Partial Transcript: Ken Tamura is born in Okmulgee, OK on March 27, 1923. His parents are from Japan and he has three sisters and a brother (Yuki, Mari, Sumi, and Joe). Ken grows up on a farm and in an isolated area. At home, ken speaks Japanese. In the fall of 1929, Ken starts school.

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Keywords: farm; Issei; Issei parents; Japanese Americans; Japanese identity and values; Mainland; Nisei; primary school

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Partial Transcript: Ken describes his first time going to school and learning English. At school, Ken makes a special friend who he plays with. At home, Ken plays with his siblings because they are close in age. Their childhood activities include playing with bugs and running in the sand. He recalls walking around barefoot. He says growing up in the Great Depression it is common for the kids to not have or wear shoes.

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Keywords: Americans of Japanese Ancestry; childhood activities; farm; friendship; living conditions; Nisei; primary school

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Partial Transcript: Ken discusses learning English and communicating at school. He recalls there are different seasons for different games. There is a topper season, a marble season, and a kite season.

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Keywords: childhood activities; Japanese Americans; Nisei; primary school

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Partial Transcript: Ken has a close relationship with his father. At a young age, Ken helps his father on the farm. When Ken gets older, he runs errands for his father. Ken says his father is a hard worker. Ken recalls around February his father prepares hotbeds to plant cabbage, sweet potato, green pepper, and tomato. He describes the care in maintaining the hotbeds.

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Keywords: family; farm; farming; Issei parents; Japanese Americans; Nisei

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Partial Transcript: Ken discusses his father does not have off-seasons as a farmer. Working on a farm you work year-round. Therefore, the time Ken and his father spend together is mainly working. In sixth grade, Ken starts running errands with his father in town making deliveries. Ken says growing up Japanese American, he does not give it much thought. He remembers his parents talking about discrimination on the West Coast and not knowing what discrimination is.

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Keywords: Americans of Japanese Ancestry; discrimination; employment; farm; farming; Issei parents; Japanese Americans; Japanese identity and values; Nisei

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Partial Transcript: At the age of twelve years old, Ken receives a 22 rifle and goes hunting.

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Keywords: childhood activities; farm; Japanese Americans; Nisei

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Partial Transcript: Ken recalls his first movie experience with his father. Ken says his father likes cowboy movies. However, Ken did not like seeing the shooting scenes. Ken and his father would go watch movies almost every Saturday. He discusses his favorite cowboy actors.

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Keywords: childhood activities; farm; Issei parents; Japanese Americans; Mainland; Nisei

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Partial Transcript: Ken lists out his favorite cowboy movies from his grammar school years. In junior high, Ken recalls going swimming at the river bottom. Sometimes people will go skinny dipping, but Ken puts on swimming trunks.

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Keywords: Americans of Japanese Ancestry; childhood activities; friendship; Issei parents; Nisei

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Partial Transcript: Ken says his first language is Japanese. However, Ken starting losing his native language as he gets older. Ken recalls learning English Literature in school but is not able to communicate it with his mother. Ken's father on the other hand speaks English. Ken's father immigrated to the United States in 1915.

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Keywords: Issei parents; Japanese Americans; Japanese identity and values; Nisei; primary school

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Partial Transcript: Ken leaves Okmulgee at age 17. Ken recalls playing sports and figuring out team sports is not his interest. However, he develops a liking for rope climbing. He says the farm work helps him build arm strength.

Segment Synopsis:

Keywords: childhood activities; farm; farming; Japanese Americans; Nisei

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