Nakamura, Tom (3/16/2021)

Nakamura, Tom (3/16/2021)

Japanese Americans--Evacuation and relocation, 1942-1949

Tom Kazumi Nakamura was born in Marysville, California in 1928. Growing up on a peach farm, Tom attended a small school in rural northern California along with his siblings. At the age of 14, Tom and his family were forced to sell their possessions and take only what they could carry as they were sent to “camp” by the US Government, via Executive Order 9066. After being taken to the Merced assembly center, Tom and his family were incarcerated in Amache. After the war, Tom enlisted in the Navy, training in naval photography. This translated to his work later on, as after discharge he moved back to California, and planned to make his way to New York to attend photography school paid by the GI bill, taking small jobs along the way. Instead, he met an old friend from camp in Chicago, William Yamamoto, and the two of them took LaSalle Photo, a small photo developing shop, and grew it into a company that at its peak employed hundreds of nisei and other individuals in the Chicagoland area. Tom shares memories of meeting his wife, Patsy, and their first date, as well as stories of his family, and his relationship with religion. One of his grandchildren, Cori Lin, joins him in this interview.

2021-03-16

video

Lincoln, Emma Saito

Nakamura, Tom Kazumi

Oral History Interview: Lin, Cori Nakamura (5/19/2021)

Oral History Interview: Lin, Cori Nakamura (12/15/2022)

Nisei

Amache

Navy

LaSalle Photo

Yuba City

Chicago Resettlers Committee

Moody Bible Church

5700