Densho

On Monday September 7, 1942, incarcerees in Tule Lake held an elaborate Labor Day celebration, including a parade, fashion show, art exhibits and a Labor Day queen contest. A series of photos capturing the day throughout the camp were taken by War Relocation Authority photographer, Francis Stewart. Though celebrations were held in other camps throughout the years, Tule Lake’s 1942 event appears to be one of the only photographed and documented Labor Days in camp. In an entry in his journal, “Social Changes and Chronology of Events: The First Six Months in Tule Lake,” Tamotsu Shibutani details the day:

"The celebration of Labor Day helped to alleviate the dark days. The festivities began on Sunday, September 6, with a sumo tournament. On Monday, the day began with a parade, followed by a Flag dedication ceremony. In the afternoon there was open house and baseball games. At night, there were talent shows and dances. As usual, the parade began late. At 9:30 the first group began. By that time crowds lined the streets that it was to pass, mostly Nisei or old Issei carrying or watching small children. It was led by the wardens, then came the American Legion veterans and the boy scouts; then came the majorettes prancing and the band, the girls reserves, the nursery school kiddies and the floats came last. Among the floats were the beautifully decorated farm float (which lifted the pride of the farm workers) and numerous comic floats, including the entry of the International Nuthouse Gang with the "Queen of 1960" - a 200 pounder. The flag-dedication ceremony was held at the reviewing stand. Several dignitaries gave speeches; patriotic songs were sung; and the flag was presented to an Issei who was a World War veteran. Many stood at attention as the flag was raised and as the "Star Spangled Banner" was sung. It was interesting to note, however, that many people began to walk away as Mr. Shirrell [Tule Lake camp director] got up to speak."

Tamotsu Shibutani journal entry courtesy of The Bancroft Library.

If you are an educator or curriculum developer, we invite you to be one of the first to see Densho’s new Education Framework: Ten Guidelines for Teaching about Japanese American Wartime Incarceration on Wednesday September 8th from 4:00 – 5:00 pm PT. Hear how our Education team developed the ten essential guidelines for teaching Japanese American wartime incarceration in classrooms, and why the framework serves to fill a gap in historical context that is often not addressed.

Education and Public Programs Manager Courtney Wai shares why these guidelines are a critical part of K-12 education. “For me, the guidelines are really about the why. Why did the incarceration happen? How did Japanese Americans survive and resist? And why does this history matter for how young people understand the world they live in today?”

Participants will leave with practical ideas for integrating the guidelines into existing curricula and teaching a fuller, more accurate history. There will be an opportunity to ask questions in a live Q&A at the end of the webinar.

If you are a teacher, school or district staff, museum educator, curriculum developer, or even a community member interested in Densho’s education work, don’t miss this opportunity to learn about Densho’s exciting update that can greatly support classrooms and curriculum!

🗓️Tuesday, September 8, 2026 from 4:00 – 5:00 pm PT
📍Virtual event
🔗Learn more and register with this link: https://us06web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_WGpisJT0RMKvhYmKX9NoMw #/registration

Urgent call to action! Help the Save Our National Archives - SONA petition get to 10,000 signatures! SONA needs your support before the petition is sent in a letter to the acting Head Archivist tomorrow. If you have already signed, thank you, and please consider sharing!

With your support, our lawmakers will have more evidence of community opposition to the closure of these critical, history-preserving facilities.

Sign the Petition Stop the Closure of the National Archives in Chicago and San Francisco!

Join us on September 26 for the 30th Gala

Densho unequivocally condemns recent statements made on the podcast, Timcast IRL, suggesting that Chinese Americans should be incarcerated in the event of a war between China and the U.S.

History shows us that mass injustice begins with language that casts an entire community as dangerous, makes collective suspicion appear reasonable, and gradually moves previously unthinkable actions into public debate and policy.

Read our response on Catalyst.

Densho responds to racist logic of incarcerating Chinese Americans - Densho: Japanese American Incarceration and Japanese Internment Densho unequivocally condemns recent statements made on the podcast Timcast IRL suggesting that Chinese Americans should be incarcerated in the event of a war between China and the U.S. On...

For this month’s installment of Densho Staff’s 30 Favorite Objects, Archivist Micah Merryman chose this archival photograph of marionettes set against a backdrop for a puppet show. Taken inside Amache, it is an exemplary illustration of ingenuity and creativity inside the camps, despite the oppressive conditions. Micah explains why this image resonates with her. “This photo from the Yuriko (Domoto) Tsukada Collection is one of a dozen accessions from the Domoto family I've worked on during my ten years at Densho. This particular photo stuck out to me because it was part of a group of photos that showcased some of the fun theatrics put on to entertain folks in Amache. I've always been curious about what story was being told with these marionnettes…”.

Image description: A photograph of a marionette show courtesy of Yuriko Domoto Tsukada Collection.

Thank you to SFGATE for including our Archives Director, Caitlin Oiye C**n, in this article covering the significant threat to the National Archives documents and records, many related to the Japanese American incarceration, housed in the Bay Area. This is an ongoing and developing story that demands the public's attention.

Locals and historians decry Trump attempt to shutter National Archives at SF The SF branch stores vital documents chronicling immigration to the West Coast.

Calling all educators! Join the National Constitution Center, UCLA Asian American Studies, and Densho for “Federalism in Action: Teaching Japanese American Incarceration During World War II.”

This event is a full-day workshop on teaching the wartime incarceration of Japanese Americans through the lens of federalism and constitutional thinking. Using the incarceration as a case study, you'll explore how federal power, civil liberties, and the courts collided during this period and leave with classroom-ready materials to bring back to your students. This full-day, in-person workshop is intended for secondary classroom teachers.

Participating teachers will receive a $100 stipend and workshop materials, as well as light breakfast and a boxed lunch (dietary needs will be accommodated).

🗓️Thursday, September 10, 2026, 9 a.m. – 4 p.m.
📍National Constitution Center, Philadelphia, PA
🔗Learn more and register by August 31, 2026 with this link: https://constitutioncenter.org/calendar/federalism-in-action-teaching-japanese-american-incarceration

Space is limited. Register now to reserve your spot!