Partial Transcript: Lillian describes the process of her mother making Udon (Japanese noodles) for the New Year. Around 1947, Lillian says her mother-in-law receives a recognition award for Catholic Mother for the United States. She talks about how her mother-in-law is nominated.

Segment Synopsis:

Keywords: Americans of Japanese Ancestry; cultural heritage; family; Japanese Americans; Japanese identity and values

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Partial Transcript: Lillian discusses life when the war happens. She continues to eat out at restaurants after school. She says there is a curfew for Japanese Americans to return home early. Lillian also speaks about differentiating between Chinese and Japanese Americans. The Chinese children would wear a button to identify they are Chinese.

Segment Synopsis:

Keywords: curfew; friendship; Japanese Americans; Pearl Harbor; prejudices; racism; World War Two

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Partial Transcript: Before the war, Lillian feels there is no emphasis on being American until the bombing of Pearl Harbor. As a child, Lillian recalls watching movies with Shirley Temple and Judy Garland on special occasions. She would walk to the theater, and movies cost ten cents.

Segment Synopsis:

Keywords: Americans of Japanese Ancestry; Japanese Americans; World War Two

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Partial Transcript: Lillian recalls a British customer that frequents their restaurant and home. Lillian's mother would feed him when he would visit. He is buried at a cemetery in Seattle, and Lillian brings flowers to his gravesite on occasions.

Segment Synopsis:

Keywords: friendship; Japanese Americans; post-war

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Partial Transcript: When the Matsudaira family goes to Minidoka, Mr. Hanson help arranges the ownership of their property. The Alien Land Laws prohibits Asian immigrants from owning property, as a result, Lillian's father is not able to own a house. With the assistance of their neighbor, the Matsudaira can own a home under the neighbor's name. When Lillian's sister is approximately 21 years old, the house ownership is transfer under her name.

Segment Synopsis:

Keywords: Alien land laws; friendship; interment camp; Japanese Americans; racism; World War Two

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Partial Transcript: Lillian recalls Rev. Andrews helping all the Japanese Americans in their congregation. When the Japanese Americans go to the internment camps, Rev. Andrews moves to Idaho to be near the Japanese Americans to continue his support. She remembers before the war, Rev. Andrews would coordinate camping trips for the youth groups. There are also sports gatherings, and Lillian's sister would play on the basketball team.

Segment Synopsis:

Keywords: childhood activities; friendship; Japanese Americans; Seattle; siblings; social activities; sports; World War Two

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Partial Transcript: Lillian discusses going to the Puyallup assembly center and her father's friend from Green Lake. In camp, Lillian recalls having her ice skates and her mother had her sewing machine.

Segment Synopsis:

Keywords: "evacuation"; Americans of Japanese Ancestry; Assembly Centers; Executive Order 9066; friendship; interment camp; Japanese Americans; racism; travel; World War Two

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Partial Transcript: Lillian discusses the day going to the assembly center. At the bus area, soldiers are waiting. When they arrive at Puyallup, the Japanese Americans are processed and assign numbers. Lillian describes the surrounding at the Fair Ground and filling a bag with hay. Lillian says this is the first time she sees hay, because she is from the city.

Segment Synopsis:

Keywords: "evacuation"; Assembly Centers; barracks; Executive Order 9066; Japanese Americans; World War Two

Subjects:

Partial Transcript: Lillian describes her living conditions at the assembly center at the Fair Grounds. She recalls the barracks and how they are different sizes. Everyone in the Matsudaira is in a barrack except for her older sister. Lillian's older sister got married and moved after the war. The assembly camp is divided into A, B, C, and D. Lillian's older sister is in area D.

Segment Synopsis:

Keywords: Assembly Centers; barracks; Executive Order 9066; family; Japanese Americans; World War Two

Subjects:

Partial Transcript: Seven people are living in a small space in the barrack. Lillian says they would spend most of the days outside and sleep in the barrack at night. Lillian gets a job delivering food to the sick people in the camp. Her pay is four dollars a month. Occasionally, she would play cards, baseball, or ping pong with her friends.

Segment Synopsis:

Keywords: Americans of Japanese Ancestry; Assembly Centers; barracks; employment; Executive Order 9066; friendship; racism; social activities; sports

Subjects:

Partial Transcript: In Puyallup, the weather condition is hot. Lillian say the children would play outside and have body ordor. At the assembly center, it is difficult to shower or bathe. In one of the barn there is just a sink with a faucet. The barns are converted into a mess hall with long tables to eat their meals.

Segment Synopsis:

Keywords: Assembly Centers; Executive Order 9066; Japanese Americans; living conditions; World War Two

Subjects:

Partial Transcript: At the assembly center, Lillian can make new friends. Her friends are mainly Buddhist. However, one of her friends converted to Catholicism, and this how Lillian becomes Catholic. Lillian discusses going to Minidoka after Puyallup. Minidoka is hot, and it is hard to get accustomed to the hot weather. She describes the barracks and the living conditions. The family owns a potbelly stove, a table to dine at, a dresser, and a shortwave radio. One of Lillian's father's friends makes a baby crib for Lillian's sister.

Segment Synopsis:

Keywords: "evacuation"; Assembly Centers; Executive Order 9066; family; interment camp; Japanese Americans

Subjects:

Partial Transcript: John's father works at a cannery and takes cruises to Alaska. Lillian meets John at Minidoka, Idaho. Lillian's friends live at Block 7, and they would hang out there. John is from Block 8 and happens to socialize in the Block 7 area as well. Another past-time Lillian and John would share is reading books in one of the church rooms.

Segment Synopsis:

Keywords: Americans of Japanese Ancestry; dating; family; friendship; interment camp; social activities

Subjects:

Partial Transcript: What Lillian dislikes the most is the weather at camp. There are four shower stalls at Minidoka, and Lillian can shower, unlike at Puyallup. Lillian finishes her senior year at Minidoka and works at an office after. Her earning is eight dollars a month. In the summertime, she works on the farm picking potatoes and sugar beets. It rains most of the time at the potato farm, and Lillian could not go outside. She ends up making a few dollars. When she works at the sugar beet farm, she makes a little bit more money.

Segment Synopsis:

Keywords: Assembly Centers; employment; farming; interment camp; Japanese Americans; living conditions; Minidoka; World War Two

Subjects:

Partial Transcript: Lillian discusses working on the sugar beet farm. At camp, Lillian says she plays flag football. The relationship between John and Lillian develops later in camp. At camp, John works on trucks that deliver food to the mess hall. John leaves camp when he and his friend Tuts Sido decide to go volunteer.

Segment Synopsis:

Keywords: dating; employment; family; farm; interment camp; Japanese Americans; Minidoka; sports; World War Two

Subjects:

Partial Transcript: Lillian says the Japanese Americans persevered in camp. There is no complaining. At Minidoka, there is a loyalty questionnaire, but she does not remember it. She learns about the loyalty questionnaire after the war.

Segment Synopsis:

Keywords: "no-no boy"; Americans of Japanese Ancestry; Executive Order 9066; interment camp

Subjects:

Partial Transcript: John leaves Minidoka in June 1943. He goes to basic training at Camp Shelby in Mississippi. Lillian and John stay in touch through correspondence.

Segment Synopsis:

Keywords: 442nd; basic training; Camp Shelby; correspondence; dating; friendship; Japanese American soldiers; Japanese Americans; Minidoka; World War Two

Subjects:

Partial Transcript: At camp, Lillian watches movies and finishes her high school education. Lillian and John's status relationship is friends at the time of his leaving Minidoka. Lillian says at the time she is too young and naive to pay attention to the news. She recalls going to the movies before the war and the newsreel. To her, the news about the war did not hit home yet. Lillian's sister Fran lives in Ohio, and she asks Lillian to come. Lillian leaves Minidoka. Lillian has another sister Ruby, who is at the University of Texas, and she is going to go to medical school in Philadelphia. Lillian moves to Philadelphia with Ruby and gets a job in September 1944. Lillian lives in Philadelphia for a year before moving back to Seattle.

Segment Synopsis:

Keywords: 442nd; education; employment; Executive Order 9066; friendship; interment camp; Japanese American soldiers; Japanese Americans; Minidoka; segregated unit; siblings; social activities; World War Two

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