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Description
In this letter, Masaru Teshiba writes to Virginia Lowers, his former English teacher from 1942. He describes his experience of being incarcerated first at the Manzanar incarceration camp and then to Tule Lake. The decision to move to Tule Lake was motivated, according to Teshiba, to reunite with his father who had already been brought to Tule Lake. He notes in this letter that the "majority [of people] it seemed were loyal to Japan." He then describes briefly how he became involved in an organization of pro-Japanese young men which eventually lead to him renouncing his American citizenship. Teshiba then explains that his purpose for writing to his former teacher is to request a character reference from her, as his lawyer explained, such a recommendation from a "Caucasian person" would be beneficial in making the case that he should be able to remain in the United States as a citizen. Also included is a short note to the censor requesting that this letter be mailed although it is perhaps too long. Gerth Archives Japanese American History Collection contains books, pamphlets, flyers, photographs, booklets, correspondence, periodicals, and oversized material related to Japanese Americans. Subjects in the collection include incarceration camps, Southbay local history, World War II propaganda, Japanese American families, incarceration camp pilgrimages, and other topics.
World War II--Mass removal ('Evacuation') World War II--Resistance and dissidence--Segregation and Tule Lake World War II--Incarceration camps World War II--Resistance and dissidence--Expatriation/repatriation/deportation World War II--Incarceration camps--Incarcerees Identity and values--Family Identity and values--Men
Place
Bismark, North Dakota Incarceration Camps--Manzanar Incarceration Camps--Tule Lake Department of Justice Internment Camps--Fort Lincoln (Bismarck)
Source
CSU Dominguez Hills Department of Archives and Special Collections;
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