Interview with Misuyo Nakamura, 1986 April 2-23
Scope and Contents
Audio recording of interview with Misuyo Nakamura (1903-1993), with abridged English transcript (35 pages). Nakamura immigrated to the United States from Japan with her husband, Hitoshi “Henry” Nakamura, in 1921. They worked on a farm in Odell, south of Hood River, Oregon, and had six children. Nakamura discusses her early life in Hiroshima, Japan; her marriage to Hitoshi “Henry” Nakamura; and their journey to the United States. She describes adjusting to life in the Hood River Valley, discusses her experiences raising a family while also working without child care, and describes how that led to the death of one of her children. She shares her experiences after Japan attacked Pearl Harbor in 1941. She describes her life during World War II, including her preparations before the forced removal and incarceration of Japanese Americans by the U.S. government; the train ride to the Pinedale Assembly Center in Fresno, California; living conditions at Pinedale and at the Tule Lake incarceration camp; and her reasons for choosing to work on a sugar beet farm in Ontario, Oregon, rather than remain in the camp. She closes the interview by reflecting on her experiences as a first-generation Japanese American woman.
Dates
- Creation: 1986 April 2-23
Creator
- From the Collection: Tamura, Linda, 1949- (Interviewer, Person)
- From the Collection: Noji, Mamoru, 1918-2006 (Translator, Person)
Conditions Governing Access
Collection is open for research.
Extent
10 audiocassettes (8 hr., 56 min., 21 sec.)
Language of Materials
From the Collection: Japanese
From the Collection: English
Physical Characteristics and Technical Requirements
The audio recording for Tape 5, Side 2, of this interview is missing, but its contents are reflected in the abridged transcript.
Repository Details
Part of the Oregon Historical Society Research Library Repository
1200 SW Park Ave.
Portland OR 97205 United States
5033065204
5033065240
libreference@ohs.org