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20 Views of theTanforan Assembly
Center for Persons ofJapanese Ancestry
20 Views of theTanforan Assembly
Center for Persons ofJapanese Ancestry
Photographed by Dorothea Lange
for the War Relocation Authority,
April 29 and June 16, 1942.
From the holdings of the National
Archives and Records Administration.
www.nara.gov
Photographed by Dorothea Lange
for the War Relocation Authority,
April 29 and June 16, 1942.
From the holdings of the National
Archives and Records Administration.
www.nara.gov
1999 Gladys Cox Hansen1999 Gladys Cox Hansen
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The assembly center opened April 27, 1942, atwhat is now the site of Tanforan ShoppingCenter, as a temporary holding area forinterned Japanese. It housed 8,000 prisoners.
The assembly center opened April 27, 1942, atwhat is now the site of Tanforan ShoppingCenter, as a temporary holding area forinterned Japanese. It housed 8,000 prisoners.
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Photographer: Dorothea Lange, San Bruno, California, April 29, 1942 WRAPhoto ra h C-138
The last family
off the bus from
San Francisco
have just arrivedat this assembly
center (formerly
a race track)
which will be
their home until
relocation
centers inland
have been
established and
are ready for
occupancy.
WRA Caption
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Photographer: Dorothea Lange, SanBruno, California, April 29, 1942WRA Photograph C-132
San Bruno, Calif.--
Families of Japanese
ancestry arrive at
assembly center at
Tanforan Race Track.
Evacuees will be
transferred later to
War Relocation
Authority centers
where they will behoused for the
duration.WRA Caption
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Photographer: Dorothea Lange, SanBruno, California, April 29, 1942WRA Photograph C-134
San Bruno, Calif.--
Families of Japanese
ancestry arrive at
assembly center at
Tanforan Race Track.
Evacuees will be
transferred later to
War Relocation
Authority centers
where they will behoused for the
duration.WRA Caption
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Photographer: Dorothea Lange, San Bruno, California, April 29, 1942 WRA
San Bruno, Calif.Families of Japanese ancestry arrive at assembly center atTanforan Race Track. Evacuees will be transferred later to War Relocation
Authority centers where they will be housed for the duration.WRA Caption
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Photographer: Dorothea Lange, San Bruno, California, June 16, 1942 WRAPhoto ra h C-651
This scene shows
one type of barracks
for family use. These
were formerly thestalls for race horses.
Each family is
assigned to two small
rooms, the inner one
of which has no
outside door nor
window. The center
has been in operation
about six weeks and8,000 evacuees of
Japanese ancestry are
now assembled here.WRA Caption
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Photographer: Dorothea Lange, San Bruno, California, June 16, 1942 WRAPhotograph C-618
This scene shows one type of barracks for family use. These were formerly
the stalls for race horses. Each family is assigned to two small rooms, the
inner one of which has no outside door nor window. The center has been in
operation about six weeks and 8,000 evacuees of Japanese ancestry are now
assembled here.WRA Caption
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This center is a
converted race track.
Here are shown what
were horse-stalls, now
remodeled into living
quarters for families.
Photograph was made at
noon on the third day
after the center had been
opened.WRA Caption Photographer: Dorothea Lange, San Bruno, California, April 29, 1942 WRAPhoto ra h C-323
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Photographer: Dorothea Lange, San Bruno, California, April 29, 1942 WRAPhoto ra h C-326
Barracks for family living
quarters. Each door enters into a
family unit of two small rooms
(remodeled horse-stalls).
Tanforan Center was opened two
days before this photograph was
made. The truck seen coming
down the road is bringing bed-
rolls and baggage to evacueeswho have just arrived and are
occupying these quarters.
WRA Caption
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Photographer: Dorothea Lange, San Bruno, California, April 29, 1942 WRA Photograph C-328
... The people shown in this photograph have just arrived and are occupyingthemselves with building benches, chairs, tables, and shelves, for their
belongings, from scrap lumber. Quarters are equipped with only a bed andmattress for each person.WRA Caption
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Photographer: Dorothea Lange, San Bruno, California, June 16, 1942 WRAPhoto ra h C-612
The dental clinic in one of a group of four buildings devoted to medical services. Allmedical services at this assembly center are conducted by doctors and nurses ofJapanese ancestry. After weeks of difficulty due to lack of equipment and facilities, they
are now able to care for the needs of the 8,000 persons living in this Center.WRA Caption
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Photographer: Dorothea Lange, San Bruno, California, June 16, 1942 WRAPhoto ra h C-643
View of the Tanforan Assembly Center, showing a type of barrack
peculiar to the center. Also shown is part of a line-up of evacuees
waiting for places in the mess hall for their noon meal.WRA Caption
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Looking down one of the avenues between rows of barracks. The ones on the rightare converted horse stalls, and those on the left are newly constructed and typical ofassembly centers and relocation centers throughout the West. They are 100 feetlong, covered with black tar paper, contain five 1-room apartments, each of whichaccommodate a family. The attitudes of the people in this photograph are typical of
assembly centersthere is not much to do, not enough work available. They millaround, they visit, they stroll, they linger, to while away the hours. WRA Caption
Photographer: Dorothea Lange, San Bruno, California, June 16, 1942 WRAPhotograph C-629
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Photographer: Dorothea Lange, San Bruno, California, June 16, 1942WRA Photograph C-627
Tanforan Assembly Center,
San Bruno, Calif. Entering
Recreational Hall where
election is being held for
Councilmen. A general
election for five members of
the Tanforan Assembly
Center Advisory Council is
being held on this day. TheIssei have never been able
to vote before because of
American naturalization
laws.WRA Caption
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Photographer: Dorothea Lange, San Bruno, California, June 16, 1942 WRAPhoto ra h C-641
Many of theevacuees suffer fromlack of theiraccustomedactivities. The attitude
of the man shown inthis photograph istypical of theresidents in assemblycenters, and becausethere is not much to
do and not enoughwork available, theymill around, theyvisit, they stroll andthey linger to whileaway the hours.
WRA Caption
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Photographer: Dorothea Lange, San Bruno, California, June 16, 1942 WRAPhoto ra h C-644
Noon time! Meal times are the big events of the day within an assembly center.
Shown here is a line-up of evacuees waiting for the B shift. They carry with them their
own dishes and cutlery in cloth bags to protect them from the dust which they,
themselves, individually wash after the meal. Most residents prefer this second shift
because they sometimes get second helpings, but the groups are rotated each week.
There are eighteen mess halls in the center. Some accommodate as many as 800
people, three times a day. All food is prepared and served by evacuees.. WRA Caption
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Photographer: Dorothea Lange, San Bruno, California, June 16, 1942 WRAPhoto ra h C-652
One of the 18 mess halls plastered with all manner of locally devised posters
advertising the qualifications of the various candidates for office in the
forthcoming election. Three candidates have been nominated in each of the
five precincts from which one from each precinct will be elected a member of
the Advisory Council.WRA Caption
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Photographer: Dorothea Lange, San Bruno, California, June 16, 1942 WRAPhoto ra h C-655
Supper time! Meal times are the big events of the day within an assembly
center. This is a line-up of evacuees waiting for the B shift at 5:45 P.M. They
carry with them their own dishes and cutlery in bags to protect them from the
dust. They, themselves, individually wash their own dishes after each meal,since dish washing facilities in the mess halls prove inadequate. Most of the
residents prefer this second shift because they sometimes get second
helpings, but the groups are rotated each week. There are eighteen mess halls
in camp which, together, accommodate 8,000 persons three times each day. All
food is prepared and served by evacuees.WRA Caption
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Photographer: Dorothea Lange, San Bruno, California, June 16, 1942 WRAPhoto ra h C-600
Father and son
while away the
hours carving
small wooden
animals for the
children in front
of their home in
the barracks.
They have been
living at the
Assembly
Center for
approximately
one month.
WRA Caption
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Prepared byPrepared by
the Museum of the City of San Franciscothe Museum of the City of San Francisco
1999 Gladys Cox Hansen1999 Gladys Cox Hansen