Oral history interview with Kazuo Ikeda [part 1], 1980

Side 1: [00:00:07] Intro - interview with Kazuo Ikeda conducted by Ricardo E. Medina [00:00:36] Ricardo asks about Ikeda's parents' backgrounds and when they arrived in America [00:01:28] Ikeda discusses why his parents left Japan [00:02:28] Ikeda discusses where his father worked and his job as a laborer/migrant worker in King City, notes that he (Kazuo) was born in King City in 1918 [00:03:05] Ikeda discusses how his parents met [00:04:10] Ikeda describes his life in King City, his family members, and his father's decision to send the rest of the family back to Japan [00:05:42] Ikeda discusses going back to Japan and returning again to Santa Maria Valley in 1927 [00:06:38] Ikeda describes his time in Arroyo Grande and the size of the Japanese community in the Central Coast area prior to the war [00:07:49] Ikeda discusses his father's farm land and land ownership [00:08:58] Ikeda recalls where he lived at the time of evacuation [00:09:09] Ikeda recalls his financial situation in regards to the farm [00:09:44] Ikeda discusses his family's religious beliefs within the context of the Japanese community [00:10:47] Ikeda discusses the social and cultural events in the Japanese community, such as Japanese language schools [00:12:00] Ikeda compares the size of the Japanese community at the time of the interview and prior to the war [00:12:28] Ikeda recalls when the war broke out and how his fellow Japanese community members felt at that time and his father's injury [00:14:30] Ikeda recalls how his friends and family got detained [00:15:01] Ikeda describes how he felt upon learning about and leading up to the relocation process and leasing his land [00:18:06] Ikeda recalls the order in which he had to get on the other side of Highway 99 and the option to move voluntarily [00:19:09] Ikeda recalls the moving process, waiting for the order to evacuate, and how their possessions needed to be sold cheaply [00:20:58] Ikeda describes where he stored the belongings that they kept [00:22:41] Ikeda recalls how he got special permission to stay behind while everyone else went to the Tulare Assembly Center [00:23:25] Ikeda recalls how long he was allowed to stay in San Luis Obispo to take care of his father [00:24:59] Ikeda recalls his time at the Tulare Assembly Center and the living conditions there [00:26:20] Ikeda describes how he felt while staying at the Tulare Assembly Center and what excuses he was given as to why they were placed there [00:27:30] Ikeda describes the perception of Japanese people on a local level at the time of the war and propaganda used against them [00:29:15] Ikeda describes his ownership of Japanese memorabilia prior to the war [00:29:50] Ikeda recalls the organization of the Tulare Assembly Center and jobs that people had [00:31:22] Ikeda recalls where he was ordered to where to move afterwards [00:31:50] Ikeda recalls the approximate population at Tulare [00:32:14] Ikeda recalls how he was told that they were going to be sent off to relocation camps [00:34:24] Ikeda recalls his first impression of Gila [00:35:42] Ikeda recalls the conditions of the living quarters [00:36:30] Ikeda recalls the presence of armed guards at the Tulare Assembly Center [00:36:50] Ikeda recalls what he did in Gila and his job as a sanitation inspector [00:38:00] Ikeda describes the jobs his brothers took on [00:40:24] Ikeda recalls the recruitment of workers [00:41:15] Ikeda recalls how the Japanese people organized themselves in the camps [00:42:16] Ikeda recalls his father's goals in coming to the U.S. and his roles within the SLO community Side 2: [00:00:08] Continuation of Ikeda recalling what his father hoped to gain in coming to the U.S. [00:00:21] Ikeda recalls cultural events within the camps and the work ethic of the Japanese American parents (especially among Issei parents) [00:02:44] Ikeda describes how they were treated in the camps and conditions [00:03:29] Ikeda describes what his mother did in the internment camp and caring for his father [00:05:06] Ikeda recalls where he was during the Manzanar Riot and how he felt at that time [00:05:43] Ikeda discusses the loyalty oath [00:08:48] Ikeda recalls how he felt after signing "yes" on the "loyalty oath" [00:10:35] Ikeda recalls how he and other internees were released from Gila to go work on farms [00:12:00] Ikeda discusses working on farms in Idaho and receiving permits that allowed for that [00:14:10] Ikeda recalls not facing hostilities while working [00:16:42] Ikeda recalls what he did and where he went when the internees were released from the camp [00:17:38] Ikeda describes how people people went about returning to their homes in California [00:20:15] Ikeda recalls what possessions he still had upon returning to California [00:20:55] Ikeda describes what he did to subsist and how he was faring upon returning to California [00:22:00] Ikeda recalls the events leading up to meeting his wife [00:24:57] Ikeda discusses farming, marrying his wife, and acquiring more land [00:26:45] Ikeda compares the Japanese families before and after the war, focusing on those that returned to their homes [00:27:41] Ikeda discusses participation in cultural and community events after the war [00:29:44] Ikeda reflects on the evacuation and how it affected his life and community [00:34:04] Ikeda discusses his thoughts on whether or not relocations of minority groups would happen again