By the end of May of 1942, more than 7,000 people of Japanese ancestry from Seattle and the surrounding area, including 1200 from Tacoma, were being detained at "Camp Harmony," a temporary assembly center built hastily by the army in Puyallup. They stayed there for four months, until they were shipped to the Minidoka Relocation Center in Southern Idaho to wait for the end of the war. In this photograph taken May 16, 1942, Seattleites Beverly Higashida (2 years old), Lillian Fujihara, seven month old Wayne Kaniko and his mother Mrs. M. Kaniko all smiled for the camera. Whole families were sent to the camp, each assigned a one room "apartment." The Japanese proceeded to make a home out of the almost unbearable conditions, forming a government, school and devising entertainments. Their values remained intact and their spirits high. (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; Children riding bicycles & tricycles; Fujihara, Lillian; Higashida, Beverly; Kaniko, Wayne;

Panorama of a large, formally dressed standing party.

Yasuda-Miyamotoa wedding with the groom and bride in front of the alter engaging with children.

Bride at the Yasuda-Miyamotoa wedding in front of altar decorated with candles, floral arrangements and Buddhist images.

Group of men with their fists down on a table at the Yasuda-Miyamoto wedding with a lit cigar resting on a glass of liquor below.

Bride at the Yoshihara-Ikeviri (sp?) wedding with floral arrangements and candles in the background.

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;

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;

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;

Wedding of University of Washington graduates Luana Chizuru Uyeda and Dr. Keith Hiroshi Yoshino.

Tacoma Community House Spring 2022 English Language student from Korea. Interviewed by dindria barrow on May 4, 2022.

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.

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.

Oral history interview with Tacoma resident Sulja Warnick conducted by dindria barrow on April 6, 2023. In this interview, Sulja shares some of her life’s work as a public school teacher in the Tacoma Public Schools and with the Korean Women’s Association (KWA). Her journey is one of many places and many connections. The success she co-created has spanned countries and served thousands of people. For example, KWA started as a small social club for Korean women and has expanded to a non-profit organization that provides education, affordable housing, in-home care for seniors, and social services, including domestic violence counseling. KWA has offices in 14 Western Washington counties, serving up to 150,000 people of 40 nationalities and 35 language groups. The organization is now 51 years old. Please enjoy Sulja’s oral history interview as well as her collection of images and documents covering her life and the life of KWA.

Members of the Yamamoto family posed in front of their residence on June 7, 1931. Gentleman with the glasses and is Mr. Kichigiro "Kay" Yamamoto and to his right his wife, Masae. Children from left to right: Margaret, Edit, Katherine, George and Ray. Source: Sullivan, Michael "Legacy, part 3" Tacoma History Live Blog, July 31, 2019.

A Japanese American wedding party with their many guests posed on December 6, 1925 outside the building at South 17th and Market Streets that housed the Tacoma Jujitsu School and the Columbus Hotel. The bride, groom and attendants, as well as guests, are all dressed in American attire. Rather then wear a traditional shiromuku wedding kimono, the bride appears to be completely and stylishly dressed in a contemporary white dress, including a long lace veil, and carries a large bouquet of flowers. No one, with the exception of the two youngsters on the far right, appears to be smiling. G39.1-184; TPL-1438.

Japanese Americans--Tacoma; Weddings--Tacoma--1920-1930; Wedding costume--1920-1930; Grooms (Weddings)--1920-1930; Brides--1920-1930;

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;

Overhead shot of Yoshihara-Ikejiri wedding with bride and groom walking down the aisle and large floral arrangement in the background.

Bride and child at Yoshioka-Mizutani wedding holding floral arrangements. Display of bananas, apples and oranges can be seen in background.

Yoshioka-Mizutani wedding photo with bride and attendee wearing formal dress.

Japanese P.T. A. women at McCarver Intermediate School. The five women each wear kimonos and traditional footware. The ladies were playing hostess at the annual tea sponsored by the Japanese members of the organization. Typical Japanese delicacies were served at the tea including crisp rice cakes, flat cookies, rice candy and "semby," folded cakes with a printed fortune card enclosed. (T. Times 4/15/1936, pg. 11)

Japanese Americans--Tacoma; Parent-Teacher Association (Tacoma);McCarver Junior High School (Tacoma); Kimonos;

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;

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;

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;

Back of Photo:
News
Southeast Asians on the Radio --- These three people are counselors at the Indochinese Cultural and Service Center in Tacoma. They each take a turn hosting the Sunday morning radio program on KPTS -- each in the native language. From left: Phet Vongvanith, Phan Pham, and Sopheap Keo.
Martin - Story
Bruce Kellman - Photo

Back of Photo:
Thien Long, his wife, Soeuth Tuy Long and their baby, Ellen Mary Long (age 1.5) rest on a bed in their apartment in Tacoma. This is for a story on welfare for Southeast Asian refugees.
Photo by Joe Giron

Back of Photo:
Cultural Fair sponsored by South Puget Sound Adoptive Parents.
As part of a cultural fair to educate children and adults about different cultures Jennifer Yoon, 24, left and Angela Synn, 13, right performed some traditional Korean dances including fan and basket dancing.

Back of Photo:
--Learning to Wok--
Merinda Chiu, 7 months, watches her mother, Nancy Chiu, prepare a meal at her restaurant, C&C Chinese Garden, in Spokane on Monday. Chiu says her daughter loves to watch her cook.