Partial Transcript: Taira Fukushima was born on February 8, 1926, in Los Angeles, CA. Taira describes how he gets his name and how his name is confused as a female name.

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Keywords: Japanese Americans; Nisei

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Partial Transcript: Taira's father is Buntaro Fukushima, and he was born on August 2, 1881. Taira's father comes from a farming community in Japan. He is approximately five feet tall and an active man. Taira recalls a photo of his father on evacuation day is with the Smithsonian.

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Keywords: "evacuation"; forced removal; Issei; photographs; World War Two

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Partial Transcript: Taira's father is of average weight for Japanese ancestry. Taira's father is always thinking of the family but is worrisome. Taira recalls getting his father's Visa to travel to Japan to visit relatives. Taira's father does not have his passport. Therefore, Taira inquires with his father's employer, Union Pacific, for records of employment. Taira's father feels worried that Taira wants to kick him out of the house or does not want him to go to Japan. Taira explains the perception of someone who lives an active lifestyle is different.

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Keywords: family; Issei; Japanese Americans; travel

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Partial Transcript: When Taira goes into the Army, his father treats him like a child. After the Army, Taira's father treats him like an adult. Taira recalls a story about fertilizer and the dynamic of their relationship. Growing up, Taira's father is always working because he has two jobs. In the summertime, the weather is hot in Los Angeles. As the youngest child, his siblings would make Taira ask their father for ice cream. They would get a quart of ice cream for the summer. Taira wonders why his mother doesn't likes ice cream. However, later in life, he discovers she loves ice cream. Parents will sacrifice anything for their children. Taira's father is a janitor, and the family does not have a car. Taira's father works hard and is honest.

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Keywords: employment; family; Issei; Nisei; World War Two

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Partial Transcript: Taira's father is a hard-working man and is honest. However, Taira's father has his flaws. In Utah, you need a license to buy alcohol. Taira's father did not have a license. Therefore Taira would buy the alcohol for him. When Taira's mother passed away in 1953, Taira's father stopped drinking. In Japanese customs, the oldest son cares for the parents. Taira's parents come to live with him when his father loses his job at Seabrooks Farm. Taira's father works at Regency Theater and Playhouse. Previously he worked for Union Pacific Railroad.

Segment Synopsis:

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

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Partial Transcript: Taira works for the State, and a professional colleague is the daughter of Mr. Yagi "Jumbo," a gang boss of the railroads. Taira's father previously worked for Union Pacific Railroads. Taira's mother is Maru Tateyama Fukushima and is a picture bride from Japan. Taira's mother has a scar on her leg from a dog bite. Taira's mother is approximately four feet ten inches tall and does not speak English. She communicates to nonJapanese speaking people through hand gestures and body language.

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Keywords: employment; Issei; Japanese Americans; Nisei

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Partial Transcript: Taira and his family in Los Angeles, CA, in the uptown district (now knows as Koreatown). There is a large base of Japanese speaking people in the neighborhood and easy for Taira's mother to communicate. Taira's mother is someone you would like as a mother. She is not demanding, comforting and encouraging. Taira's mother is a housewife and cooks the family meals. Taira remembers his mother not liking ice cream but in fact she does. In her later life, Taira gives her plenty of ice cream. Taira recalls going up poor and the family living paycheck to paycheck. Taira’s mother has to budget the family’s finances.

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Keywords: Issei; Japanese Americans; Nisei

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Partial Transcript: Taira's father rides the streetcar (bus) to work. He has a pass that costs one dollar, and you can go unlimited rides per day. Taira remembers the neighbors borrowing his father's streetcar pass and losing it. Growing up, the Fukushima family is Buddhist. At Japanese language school, the Buddhist Priest would teach the classes. If you are Christian, you attend the St. Mary's Church. If you are a Boy Scout, then you go to St. Mary's. However, you cannot be in Boy Scouts if you are Buddhist.

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Keywords: Buddhism; childhood activities; education; employment; Issei; Japanese Americans; Japanese language school; youth organizations

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Partial Transcript: Taira describes the Japanese language school. Inside the building are movable partitions. Sometimes the space is used for shows or Japanese movie screenings with a narrator. Taira says these are the social activities that parents and children enjoy. Also at the school is a donor wall with names of those who donated to the Japanese language school. For school days, Taira's mother would pack the kids sandwiches and fruit for lunch.

Segment Synopsis:

Keywords: childhood activities; community organizations; Issei; Issei parents; Japanese Americans; Japanese identity and values; Japanese language school; Nisei; social activities

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Partial Transcript: Taira's mother cooks Japanese food for the family. She makes rice, okazu, and tsukemono. Taira's favorite dishes are leftover rice with pickles. Taira does not like steak dishes too much. However, steak dishes for special occasions (birthdays or getting a newspaper route). Taira recalls his birthday in February, and he always gets green apples whereas, his siblings would get watermelon or other fruits.

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

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Partial Transcript: Taira's oldest sister is Fumiko. Taira says she is the smartest of the siblings. However, she does not go to college because of evacuation orders. Post-war, Fumiko marries her boyfriend from camp and is a housewife. Taira's oldest brother is Jim, and he is working when the war starts. Jim helps build Manzanar. Taira and Jim are drafted and join Army at the same time. Taira goes to Camp Hood, and Jim goes to Camp Blanding. Both Taira and Jim join the 442nd and are in the same medics. Taira discusses how he is passed over as a litter carrier and becomes a medical aid with no training. Taira's other oldest brother is Tadashi and is a student.

Segment Synopsis:

Keywords: "evacuation"; 442nd; basic training; Camp Blanding; Camp Hood; education; employment; family; forced removal; Japanese Americans; Manzanar; Nisei; post-war; World War Two

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Partial Transcript: Taira's brother Tadashi has an injury and does not go to the Army. Tadashi takes care of the family and takes them to Seabrook Farms. In Salt Lake City, UT, Tasashi works at the fruit market delivering the fruits. Growing up, Taira's good friend is his neighbor who is Eddie Harvey. In the neighborhood, the Harvey family builds a two-story home, and the children have cars. Taira discusses how the terminology to describe ethnicity changes over the years.

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Keywords: "colored"; family; farming; Japanese Americans; Nisei; siblings

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Partial Transcript: Taira loses contact with Eddie during the war. However, Taira remains in communication with his mother because she corresponds often. Taira learns Eddie is married with children. Taira recalls a childhood memory of playing outside singing a nursery rhyme, and Mrs. Harvey suggests replacing a word of the nursery rhyme. As children, you are not born prejudiced.

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Keywords: childhood activities; Japanese Americans; Nisei; World War Two

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Partial Transcript: In the neighborhood, Taira plays with other Japanese Americans. His closest friend Susumu Kitani and his family run a Chop Suey restaurant. In the 1930s, Susumu's father passes, and his mother takes the ashes with Susumu and his brother to Japan. Susumu and his family return to the United States before the war. Even today, Taira and Susumu are good friends. Susumu also serves during World War Two but as an interpreter for the Military Intelligence Service (MIS). Taira recalls in the 1950s law in Salt Lake City, UT, about restricted covenance and housing.

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Keywords: childhood activities; discrimination; friendship; Japanese Americans; Military Intelligence Service; Nisei; World War Two

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Partial Transcript: On Taira's neighborhood street, the Harvey family seems to be well off financially. Also in the neighborhood, there is the Flemming family, are some Japanese American families, a Jewish family, and a Hispanic family down the street. Taira shares a story about the last name Swanson. Taira goes to Hobart Boulevard School and discusses his favorite teachers. Although Taira had his favorite teachers, there were some he did not enjoy.

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Keywords: Japanese Americans; Nisei

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Partial Transcript: Taira goes to Hobart Boulevard School and discusses his favorite teachers. Taira recalls there is a ridged teacher who also coaches the softball team. Taira likes teachers who encourage the students. After Hobart Boulevard School, Taira goes to Berendo Junior High School.

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Keywords: education; Japanese Americans; Nisei; primary school

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Partial Transcript: Taira attends Berendo Junior High School and says the location is good. Later Taira goes to John H. Francis Polytechnic High School. He discusses how the school relocates. The high school is a far commute. He remembers also rushing after school to go to Japanese language school. There is no time for other activities.

Segment Synopsis:

Keywords: education; Japanese Americans; Japanese language school; Manzanar; Nisei

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Partial Transcript: Taira goes to John H. Francis Polytechnic High School due to the boundaries. The boundaries created limitations on the Japanese Americans. Taira does not have time for sports because of the far commute and attends Japanese language school after school. Taira likes the LA Angels and the Seattle Rainers. Taira attends high school until 10th grade when the war starts.

Segment Synopsis:

Keywords: Japanese Americans; Japanese language school; Nisei; redlining; segregation; sports

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