Japanese Americans endured many changes and indignities. However, a great number attempted to make the best of a bad situation. The War Relocation Authority [WRA], the civilian agency that administered the camp, formed an advisory council of internee-elected block managers. Internees with the support of the WRA established churches, temples, and boys and girls clubs. They developed sports, music, dance, and other recreational programs. They built gardens and ponds and published a newspaper, the Manzanar Free Press.
Most adults worked, maintaining and operating the camp. Children and many adults attended school. The barracks had no cooking facilities. That meant that internees had to line up three times a day, in any kind of weather, to eat at their block mess hall.
As the war turned in America’s favor, restrictions were lifted, and Japanese Americans were allowed to leave the camps. Church groups, service organizations, and some camp administrators helped find sponsors and jobs in the Midwest and the East.
A total of 11,070 Japanese Americans came through Manzanar. From a peak of 10,046 in September 1942, the population dwindled to 6,000 by 1944. The last few hundred internees left in November 1945, three months after the war ended. Many of them had spent three-and-a-half years at Manzanar, some had no home to return to.
Clothing and Footware
Peacoat [a href="exb/Camp/DailyLife/MANZ3085_coat.html" target="_blank"]Click here for full Caption...[/a] Woman's Jacket [a href="exb/Camp/DailyLife/MANZ5190_jacket.html" target="_blank"]
Click here for full Caption...[/a] Baby's Suit [a href="exb/Camp/DailyLife/MANZ5194_babysuit.html" target="_blank"]
Click here for full Caption...[/a] Slippers [Zori] [a href="exb/Camp/DailyLife/MANZ4122_slippers.html" target="_blank"]
Click here for full Caption...[/a] Child's Boots [a href="exb/Camp/DailyLife/MANZ4123_babyShoes.html" target="_blank"]
Click here for full Caption...[/a] Sandals [Geta] [a href="exb/Camp/DailyLife/MANZ4124_sandals.html" target="_blank"]
Click here for full Caption...[/a] Sandals [geta] [a href="exb/Camp/DailyLife/MANZ5209_shoes.html" target="_blank"]
Click here for full Caption...[/a] Zori [slippers] [a href="exb/Camp/DailyLife/MANZ7579_shoes.html" target="_blank"]
Click here for full Caption...[/a] Razor [a href="exb/Camp/DailyLife/MANZ473_razor.html" target="_blank"]
Click here for full Caption...[/a]
Furniture
Bookcase [a href="exb/Camp/DailyLife/MANZ3296_bookcase.html" target="_blank"]Click here for full Caption...[/a] Chest of Drawers [a href="exb/Camp/DailyLife/MANZ3323_chestofDraweres.html" target="_blank"]
Click here for full Caption...[/a]
Personal Belongings
Trunk [a href="exb/Camp/DailyLife/MANZ3298_trunk.html" target="_blank"]Click here for full Caption...[/a] Plaque [a href="exb/Camp/DailyLife/MANZ5173_MANZ5174_Bag_plaque.html" target="_blank"]
Click here for full Caption...[/a] Plaque [a href="exb/Camp/DailyLife/MANZ5175_plaque.html" target="_blank"]
Click here for full Caption...[/a] Family Identification Sign [a href="exb/Camp/DailyLife/MANZ7577_7576_namePlate.html" target="_blank"]
Click here for full Caption...[/a] Baby Blanket [a href="exb/Camp/DailyLife/MANZ5195_babyBlanket.html" target="_blank"]
Click here for full Caption...[/a] Can Opener [a href="exb/Camp/DailyLife/MANZ491_canOpener.html" target="_blank"]
Click here for full Caption...[/a] Duffle Bag [a href="exb/Camp/DailyLife/MANZ2604_duffleBag.html" target="_blank"]
Click here for full Caption...[/a] Pouch [a href="exb/Camp/DailyLife/MANZ5173_MANZ5174_Bag_plaque.html" target="_blank"]
Click here for full Caption...[/a]
Glassware
Bowl [a href="exb/Camp/DailyLife/MANZ2256_bowl.html" target="_blank"]Click here for full Caption...[/a] Sauceboat [a href="exb/Camp/DailyLife/MANZ3291_3293_gravyBowl_bowl.html" target="_blank"]
Click here for full Caption...[/a] Vase [a href="exb/Camp/DailyLife/MANZ2255_vase.html" target="_blank"]
Click here for full Caption...[/a] Bottle [a href="exb/Camp/DailyLife/MANZ2259_bottle.html" target="_blank"]
Click here for full Caption...[/a]
Toys
Toy Gun [a href="exb/Camp/DailyLife/MANZ5503_toyGun.html" target="_blank"]Click here for full Caption...[/a] Toy Cannon [a href="exb/Camp/DailyLife/MANZ7508_bigTank.html" target="_blank"]
Click here for full Caption...[/a] Dog Figurine [a href="exb/Camp/DailyLife/MANZ4224_figurine.html" target="_blank"]
Click here for full Caption...[/a]
Photography
Camera [replica] [a href="exb/Camp/DailyLife/MANZ3331_camera.html" target="_blank"]Click here for full Caption...[/a] Toyo Miyatake [a href="exb/Camp/DailyLife/MANZ3331_camera.html" target="_blank"]
Click here for full Caption...[/a] Toyo Miyatake and Family [a href="exb/Camp/DailyLife/Adams_LC_A351_3_M_36_Miyatake_family.html" target="_blank"]
Click here for full Caption...[/a] Born Free and Equal [a href="exb/Camp/work/MANZ_Acc_55_LibraryCollectionPG2_3.html" target="_blank"]
Click here for full Caption...[/a]
Roy Takeno (Editor) and Group Reading Manzanar Paper [i.e. Los Angeles Times] in front of office, Yuichi Hirata, Nabuo Samamura [a href="exb/Camp/DailyLife/Adams_LC_00006u_FreePress.html" target="_blank"]
Click here for full Caption...[/a] Mr. & Mrs. Dennis Shimizu [a href="exb/Camp/DailyLife/Adams_LC_00233u_Shimizu.html" target="_blank"]
Click here for full Caption...[/a] Mr. & Mrs. Dennis Shimizu [a href="exb/Camp/DailyLife/Adams_LC_A35_4_M_60_Shimizu.html" target="_blank"]
Click here for full Caption...[/a] Hidemi Tayenaka[a href="exb/Camp/DailyLife/Adams_LC_00397u_Tayenaka_Hidemi.html" target="_blank"]
Click here for full Caption...[/a] Playing Bridge [a href="exb/Camp/DailyLife/WRA_No_B_179_Lucy_Yonemitshu.html" target="_blank"]
Click here for full Caption...[/a] Mrs. Naguchi and Two Children [a href="exb/Camp/DailyLife/LC_A351_3_M_22_Mrs_Naguchi.html" target="_blank"]
Click here for full Caption...[/a] Co-op Receipts [a href="exb/Camp/DailyLife/LC_00767u1_YonemitsuFamily.html" target="_blank"]
Click here for full Caption...[/a] Catholic Church [a href="exb/Camp/DailyLife/Adams_LC_A351_3_M_1_Catholic_Church.html" target="_blank"]
Click here for full Caption...[/a] Bert K. Miura, Pattern Making [a href="exb/Camp/DailyLife/Adams_LC_00366u_Patternmaker.html" target="_blank"]
Click here for full Caption...[/a] Hospital, Manzanar Relocation Center [a href="exb/Camp/DailyLife/NARA538139_hospital.html" target="_blank"]
Click here for full Caption...[/a]
Documents
Manzanar Free Press Japanese Pictorial Edition [a href="exb/Camp/DailyLife/scans/MANZ_MFP_pictorial_japanese_cover.html" target="_blank"]Click here for full Caption...[/a] Transfer Slip [a href="exb/Camp/DailyLife/scans/MANZ005_03_003_02_TransferSlip.html" target="_blank"]
Click here for full Caption...[/a] Train Ticket [a href="exb/Camp/DailyLife/scans/MANZ0055_03_002_03_TrainTicket.html" target="_blank"]
Click here for full Caption...[/a] Relocation Papers [a href="exb/Camp/DailyLife/scans/MANZ_0055_03_002_02_RelocationPapers.html" target="_blank"]
Click here for full Caption...[/a] Ticket Purchase Memorandum [a href="exb/Camp/DailyLife/scans/MANZ_0055_03_002_04_Memorandum.html" target="_blank"]
Click here for full Caption...[/a] Co-op Receipts [a href="exb/Camp/DailyLife/scans/MANZ_0177_01_004_Receipts.html" target="_blank"]
Click here for full Caption...[/a] Letter [a href="exb/Camp/DailyLife/scans/MANZ_Acc122_LetterPG1.html" target="_blank"]
Click here for full Caption...[/a] Permit to Live Anywhere in the U.S. Notice [a href="exb/Camp/DailyLife/scans/WRA_MANZ_0055_03_002_01_117.html" target="_blank"]
Click here for full Caption...[/a] Report [a href="exb/Camp/DailyLife/MANZ_0055_03_003_03_Report.html" target="_blank"]
Click here for full Caption...[/a]