Photo Essay: The Manzanar War Relocation Center
In the Fall Issue of Preservation magazine, historian and author Max Page sheds a light on places that represent difficult but important parts of American history. These “sites of conscience” as they have come to be known—place-based examples of injustice—are important demonstrations of the fragility of our rights and our ability to deny the rights of others. By telling their stories, we have a chance to learn from our mistakes.
One of the places highlighted in Page’s piece is Manzanar National Historic Site in eastern California, where 10,000 Japanese Americans—viewed as a threat by the federal government—were forcibly incarcerated during World War II.
In 1943, at the invitation of his friend, the camp’s director, Ralph Merritt, Ansel Adams came to Manzanar War Relocation Center to document the camp and the people interned there. His work is now preserved by the Library of Congress. Select photographs are displayed below.
From the Library of Congress:
Adams' Manzanar work is a departure from his signature style landscape photography. Although a majority of the more than 200 photographs are portraits, the images also include views of daily life, agricultural scenes, and sports and leisure activities.
photo by: Library of Congress
Hidemi Tayenaka.
When offering the collection to the Library in 1965, Adams said in a letter, "The purpose of my work was to show how these people, suffering under a great injustice, and loss of property, businesses and professions, had overcome the sense of defeat and dispair [sic] by building for themselves a vital community in an arid (but magnificent) environment ... All in all, I think this Manzanar Collection is an important historical document, and I trust it can be put to good use."
photo by: Library of Congress
Yoshiko Joan Mori, stenographer in Education Office.
photo by: Library of Congress
C.T. Hibino, artist.
photo by: Library of Congress
Yonemitsu Family; son, Michael; sister, Lucy Toshiko; father, Francis.
photo by: Library of Congress
Tom Kobayashi.
photo by: Library of Congress
Sumiko Shigematsu, foreman of power sewing machine girls.
photo by: Library of Congress
Baseball game.
photo by: Library of Congress
Sumiko Shigematsu, foreman of power machines.
photo by: Library of Congress
Yonehisa Yamagami, electrician.
photo by: Library of Congress
Nurse Aiko Hamaguchi, mother Frances Yokoyama, baby Fukomoto.
photo by: Library of Congress
In biology class, high school, Kiyo Yoshida, Lillian Wakatsuki, Yoshiko Yamasaki.
photo by: Library of Congress
School children.
photo by: Library of Congress
Education week sign.
photo by: Library of Congress
People leaving Buddhist church, winter.
photo by: Library of Congress
Children at Sunday school class.
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photo by: Library of Congress
Nurse Aiko Hamaguchi, patient Tom Kano.
photo by: Library of Congress
Private Kato.
photo by: Library of Congress
Japanese-American U.S. Naval cadet nurse, Kay Fukuda.
photo by: Library of Congress
Loading bus, leaving Manzanar War Relocation Center.
photo by: Library of Congress
Football practice.
photo by: Library of Congress
Calesthenics.
photo by: Library of Congress
Volley ball game.
photo by: Library of Congress
Benji Iguchi driving tractor.
photo by: Library of Congress
Cattle in south farm.
photo by: Library of Congress
High school recess period.
photo by: Library of Congress
Louise Tami Nakamura.
photo by: Library of Congress
Mitsu Nakai and baby.
photo by: Library of Congress
Farm, farm workers, Mt. Williamson in background.
