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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Bulletin Number 10 from Rohwer's Office of the Superintendent of Schools to Rohwer Center School staff
Two-page bulletin with school news issued to Rohwer Relocation Center teachers from the superintendent of schools.
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Bulletin Number 14 from Rohwer's office of the superintendent of schools to Rohwer Center Schools' staff
This bulletin focuses on and gives advice regarding educators' conduct in the final weeks of the school year, as Rohwer Relocation Center prepares to close.
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Bulletin Number 1 from Rohwer Office of the Superintendent of Schools to Rohwer Center School staff
Three-page bulletin to teachers at Rohwer Relocation Center instructing them of rules and expectations for the final semester at Rohwer Schools.
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Bulletin Number 3 from Rohwer Office of the Superintendent to Rohwer Center School staff
Eight-page bulletin issued to Rohwer Relocation Center teachers by the Rohwer superintendent of schools instructions and expectations education after the close of the school year and after the closing of the Relocation Center.
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Bulletin Number 4 from Rohwer Office of the Superintendent of Schools to Rohwer Center School staff
Three-page bulletin from Rohwer's Office of the Superintendent of Schools to Rohwer teachers discussing the importance of teaching, of reducing wartime strain on the children, and the future of Nisei children in American schools.
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Dispairing Dispatch, student newspaper from Hazel Retherford's fifth grade class
This is a student newspaper produced by Hazel Retherford's fifth grade class at Rohwer Relocation Center.
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Editorial Comment: "Japs Under the Stars and Stripes"
Newspaper article discusses the military service of Japanese Americans from Rohwer Relocation Center.
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Historical statistical - functional report of the Reports Division for the War Relocation Authority
This is a historical statistical report produced by the reports division of the War Relocation Authority.
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Index to the personal narrative reports of designated appointed personnel staff, draft
Typed, twelve-page draft index of the personal narratives by appointed personnel staff members at Rohwer Relocation Center.
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Letter, Marjorie Nagaoka to Hazel Retherford
Letter from Marjorie Nagaoka in Lodi, California, to Hazel Retherford at Rohwer Relocation Center in Arkansas.
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Memorandum, D.S. Myer to all War Relocation Authority employees
Memorandum from D.S. Myer, Director of the War Relocation Authority, to all War Relocation Authority employees. The memorandum addresses what the employment options are for current employees after closure of relocation camps.
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Memorandum, Helen Frasier to Rohwer Relocation Center teachers
Typed memorandum from Helen Frasier, adult education supervisor of the War Relocation Authority, to all Rohwer Relocation Center teachers, including Hazel Retherford. The memorandum talks about registration for English classes.
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Memorandum Number 3 from the War Relocation Authority's Community Division Education Section to Rohwer Center School staff
Three-page memorandum issued to Rohwer Relocation Center teachers with suggestions on procedure for closing the center's school.
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Memorandum, Ray D. Johnston to all appointed personnel
The memorandum addresses work that needs to be done in light of the war's ending and the closure of relocation camps.
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Newspaper article, "452 Japs Entrain for West Coast; Land, Leased to WRA, Now for Sale"
Newspaper article detailing the closing of the Rohwer Relocation Center.
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Newspaper article, "58 Rohwer Japanese Evacuees Entrain for California Homes: Special Chair Car Arranged for Japs Leaving Last Night"
Newspaper article about Japanese-American internees returning to California.
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Newspaper article, "6 Registrants Pass Pre-Service Exams; 2 Japs [sic] Inducted"
Newspaper article discussing Japanese Americans being inducted into the military and six registrants passing physical examinations.
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Newspaper article, "Another Jap Train Leaves Tomorrow"
Newspaper article about another train moving internees out of Rohwer Relocation Center.
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Newspaper article, "California-Bound Japanese to Return in 2nd Special Car"
Newspaper article discussing a second train car to take Japanese Americans back to the west coast.
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Newspaper article, "Chinese Friends Warmly Welcome Japanese Bachelor"
Newspaper article discusses a friendship between a Chinese man and Japanese-American family.
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Newspaper article, "Chinese Officials Visit Rohwer Relocation Center: Delegation to Arrive Sunday for Three-Day Tour of Local Camp"
Newspaper article discussing a visit to Rohwer Relocation Center by Chinese officials.
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Newspaper article, "Couple Shares History with Commission"
Newspaper article discussing the Hunter family's donation to the Arkansas History Commission (Arkansas State Archives)
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Newspaper article, "Dr. Eddy to Speak at Rohwer Center"
Newspaper article discussing the reputation and upcoming visit of Sherwood Eddy to Rohwer Relocation Center.
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Newspaper article, "Fair Play for the Japanese Americans"
Article about Dillon Meyer's visit to Rohwer Relocation Center and his reports on the West Coast's change of heart towards Japanese Americans.
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Newspaper article, "Inductions for January Total 125 Men: 12 White Registrants Called into Armed Forces, 13 Japs Enter E.R.C."
Article discussing the induction of both white and Japanese-American men into the United States Military during January 1945.