This text has been partially translated from French using Lingotek
What story is behind this picture of Japanese workers?
If there is one thing that clothing enthusiasts immediately notice, it is the style of these gents. Nonchalance, workwear, chambray shirts, ribbed t-shirt, high-waisted trousers, western belt… a beautiful panoply combining American heritage clothing and Japanese elegance!
Then if you want to go further, you wonder where this amazing photograph comes from. In short? It is a group of Japanese Americans working for a farm during the incarceration of the Japanese population in the United States (early 40s).
The context
December 7, 1941, Japan attacks the Pearl Harbor base.
On February 19, 1942, President Roosevelt authorized the forced removal and incarceration of 120,000 Japanese Americans. Denied their civil liberties, they were held in camps operated by the War Relocation Authority.
June 1942, the first farm labour camps were created in Oregon and Idaho, to help American farmers cultivate their fields. 33,000 seasonal workers were recruited from this population, with many working in the sugar beet industry.
Uprooted, Japanese American farm labour camps during WWII
On the website of the exhibition Uprooted, we find some of this documentary photography work done by Russell Lee. This photograph is from one of these labour camps and was taken in 1942 by Russell Lee, a photographer for the Farm Security Administration, the Department of Agriculture’s agency responsible for helping the poorest farmers affected by the Great Depression.
A few shots below. The full gallery is available here.
This website uses cookies to improve your experience. Here, you can modify your cookies settings. Cookie settingsACCEPT
Privacy & Cookies Policy
Privacy Overview
This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Out of these cookies, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. But opting out of some of these cookies may have an effect on your browsing experience.
Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. This category only includes cookies that ensures basic functionalities and security features of the website. These cookies do not store any personal information.
Any cookies that may not be particularly necessary for the website to function and is used specifically to collect user personal data via analytics, ads, other embedded contents are termed as non-necessary cookies. It is mandatory to procure user consent prior to running these cookies on your website.
The story behind this photograph depicting Japanese workers
What story is behind this picture of Japanese workers?
If there is one thing that clothing enthusiasts immediately notice, it is the style of these gents. Nonchalance, workwear, chambray shirts, ribbed t-shirt, high-waisted trousers, western belt… a beautiful panoply combining American heritage clothing and Japanese elegance!
Then if you want to go further, you wonder where this amazing photograph comes from. In short? It is a group of Japanese Americans working for a farm during the incarceration of the Japanese population in the United States (early 40s).
The context
December 7, 1941, Japan attacks the Pearl Harbor base.
On February 19, 1942, President Roosevelt authorized the forced removal and incarceration of 120,000 Japanese Americans. Denied their civil liberties, they were held in camps operated by the War Relocation Authority.
June 1942, the first farm labour camps were created in Oregon and Idaho, to help American farmers cultivate their fields. 33,000 seasonal workers were recruited from this population, with many working in the sugar beet industry.
Uprooted, Japanese American farm labour camps during WWII
On the website of the exhibition Uprooted, we find some of this documentary photography work done by Russell Lee. This photograph is from one of these labour camps and was taken in 1942 by Russell Lee, a photographer for the Farm Security Administration, the Department of Agriculture’s agency responsible for helping the poorest farmers affected by the Great Depression.
A few shots below. The full gallery is available here.