BIJAC History - Exclusion and Internment

The bombing of Pearl Harbor was a devastating tragedy for our country. Suddenly we were at war and lives would be changed forever. The following pages illustrate how these events affected the small Japanese American community living on Bainbridge Island in 1941. This collection of photographs and first hand accounts from our oral history collection demonstrates the tragedies of war and the triumphs of the human spirit. Please explore the following pages to learn more about the day–to–day lives of the people of all ages and backgrounds that made up the Bainbridge Island Nikkei community and their friends during this time.

• PearlHarbor/US Enters War
• FBI Inspections and Roundups
• Exclusion Order No. 1 and Preparing to Leave
• Evacuation
• Manzanar and Minidoka
• Leaving Camps During the War
• End of War

Photo Information:
Soldiers and Three Nisei Men on Evacuation Day — Because of the Nisei's ability to speak English, the responsibility of communicating with the army fell mostly on this second generation, despite their youth. Copyright: Museum of History and Industry, Seattle Post–Intelligencer Collection