We are actively working to preserve the physical artifacts as well as the stories and memories of life in one of America's concentration camps located at Poston, Arizona. It was named "Poston" or the "Colorado River Relocation Center", located on the Colorado River Indian Reservation during World War II. The Poston Community Alliance is a 501(c)(3)non-profit group.
Photo: Mrs. Kiyoko Nakagawa, 101 years of age, attended Poston III reunion with her daughters and son.
At the Poston III reunion held at the Golden Nugget in Las Vegas earlier this week, the Poston Restoration Project had on display, enlarged blue prints of the living areas on camp I, II and III.
With the *labor-intensive* work of Bob Iwamasa (block 220-14-G) using the 1944 census and plotting the individual names in the barracks, attendees were seen snapping photos of their family listings on the draft copies of the block maps! Attendees added missing information to the camp I, II, and II directory being created by Dianne Kiyomoto, archivist for the Poston Restoration Project.
Many thanks to Thomas Kurihara (block 308-14-A) for donating copies of his mother's vintage photos, in addition to his more recent photos of the Colorado River near Poston III. Thomas brought in one photo with four unidentified kids and before he left, all the kids in the photo were identified! Thomas was able to record his oral history with us.
"On the Road Back to Poston"
There were 31 survivors of the "On the Road Back to Poston" educational bus trip. We viewed the documentary film, "Passing Poston" and the silent film on the early days of Poston, featuring the Del Webb construction company. One viewer thought the film may have been an ad promoting the new construction company (Del Webb). The film was discovered among the property of W. Wade Head, former Project Director of Poston, a few years ago. The film was not labeled and had to be spliced together.
Dr. Michael Tsosie, Director of the Colorado River Indian Tribe Museum, was our tour guide, and he joined our bus at the site of the Parker railroad station, next to the current Chamber of Commerce/Visitors Center in Parker, AZ. We started our tour following the same tracks used by the internees/prisoners to Poston in the spring/summer of 1942, starting with the Parker, AZ railroad station.
Mr. Ted Kobata (block 229), head of the Poston Monument & Kiosk construction, was on our tour bus and provided a brief summary of the laborious task of erecting the monument and later constructing the kiosk. Everything was hauled from Sacramento down to Poston in the hot summer.
The tour group entered the Poston Restoration Project site and was able to view the internee/prisoner-made adobe bricks used in the construction of the school buildings at Poston.
I met Barbara Burgess (pictured above), granddaughter of Miss Fredricka (Bardon) Green, former Poston III CORE teacher. Barbara is researching material for a future book about her grandmother's time at Poston, and needs information about daily life and attending school in Poston. If you can help, contact her at: missbagpipes@sbcglobal.net
We continued on the journey down the road to the camp II site, and was able to walk inside the camp II school auditorium, which has an in-door basketball court. The building is in use today by the adjacent school, which was in session.
We continued farther down the road to travel a short distance along the northern border of camp III. We found living evidence of the presence of Japanese Americans.You will have to ask someone who was on the trip if you want to know what we saw.
If you have traveled out to see the Poston Monument in the past, you most likely did not learn of the Japanese-American legacy which lives on in the valley today.
Don't worry, there are only a few of us who do know, thanks to Dr. Michael Tsosie. Next time you see one of us who were on the memorable trip, be sure to ask!
The California Nisei Project provides critical outreach for Assembly Bill 37, a bill that was signed into law required California State Universities and Community Colleges to grant honorary degrees to any person whose education was interrupted because of their forced removal into concentration camps during World War II.
The project is funded by the California Civil Liberties Public Education Program and run by the Japanese Cultural and Community Center of Northern California.
If you could please go through the lists to see if you recognize any of the names, that would be great. You can also forward the lists on to your contacts as well.
Any help you can provide on this would be greatly appreciated.
Sincerely,
Jeffrey Chu
Development Associate
Japanese Cultural & Community Center of Northern California
1840 Sutter Street
San Francisco, CA 94115
Phone: (415) 567-5505 Fax: (415) 567-4222 email: jchu@jcccnc.org
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U.C. BERKELEY
Name/City
Abe, Bernice Kikuyo -Sacramento
Abe (Heau), Shizu-Stockton
ADACHI, GEORGE TOSHIO-Los Angeles
Aikawa, Dr. Jerry Kazuo-Oakland
Akagi, Kunitada Jim-Alameda
Akamatsu, Donald Shunji-Alameda
Amano, Masao-Fresno
Aoki, Michio-San Francisco
Araki, Harry Tsugio-Santa Maria
Arao, Robert Shigetaka-Stockton
Arase, Noboru (d)-Fresno
Arimoto, Fred Shunji-Walnut Grove
Arimoto, Kenzo-Walnut Grove
Baba, Soshiro Paul-San Francisco
Bando, Dr. Shizuko-San Mateo
Chono (Hirabayashi), Takako-Corcoran (Stockton)
Doi, Alfred Kazuyuki-Stockton
Doi, Anna Katsuko-San Francisco
Doi, Dr. Tom Toshio-Lompoc
Doi, Hunter Tetsuo-Lompoc
Dotemoto, George Yoshihiro-Suisun
Eakin-Tanaka, Dr. Marian
Emoto, Frank Shuntaro-Watsonville
Endo, Frank
Endo, Katsuhiro-Salinas
Endow, Jane Hoshie-San Francisco
Eno, Eugene-San Bernardino
Fujii, Shigeki Bert
Fujii, William Teruaki-Sacramento
Fujimura, Thomas Hikaru-San Mateo
Fujishige, Kaname-Stockton
Fukuda, Takashi-Oakland
Fukuda, Toshio
Furukawa, George Tadaheru
Fukutome, Ben Tsutomu-Berkeley
Fukutome, Ichiro-Berkeley
Furuta, Ichiro-Nestor
Goya, Kazuji Clement-Sierra Madre
Hamamoto, Yutaka-Loomis
Hanamura, George Ritsuo-Salinas
Hanamura, Nobuhisa Bob-San Francisco
Hara, Taiko-San Francisco
Harano (Sollen), Tomika-Berkeley
Hasegawa, Takaye-Lompoc
Hashimoto, Amy-Isleton
Hayami, Frank Yutaka-San Gabriel
Hayashi, Jack Muneharu-Los Angeles
Hayashi, Mark Munyuki-Los Angeles
HAYASHI, SHUKI-Salinas
Hayashi, Teruo-Sacramento
Hayashi, Toyoko Patricia-Berkeley
Hayashida, Haruko Fujii
Hibino, Don Yosh
Hiraga, Thomas Tanio-Salinas
Hirose, Etsuo-Clarksburg
Hisaka, Harry
Hitomi, Takeshi Jack-Sacramento
Horiuchi, George Isaburo-Los Angeles
Hoshino Winter, Naoko
Hoshino, Naoko Susan -Winton
Hosokawa, Takayuki William-Sacramento
Ichiyasu, Kiyoshi-San Francisco
Igarashi, Isaac Nobuo-Sacramento
Ihara, Hideo-San Francisco
Iijma, Isaac-Oakland
Iijima, Mayme-Oakland
Imamoto (Noda), Grace Kyoko-Los Angeles
Imoto, Itsura Margery-Huntington Beach
Inatome, Masahiro-San Francisco
Ino, Jean Yo-San Francisco
Inouye, Hikaru-Watsonville
Inouye, Kazuo-Oakland
Inouye, Michinori-Oakland
Inouye, William Yoshio-Sacramento
Ishida, George Shigeo-San Francisco
Ishihara, Albert Masao-Livingston
Ishiyama, Toru-Alameda
Iida, Marian Kimi-Berkeley
Inai, Arthur Yoshito-Lompoc
Isobe, Masao-San Francisco
Isoye (Wada), Yasuko
Ishii, Hisako Mary-Sacramento
Itatani, Alice Shizuko-San Francisco
Itatani, Catherine Fumiko-San Francisco
Itaya, Sammy Sumiharu-Norwalk
Ito, Elizabeth Carol-Chicago, IL
Ito, Miyoko-Berkeley
Ito (Nakata), Sayoko-Berkeley
Ito, Yoshimitsu, Alameda
Iwamoto, Harry Kaoru-San Francisco
Iwamoto, Koya-Los Angeles
Iwamoto, Tom Tsutomu-Compton
Iwata, Arthur Akira-Stockton
Iwata, Kenneth Setsuo-Turlock
Iyama, Masayuki-Berkeley
Izumi, John Yogi -Honolulu, T.H
Kaita, Reiichi-Los Angeles
Kambara, Mitsuko Gloria-Berkeley
KAMADA, BENJAMIN YUTAKA-Orange Cove
Kamatani, Joe-Stockton
Kanagaki, Miyako-Concord
Kariya, Kazuo-Belmont
Kasai, Kiyoshi-Colusa
Kasamoto, Hiroshi.Hilo, T.H
Kashiwagi, Chiyo-Woodland
Kashiwagi, Iseko June-Woodland
Katahira, Toshiyuki George
Katase, Yuzo Bob -San Francisco
Katayama, Hiromoto-Berkeley
Katsuhira, Toshiyuki George-Visalia
Kawaguchi, Tadayuki-San Francisco
Kawahara, Fred Katsumi-Berkeley
Kawahara, Henry Yoshito-Berkeley
Kawahata, Kiyoshi-San Francisco
Kawanami Mary Shizuko-Calexico
Kawano, Kimiko-Kingsburg
Kawasaki, Kimiyo-Rio Linda
Kido, Hiroshi-Alameda
Kikuchi, Charles-San Francisco
Kimura, Frances Renko-Berkeley
Kimura, Masaru-Palo Alto
Kimura, Rankin Toshio -Los Altos
Kimura, Sachiko-Delhi
Kinaga, Thomas-San Jose
Kitahara, Yukio-Monterey
Kitano, Tamio-San Francisco
Kitaoka, Sady-Brea
Kobayashi, Key Kiyokazu-Alameda
Koda, S. Edward Kay-Dos Palos
Koda (Sugiyama), Tokuko Mary-Coalinga
Koga, Sumio-Sacramento
Kohigashi, Satoru-Terminal Island
Koike, Naoshi-Tokyo Japan
Kono, Yeije Yoshitoki -Kerman
Koyamatsu, Takeo James -Los Angeles
Kubo, George Joe -Sacramento
Kubo, Sumio Ronnie -Kerman
KURIHARA, MARIE MIKIKO-Orosi
Kurita, Dr. Ikuya Thomas -Oakland
Kurokawa, Yozzo George-Pasadena
Kusaka, Shuichi-Vancouver, B.C. Canada
Kusuda, Shigeyuki -Oakland
Kusumine, Hiroko Helen-San Francisco
Magota, Toshi-Hanford
Makino, Ernest Minoru-Los Gatos
Makino, Fumiko-Los Gatos
Makino, Katherine Taeko-Los Gatos
Mano, Kiyoshi-Sacramento
Mano (Utsunomiya), Chinobu-Corcoran (Stockton)
Mashihara, John Katsuji -Los Angeles
Matsuda, Ken-San Francisco
Masuda, Teruhiko Terry -San Francisco
Matsueda, Seiichi-San Francisco
Matsukawa, Tadashi-Honolulu, T.H
Matsumoto, Alice-San Diego
Matsumoto, Irene Sumiye-Loomis
Matsushige, Isaac
Minakami, Yuriko-Delano
Minamide, Sadao-Guadalupe
Misawa, Alice Haruko -San Francisco
Mishima, Ryosuki-Berkeley
Mita, Doris Shigeko Hayashi-Berkeley
Mitoma, Tatsuya Francis-San Francisco
Miwa, Harry Masaru -San Juan Bautista
Miyagi, Masanobu Charles-Venice
Miyahara, Gengo George-San Francisco
Miyoshi, Jun-Santa Maria
Miyoshi (Wakai), Helen Kiyo-Sacramento
Mochizuki, Aki Joseph-Fresno
Mochizuki, Shizu Lydia-Fresno
Mori, Ichiro-Sacramento
Morishita, George Yoshiyasu-San Diego
Morita, Asayo
Morita, William Hideo-Pasadena
Morita, Yoshikazu-San Francisco
Moriwaki, Frances Yuriko-San Francisco
Munekawa, Tomio-Nelson
Murai, Iwai-San Francisco
Murai, Kotaro-San Francisco
Muramoto, Kanhichi Kay-Sacramento
Murata, Chester Shige-Sacramento
Murata, Mary Ogi-San Francisco
Murata, Yoshiyuki Henry-El Monte
Murayama, Constance Namiko-San Francisco
Murayama, Fumiko-San Francisco
Nagai, Kiyoko-San Francisco
Nagano, Fumi Asazuma-Japan
Nagata Ben Yushi -Gardena
Najima, Haruo-Oakland
Nakagaki, George Yasuyoshi-Oakland
Nakagawa (Marshall), Helen Yoshiko-Marysville
Nakahara, George
Nakamura, George Ryoji-Sacramento
Nakao, Harry- Watsonville
Nakaso, Katherine Fukue-Alameda
Nakata, Masao-Alameda
Nakata, Shizuko-Alameda
Nakatani, William Masaru-Vacaville
Nakayama, Mary Shizui-Dona Ana, N.M
Nishi, Dick-Clarksburg
Nakazawa, Hideko-Berkeley
Nishimura, Chiyoko. Hilo, T.H
Niwa, Tamako-Berkeley
Nomura, Kiyosuke-Berkeley
Nonaka (Shinoda), Takiko Anita-San Francisco
Nose, Sakiko Marguerite-Berkeley
Nose, Sakiko Marguerite-Los Angeles
Obata, Grace Aiko
Obatake, Toshiaki-Los Angeles
Oda, Taeko Orimo-Delano
Ogawa, Kikuo-Kerman
Ogawa, Luther Riusa-Monterey
Okamoto, Kiyonaga-Upland
Okamoto, Thomas Yoichi-Guadalupe
Okamura, George Taro-Sacramento
Okubo, Toku Robert-Riverside
Okuda, Franklin Yoshitaka-Livingston
Okusu, Mitsuko -Loomis
Okuye, Ruth-Livingston
Omachi, Henry Takashi-Sacramento
Omori, Frances Shigeko-Holtville
Omori, Harry Izumi-Holtville
Onizuka, Robert-San Francisco
Ono, George Yoichi-San Francisco
Oshita, Isamu Jack-Sacramento
ohn Satoshi-Berkeley
Ota, Akiko-Berkeley
Ota, Lillian Yuriko-San Francisco
Ota, Minoru Minor-Alameda
Ota, Shizue-Berkeley
Ota, Sukehiko-San Francisco
Sakai, George M.
Sakai, Henry Katsumi-San Francisco
Sakai, John Jo-Del Rey
Sakai, Robert Kenjiro-Indio
Sakai, Ruby-Richmond
Sakakura, Joe-Los Angeles
Sakamoto, Toyo-Brawley
Sakata, Churo-Stockton
Sakiyama, Ichiro "Tom
Sakoda, James Minoru-Berkeley
Sakoda, James Minoru-Pasadena
Sakurai, Yoshiko-Calexico
Sanazaro, Paul-Berkeley
Sanazaro, Paul-Sanger
Sanematsu, Ben Denichiro-Riverside
Sasajima, Mary Masano-Berkeley
Sato, John Jun-San Francisco
Sato, Sho (Atty)-Sacramento
Satoda, Yonekazu-Hanford
Sayama, Kenji-Los Angeles
Schnittger, Marjorie
Shibata, Yoshimi-Mt.Eden
Shibata, Yoshikuni-Mt.Eden
Shibutani, Tamotsu-Stockton (lived in Santa Barbara)
We continued on the journey down the road to the camp II site, and was able to walk inside the camp II school auditorium, which has an in-door basketball court. The building is in use today by the adjacent school, which was in session.
We continued on the journey down the road to the camp II site, and was able to walk inside the camp II school auditorium, which has an in-door basketball court. The building is in use today by the adjacent school, which was in session.
