native American protesters confront author Ruth Beebe Hill over claims her book Hanta Yo is filled with misinformation about Indigenous history, specifically Hill’s saga about two Sioux families.

Back of Photo:
Demonstrations

Two protestors in warm clothing stand in the center of the photograph, holding signs that read "Chunksa Yuha Is Not Our Messanger," and "Hell No Hanta Yo Is Not Our "Roots."

Native American protesters confront author Ruth Beebe Hill over claims her book Hanta Yo is filled with misinformation about Indigenous history, specifically Hill’s saga about two Sioux families.

Interview with David Boyd filmed in 2022 for the documentary project "The Evolution of Collective Wisdom."

A group of the 16 original founding members of the Japanese American Citizen's League pose for their portrait on the stage of the Fife High School gymnasium during a Japanese bazaar held in November of 1937. The Japanese American Citizen's League was founded in 1929. (T. Times).

Japanese Americans--Fife--1930-1940; Bazaars--Fife--1930-1940; Ethnic groups--Fife--1930-1940;

Three Japanese men spin a bicycle wheel at one of the games of chance offered at a Japanese bazaar held in the Fife High School Gymnasium. (T. Times).

Japanese Americans--Fife--1930-1940; Bazaars--Fife--1930-1940; Ethnic groups--Fife--1930-1940; Games--1930-1940;

Four Japanese women arrange several pumpkin pies on a table for a Japanese bazaar in Fife. (T. Times).

Japanese Americans--Fife--1930-1940; Bazaars--Fife--1930-1940; Ethnic groups--Fife--1930-1940; Pies; Baked products;

Two photographers with a large format box camera photograph a group of people attending a Japanese bazaar held in the Fife High School gymnasium. A banner on the window denotes "Bingo, 5 (cents)". (T. Times).

Japanese Americans--Fife--1930-1940; Bazaars--Fife--1930-1940; Ethnic groups--Fife--1930-1940; Photography--1930-1940;

Three young Japanese women enjoy refreshments and sodas at a Japanese bazaar held in the Fife High School gymnasium. One girl holds what appears to be a sugar coated doughnut. (T. Times).

Japanese Americans--Fife--1930-1940; Bazaars--Fife--1930-1940; Ethnic groups--Fife--1930-1940;

Three young Japanese-American girls and their mothers enjoy the food served at a Japanese bazaar held in the Fife High School gymnasium. One girl clutches her bottle of soda, while another girl holds a small purse. (T. Times).

Japanese Americans--Fife--1930-1940; Bazaars--Fife--1930-1940; Ethnic groups--Fife--1930-1940; Mothers & children--1930-1940;

A large group of young, predominately Japanese, couples dance on the Fife High School gymnasium floor during a Japanese bazaar. (T. Times).

Japanese Americans--Fife--1930-1940; Bazaars--Fife--1930-1940; Dance parties--Fife--1930-1940; Ethnic groups--Fife--1930-1940; Ballroom dancing--Fife--1930-1940;

A young Japanese-American couple dance in the Fife High School gymnasium during a Japanese bazaar. He wears a letterman's sweater. (T. Times).

Japanese Americans--Fife--1930-1940; Bazaars--Fife--1930-1940; Dance parties--Fife--1930-1940; Ethnic groups--Fife--1930-1940;

A Native American chief in headdress and buckskins gazes at the remainder of downed trees on November 27, 1954. He is standing on a trailer hitch of the large truck that will haul the giant peeler log through the streets of Bellingham as part of a parade. Georgia-Pacific Plywood Co. had arranged for several giant Douglas firs to be cut and transported for this special parade. Photograph ordered by Georgia-Pacific Plywood Co. TPL-8281

Indians of North America--Bellingham; Logs;

December, 1953, graveside exposure of Japanese-American funeral for Mr. Yonezo Mizoguchi, 83 years of age. Mr. Mizoguchi lived at 1710 Tacoma Ave. So. He was born in Japan and came to the United States in 1908. He had lived in Tacoma for 6 years, after retiring in 1941 from 46 years of farming. He was a member of the Buddhist Church. He was survived by his wife Taka and three sons, Hiroto, Kanae and Charles M.- all of Tacoma, and one daughter Mrs. Masaye Shigeno and nine grandchildren. (TNT 12-15-1953, pg. 30) TPL-10139

Japanese Americans--Tacoma; Cemeteries--Tacoma; Funeral rites & ceremonies--Tacoma--1950-1960;

Three Japanese American women and a child watch a team of four women perform a traditional Japanese dance during a dress rehearsal for the Japanese-American Citizen's League's second annual carnival and bazaar, to be held on November 12, 1938 at the Fife High School. The group is attired in kimonos and posed in front of a background of cherry blossoms. The watching group on the left is composed of Haruko Yaguchi (standing), Fugiye Sasaki (seated), Lillian Mizukami (kneeling) and three year old Arlene Sakahara. The dancers are, left to right, Betty Sasaki, Dorothy Norisada, Miyo Yoshida and Amy Marumoto. (T. Times 11/10/1938, pg. 20; 11/14/1938, pg. 3)

Kimonos; Japanese-American Citizen's League (Tacoma); Japanese Americans--Fife--1930-1940; Ceremonial dancers; Japanese Americans--Dance;

In November of 1938, five unidentified young ladies dressed in traditional kimonos rehearsed a ceremonial dance staged among artificial flowering cherry trees. They were members of the 18 person Puyallup Valley Japanese American Citizen's League dance group. The group performed November 12th at "Japan Night," a bazaar hosted at Fife High School. This was the second year that the Citizen's League had sponsored this bazaar, carnival and dance, intended to acquaint Tacoma and Valley people with the group's activities and culture. A mixture of traditional Japanese and American food was served, followed by the evening's entertainment of ceremonial dances performed in front of a background of cherry blossoms and red, white and blue hangings. Over 1,000 people turned out to glimpse the culture of Old Japan. (T. Times 11/10/38, p. 20)

Kimonos; Japanese-American Citizen's League (Tacoma); Japanese Americans--Fife--1930-1940; Ceremonial dancers; Japanese Americans--Dance;

Members of the Puyallup Valley Japanese-American Citizens League dance group. They will be performing a ceremonial dance in traditional Japanese dress during "Japan Night", a Japanese bazaar, to be held at Fife High School on November 12, 1938. The second annual bazaar, carnival and dance was held to acquaint Tacoma and Valley people with the young group's activities and culture. Over 1,000 people attended, the majority of which were not of Japanese heritage. (T. Times, 11/10/1938, p. 20; 11/14/1938, pg. 3)

Kimonos; Japanese-American Citizen's League (Tacoma); Japanese Americans--Fife--1930-1940; Ceremonial dancers; Japanese Americans--Dance;

Group portrait of eighteen young women, and a child, who are members of the Puyallup Valley Japanese-American Citizens League dance group. They will be performing a ceremonial dance in traditional Japanese dress during "Japan Night," a Japanese bazaar, to be held at Fife High School on November 12, 1938. Over 1,000 people attended the event that offered a glimpse into the island empire's ancient culture. In the afternoon, girls in kimonos served Japanese noodles, rice curry and "osushmis" as well as American salads, pies and hot dogs. In the evening, a program of the dances of old Japan was performed before a background of cherry blossoms and red, white and blue hangings. (T. Times, 11/10/1938, p. 20; 11/14/1938, pg. 3).

Kimonos; Japanese-American Citizen's League (Tacoma); Japanese Americans--Fife--1930-1940; Ceremonial dancers; Japanese Americans--Dance;

Hashimoto-Fujita wedding. A formal portrait of the bride and groom, their wedding party and four generations of their families. The large group stood in front of a Buddhist altar on November 12, 1950.

Japanese American families--Tacoma; Weddings--Tacoma--1950-1960; Wedding costume--1950-1960; Brides--1950-1960; Grooms (Weddings)--1950-1960; Altars--Tacoma;

In February of 1969 Edward Taylor (far left) showed a new electric hair clippers to an unidentified customer in his newly remodeled barber shop. Mr. Taylor opened the Ed Taylor Barber & Beauty Salon at 2151 South K Street (now Martin Luther King, Jr. Way) in Tacoma's Hilltop area in 1965. With "lots of hard work" and help from the Small Business Administration he was able to develop a salon that could accommodate all types and textures of hair. In a News Tribune article published in February of 1972 he was shown working on the hair of Mel Jackson, at that time administrative assistant to Tacoma's city manager.

Barbershops--Tacoma--1960-1970; Beauty shops--Tacoma--1960-1970; Shaving equipment; Ed Taylor Barber & Beauty Salon (Tacoma); Taylor, Edward;

Ed Taylor Barber & Beauty Salon. View of exterior of modern one-story building with traditional barbershop striped pole attached. February 23, 1969, saw the grand opening of the remodeled Ed Taylor Barber & Beauty Salon in the So. 23rd and K (now Martin Luther King Jr Way) neighborhood. Photograph ordered by Puget Sound National Bank.

Barbershops--Tacoma--1960-1970; Beauty shops--Tacoma--1960-1970; Signs (Notices); Facades--Tacoma--1960-1970; Ed Taylor Barber & Beauty Salon (Tacoma);

Grand opening of Ed Taylor Barber & Beauty Salon. Beauticians Alice Burns (foreground) and Willie May Harris smile at the photographer while at work with two customers. On February 23, 1969, Ed Taylor celebrated the grand opening of his remodeled combination beauty salon and barber shop at So. 23rd & K (now Martin Luther King, Jr. Way). Photograph ordered by Puget Sound National Bank.

Barbershops--Tacoma--1960-1970; Beauty shops--Tacoma--1960-1970; Hairdressing--Tacoma--1960-1970; Ed Taylor Barber & Beauty Salon (Tacoma); Burns, Alice; Harris, Willie May;

Mrs. Mito Kashiwagi and her mother-in-law, Mrs. Y. Kashiwagi, decorate a window in the barracks at "Camp Harmony" with sheer curtains in this photograph from May, 1942. In the Spring of 1942, more than 100,000 residents of Japanese ancestry from WA., OR., CA. , AZ. and AK. were forcibly rounded up and sent to internment camps. The hastily erected "Camp Harmony" in Puyallup served as a temporary assembly center, where 7,000 residents from the Seattle and Tacoma area waited while more permanent detention centers were erected. They lived in makeshift barracks, where each family was assigned one room, approximately 18 x 20, with a heating stove, bare light bulb and one window. The barracks had no running water. They shared communal showers, one for each 250 detainees, and toilets. The interns set about making these green wood boxes a home. Wood was scrounged to make furniture, curtains were sewn and hung at the windows, and drawings and pictures from calendars were tacked to the walls. (T. Times 4/30/1942, pg. 9)

Camp Harmony (Puyallup); Relocation camps--Puyallup; World War, 1939-1945--Relocation camps; Japanese Americans--Evacuation & relocation, 1942-1945; Kashiwagi, Mito--Family;

The biggest enemy at "Camp Harmony" was boredom. Here a game of sandlot baseball has been organized to give this group some exercise and fresh air. More than 7,000 people of Japanese descent were interned at the camp. Men, women and children were crowded into a small living space. The orderly Japanese soon devised ways to keep their people occupied. Classes were mandatory for children and available for adults. Arts, crafts and recreational activities were devised. Entertainment was brought in; movies were shown. Every effort was made to make life appear ordinary.

Camp Harmony (Puyallup); Relocation camps--Puyallup; World War, 1939-1945--Relocation camps; Japanese Americans--Evacuation & relocation, 1942-1945;

While interred at "Camp Harmony", in May of 1942, three unidentified Japanese Americans built their own furniture for their barracks "apartments." The Puyallup Assembly Center "Camp Harmony" had been constructed by the Army in less than 3 weeks. The living quarters were makeshift barracks divided into "apartments," consisting of a single room no larger than 18 x 20 feet in which a whole family of up to 7 would live. Furnishings consisted of one army cot per person. Each "apartment" had a stove for warmth, one bare bulb hanging from the ceiling by a wire for light and one window. There was no running water. Toilets and showers were communal with no privacy dividers, until the Japanese built them themselves. As Spring passed, the detainees scrounged wood and tools and began constructing rough tables and chairs. Homes were created in the rough surroundings.

Camp Harmony (Puyallup); Relocation camps--Puyallup; World War, 1939-1945--Relocation camps; Japanese Americans--Evacuation & relocation, 1942-1945; Carpentry;

On May 16, 1942, an everyday game of marbles among a group of boys is captured by the photographer; except that these Japanese American boys, Tasuo Matsuda, Yoshinori Kondo and Hira Matsudo, are being held at "Camp Harmony," an assembly center in Puyallup for the evacuation and relocation of Seattle and Tacoma area residents of Japanese ancestry. Over 7,000 of them, including 1200 from Tacoma, were detained there from April 28 - September 12, 1942 before being shipped out to Minidoka Relocation Center in Southern Idaho. They lived in makeshift barracks divided into "apartments," one per family. The furnishings consisted of one army cot per person. There was no running water. Toilets, showers, mess halls and laundry room were communal and located a walk away. Privacy was non existent. The Japanese tried to keep life as normal as possible for the children, forming their own schools when the U.S. government provided none. (T. Times 4/30/1942, pg. 9)

Camp Harmony (Puyallup); Relocation camps--Puyallup; World War, 1939-1945--Relocation camps; Japanese Americans--Evacuation & relocation, 1942-1945; Marbles (Game); Children playing with marbles; Matsuda, Tasuo; Kondo, Yoshinori; Matsuda, Hira;