After the bombing of Pearl Harbor in 1941 and the declaration of war against Japan, Executive Order 9066 was put into action and Japanese Americans on the West coast were forced to evacuate. With little notice, many people were forced to sell their belongings quickly, most for pennies on the dollar.

"We had a virtually new refrigerator and the day before they were supposed to leave, a gentleman came by, wanted to know if they wanted to sell anything. So my Dad says, 'I’ve got the refrigerator,' and the gentelman says, 'I’ll give you a dollar for it.' So my dad tells him 'no.' And the fellow replies, "Well, it’ll be free tomorrow cause you’ll be gone and you can’t take it with you.' So my dad put it on the street and drove over it with a truck."

~Roy Muranaka

--
Kawakami Family Portrait

Image Contributed by: Jane Muranaka

Names of people: Saichi, Chizu, Grace, Richard, and Zinnia Kawakami

Date: 1939

Place: Roscoe, California

Photograph by:Unknown

Original Photo size: Unknown

Description: Many Japanese Americans dressed up on New Year's Day. "That was only time that we were not working." This photo was taken in front of the garage where Saichi Kawakami kept his vehicles over the years. The family owned farm vehicles and one family car.

© California State University, Northridge 2008

For more information about this project, please contact:

Edith Chen, Professor Asian American Studies Dept.
18111 Nordhoff St., JR 340
Northridge, CA 91330-8251
edith.chen@csun.edu
818-677-4966

Nancy Takayama
San Fernando Valley Japanese American Community Center
nt.high.mtn@juno.com