Back of Photo States: Nakashima's 3 children 1/27

Photo description from Vanna Sing:

When taken: 1980s and 2000s
Where taken: Eastside, Salishan
What memory is contained in these photos? Lister Elementary was a generational school. My first grade teacher was my daughter's first grade teacher.
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.

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 States: Fife Japanese Community School Picnic

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

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;

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;

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;