dislocation: a new way of life

The Nakai family, like the Iwata family, was held at the Colorado River Relocation Center near Poston, Arizona for the duration of World War II.  Ichiyo Nakai, along with her husband Satoru, sons Chester, Hideaki, and Kenji, and daughter Akemi, moved to Seabrook, New Jersey in 1947.  Ichiyo's sister, Suyeko Date, was also at Poston with her husband Satoru and children Takumi, Mihoko, and Hiromo.

Internment camps were heavily fortified, surrounded by barbed wire and armed guards.  Individuals were not allowed to photograph the camps' perimeters.  Relocation forced Japanese-Americans to give up their pre-war jobs.  Despite the labor shortage brought about by World War II, most Japanese-American professionals--doctors, lawyers, teachers, bankers, accountants, and other college graduates--were not allowed to secure employment outside the camps.  When granted permission to practice inside the camps, their wages remained abysmal compared to those of European Americans.

The majority of Japanese-Americans were farmers, skilled laborers, and merchants.  These men and women were able to cultivate the land around the camps (although harsh climate conditions made farming difficult) and open small "co-op" stores for selling everyday necessities.  While interned, Japanese-American adults could take English language classes and learn trades such as tailoring, carpentry, and horticulture.

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