Partial Transcript: Ko Stanley Sameshima is born December 6, 1921, in Long Beach, CA. He shares how he gets the middle name Stanley.

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Keywords: childhood activities; children; family; friendship; Japanese Americans

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Partial Transcript: Ko's Issei parents are from Kagoshima Prefecture in Japan. His father is Seiji Sameshima, and his mother is Iku (Chuma) Sameshima. Ko's father immigrates to the United States at seventeen years old with dreams of a better future. Ko's father later returns to Japan to get married. Ko's mother is a picture bride.

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Keywords: family; Issei; Issei parents; picture brides; wedding

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Partial Transcript: Ko's father and uncle Masae arrive in Vancouver, Washington. For work, Ko's father is a houseboy. Ko says his father's highest education is to the sixth grade, possibly the eighth grade. In Japan, this is called Shogakko. Later Ko's father and Uncle move to San Francisco, CA, in 1906, when the big earthquake happens.

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Keywords: education; employment; Issei; Issei parents; travel

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Partial Transcript: Ko's father and Uncle move to Upland, CA. The other family members who settle in Vancouver, Canada, also move to nearby cities near Upland. Ko's father thinks highly of his younger brother Masae. Masae is passionate about the immigrant cause and active in the missionary work. Unfortunately, Masae passes away at a young age.

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Keywords: family; Issei; siblings

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Partial Transcript: Ko discusses his father's employment in Upland, CA, and his experience of discrimination. Between 1915-1920, Ko's father goes back to Japan to get married. He returns backs to the United States with his wife and settles in Long Beach, CA.

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Keywords: discrimination; employment; Issei; Issei parents; race discrimination; wedding

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Partial Transcript: Ko recalls his childhood in Los Angeles, CA. His grandparents own a Mom and Pop market selling produce from Issei farmers. Ko's home life is minimalistic and his parent works hard to provide for the family. In 1923, Ko's sister is born, and in 1925, his brother his born. Ko's father's market goes into bankruptcy after being cheated by an employee he hires. As a result, the family moves to North Hollywood. In North Hollywood, Ko's father works in produce at a grocery store.

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Keywords: childhood activities; employment; farm; farming; Issei; Issei parents; living conditions; Nisei; siblings

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Partial Transcript: Ko recalls his parents constantly working hard. Ko's father finds a new job working at Safeway in their produce department after poor treatment at his former job.

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Keywords: childhood activities; Issei; Issei parents; Nisei; siblings

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Partial Transcript: Ko describes his family's produce market on Melrose and Western. He says the area is already well developed. His parent's produce market is near a popular drug store and other businesses. Ko's childhood home is located behind the family's produce market. Being the oldest child, he would care for his siblings because his parents are always working hard.

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Keywords: discrimination; employment; Issei; Issei parents; Japanese Americans; living conditions; Nisei; race discrimination; racism; siblings

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Partial Transcript: Ko describes his childhood home. He does not remember the kitchen area, but he recalls the old fashion icebox. Ko shares a story about a coke bottle and the pharmacist stitching up his wound. Ko also shares a story about his sister being injured by a rolling fence. Besides offering produce products at the market, Ko's father gradually adds other inventory such as cookies. Ko remembers going to the market to get a cookie, and getting a bee sting on the lip.

Segment Synopsis:

Keywords: children; Issei; Issei parents; Japanese Americans; living conditions; Nisei

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Partial Transcript: Ko's father is the disciplinarian in the household. However, his father never physically punish them. Just one stare is enough to set the children straight. Ko recalls taking candy at Safeway market and how his father resolves the issue.

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Keywords: Issei; Issei parents; Japanese Americans; Nisei; siblings

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Partial Transcript: Ko's father is proud of his heritage and respects Saigo Takamori. Saigo Takamori is a famous and influential idol in the Kagoshima Prefecture in Japan. Ko shares the same type of respect his father has for Saigo Takamori. At a young age, Ko's father is physically firm and husky. His physical attribute can easy mistaken him as a bully. Ko can see the same physical attribute in his son Steve. Coming to the United States as an Issei, Ko's father is mentally strong and can handle any situation.

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Keywords: Issei; Issei parents; Japanese Americans; Japanese identity and values; Nisei; Sansei

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Partial Transcript: Ko's father is confident in his physical capabilities. Later in life, Ko's father enjoys cigars and drinking. During the Great Depression, bootleggers would sell poor-quality sake. After a long hard day of work, Issei would get together and drink socially. Eventually, this caused health issues for Ko's father. Ko's father's personality is straightforward and honest. Ko says his father is too trusting which caused him to be embezzled by Eddie (the Italian restaurant owner at Safeway).

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Keywords: Issei; Issei parents; Japanese Americans

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Partial Transcript: Ko says he has a closer relationship with his mother than his father. Ko discusses his mother's education during her formative years. After completing her education, Ko's mother becomes a school teacher in Japan. Although Ko's mother did not speak English, she educates her children just like a school teacher. Ko's mother is a petite, but strong Issei woman. Ironically, Ko's mother is allergic to peach fuzz, but she helps with the fresh produce at the market. Ko's mother works hard to provide for the family while caring for three children.

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Keywords: children; education; family; Issei; Issei parents; Nisei

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Partial Transcript: Ko discusses despite being fragile physically, his mother is the strength of the family. Ko's mother has a way of making everyone feel special, especially customers. Ko recalls during the Great Depression, his mother is the anchor of the family. Moreover, with her efforts, the whole family can travel to Japan to visit relatives during financial difficulties.

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Keywords: children; family; Issei; Issei parents; Japanese Americans

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Partial Transcript: Ko recalls a time when he is in fifth grade at Roscoe Elementry School. He is one of the few Nisei students at the school and who excelled in his studies. Every day after school, his mother would inquire about his day and would be proud that her son is a good student. Ko also recalls reading books with his mother. Ko's mother is proud of all her children and cared about their educations. Ko says that their family saved enough money to buy a standard piano for Chiko (Ko's younger sister) to take piano lessons. Although his parents did not speak English, they have a reputation of being hardworking Issei with studios children.

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Keywords: Issei; Issei parents; Japanese Americans; Nisei; primary school

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Partial Transcript: During the Great Depression, the Sameshima family travels to Japan. Mr. and Mrs. Sameshima are very proud of their children and sends them to Japanese school for approximately two months. Ko recalls participating in a school program with his siblings. Ko plays the harmonica, Chiko tap dances, and Akira would sing a song. After their performance, Ko recalls the aftermath.

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Keywords: childhood activities; family; Issei; Issei parents; Japanese Americans; Japanese identity and values; Nisei; travel

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Partial Transcript: Ko explains what Kagoshima-ben is. Kagoshima-ben is a dialect from Kagoshima. Each prefecture in Japan has its specific dialect. After finishing school in Roscoe, the Sameshima family is in Japan for six months. Ko says he lost almost a year of schooling in America. Ko also discusses his father's produce business with the movie studios.

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Keywords: childhood activities; education; Issei; Issei parents; Japanese identity and values; Nisei; rural communities

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Partial Transcript: Ko recalls the Olympics in 1932 and traveling with his family to Japan in the winter of 1932. He says the reason why the family could travel to Japan is that the business in Lankershim did very well. After Japan in 1933, the Sameshima family temporarily lives with their relatives in Little Tokyo (in Downtown Los Angeles, CA). When Ko's father finds a new job servicing wholesale produce, the family settles in Southwest Los Angeles (now called South Central Los Angeles).

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Keywords: Camp Livingston; employment; family; Issei; Issei parents; Japanese Americans; Nisei

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Partial Transcript: Ko discusses his father starting over in the produce business. The new location is on Santa Monica (now Martin Luther King Boulevard) and Van Ness in the Crenshaw district. The demographic of the Crenshaw district is primarily Caucasians. According to Ko, the business is a success until the war. Due to the residential policy at this period, families other than Caucasians could not live south of Exposition Boulevard, only north of Exposition Boulevard. However, business operations are permitted.

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Keywords: discrimination; employment; family; Issei; Issei parents; Nisei; race discrimination; redlining

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Partial Transcript: Ko describes his childhood home as having the bare essentials. His mother did not have time to decorate the home because she is working all the time. At the Roscoe home and the Los Angeles home, there is no Japanese motif that Ko can remember. He recalls the Roscoe having wood floors and a piano. The Los Angeles home, has hardwood floors, piano, and photos of relatives.

Segment Synopsis:

Keywords: employment; Issei; Issei parents; Japanese Americans; living conditions; Nisei

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