In the wake of the attack on Pearl Harbor in December of 1941, President Franklin D. Roosevelt issued on February 19th, 1942, Executive Order 9066--which designated military zones along the United States coast and directed the army to remove all residents of Japanese ancestry from these areas. The president then created the War Relocation Authority (WRA), a federal agency tasked with caring for the approximately 110,000 Japanese-Americans uprooted by Executive Order 9066. The WRA saw to the planning and construction of long-term internment camps located in the interior of the country where the displaced population would be held for the duration of World War II. Two of the selected sites were located in the Arkansas Delta, one at Rohwer in Desha County--which operated from September 18, 1942-November 30, 1945--and the other at Jerome in sections of Chicot and Drew counties--which operated from October 6, 1942-June 30, 1944. The internment camps at Rohwer and Jerome would incarcerate over 16,000 Japanese-Americans between October 1942 and November 1945.
This collection exhibits materials from school administrators and superintendents, pastors, teachers, social welfare workers, and WRA administrators associated with the internment camps. Materials also source from the Homer Adkins’ gubernatorial papers, articles from the McGehee Times and Dermott News, and the official closing roster of the Rohwer Relocation Center.
All materials within this online exhibit are available for research at the Arkansas State Archives. These items were digitized by the Arkansas State Archives as part of a joint project entitled “Rohwer Reconstructed,” overseen by the University of Arkansas’ Center for Advanced Spatial Technologies and funded in part by a grant from the National Park Service through the Japanese American Confinement Sites Grant Program.
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Newspaper article, "General Contract For Jerome Jap [sic] Camp To Be Let: Construction To Start Immediately After July 23 Road Work To Start This Week"
This article discusses the beginning of construction of roads and infrastructure for Jerome Relocation Center.
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Newspaper article, "General Contract For Rohwer Jap [sic] Camp Awarded: Engineers To Open Bids On Jerome Project Next Monday At Vicksburg"
This article discusses the costs and opening bids for construction of Jerome Relocation Center.
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Newspaper article, "General Extension to Teach Japanese"
Newspaper article discussing arrangements for the General Extension department to teach at Rohwer Relocation Center.
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Newspaper article, "Get Ready for the 'Flood'"
Article discussing the influx of people brought on by construction at the Rohwer and Jerome relocation centers and the issues associated with the higher population of people.
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Newspaper article, "Get's Promoted!"
Newspaper article discussing the promotion of Arthur M. Niemz to Lieutenant-Colonel.
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Newspaper article, "Governor Visits Jerome Camp"
Newspaper article discussing the governor's views on internment.
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Newspaper article, "Gov. Homer M. Adkins Reports to the People of Arkansas"
This article discusses Governor Homer Adkins reporting on Japanese-American internment to the people of the state of Arkansas.
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Newspaper article, "Headquarters for Rohwer and Jerome Relocation Centers Opened Here: Between 5,000 and 6,000 People Will be Employed in Construction of Japanese Centers Near McGehee"
Article discussing the construction of the relocation centers at Rohwer and Jerome.
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Newspaper article, "High Salaries To Be Paid Teachers At Jap [sic] Centers"
Article discussing wage differences between War Relocation Authority teachers and other Arkansas educators.
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Newspaper article, "Housing Situation Here is Acute"
Article discussing the growing housing problem with the influx of workers at Rohwer and Jerome relocation centers.
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Newspaper article, "Interesting Facts About Jap [sic] Project"
This article discusses "interesting facts" about plans for construction of the Jerome Japanese Evacuation Center as outlined by Jack Maddox, superintendent of construction for the A.J. Rife Construction Company.
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Newspaper article, "Japanese Baby Named Denson In Honor Of Camp"
Article discussing the naming of a Japanese-American internee's baby after Denson Relocation Camp.
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Newspaper article, "Japanese Centers Near Completion"
Newspaper article discussing the progress on the construction of the Japanese-American Relocation Centers.
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Newspaper article, "Japanese Colony Managers Named By E.B. Whitaker"
Article about Paul A. Taylor being appointed manager of Jerome Relocation Center by Little Rock's War Relocation Authority administrator, E.B. Whitaker.
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Newspaper article, "Japanese Evacuees Subject of Talk"
Article discussing the Reverend Chapman's views about Japanese-American internment.
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Newspaper article, "Japanese Project Provides Work for Many Local People"
Article discussing the new employees of the relocation center at Rohwer.
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Newspaper article, "Jap Beauticians Need No License"
Newspaper article discussing beauticians in the Japanese-American relocation centers at Rohwer and Jerome.
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Newspaper article, "Jap Colony Construction Starts July 15: Plans for Project at Rohwer Are Almost Completed"
Article discussing the beginning of construction on the relocation center at Rohwer.
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Newspaper article, "Jap Colony for this County: 10,000 Japs to be Moved Into Desha County"
Article discussing the decision to establish a relocation center near McGehee, Arkansas.
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Newspaper article, "Japs from Hawaii Arrive at Jerome"
Newspaper article discussing the arrival of Japanese Americans at Jerome Relocation Center from Hawaii
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Newspaper article, "Jap [sic] Centers Will Need 200 Teachers In Grade Schools"
This article discusses the need for educators in Japanese relocation centers in Arkansas.
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Newspaper article, "Jap [sic] Colony May Be Given Name of Camp Rogers"
Article discussing a potential name for the Rohwer Relocation Center.
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Newspaper article, "Jap [sic] Colony Policy Brings Stiff Protest: Governor Objects to Use of Japanese Labor"
Newspaper article discussing Governor Adkins' objection to use of evacuee labor for projects outside of the Rohwer and Jerome Relocation Centers.
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Newspaper article, "Jap [sic] Colony Teachers Get Big Salaries"
Article discussing the salary negotiations between the War Relocation Authority and the State of Arkansas for educators at the relocation centers.
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Newspaper article, "Jap [sic] Evacuees to Arrive in Mid-October: WRA Director Home from Coast After Completing Plans"
Article discussing the schedule of when Japanese Americans will arrive in Arkansas.