Many things were not allowed in Japanese-Americans internment camps following the attack on Pearl Harbor, one of them was cameras.
document life behind barbed wires, with the help of other craftsmen in
the camp. That man was Toyo Miyatake, a successful issei (first
generation immigrant) photographer and owner of a photo-shop in the Los
Angeles Little Tokyo district, and of one of the many Americans who was
interned with his family against his will. With his makeshift camera,
Miyatake captured the dire conditions of life in the camps during World
War II as well as the resilient spirit of his companions, many of whom
were American citizens who went on to fight for their country overseas.
Miyatake said, "It is my duty to record the facts, as a photographer, so
that this kind of thing should never happen again."
A movie titled Toyo's Camera: Japanese American History during WWII (2009), directed by Junichi Suzuki and featuring Archie Miyatake, George Takei, Daniel
Inouye pays tribute to Toyo Miyatake.
The Film Program at the Japan Society in New York has a Free Screening of Toyo's Camera on May 28 at 6:30 PM.
It will be followed by a Q & A with Junichi Suzuki and George Takei.
Reservations are required: RSVP by e-mail to film [at] japansociety [dot] org
For those who cannot make it to the NY event, Toyo's Camera is also available on DVD.
The Toyo Miyatake Studio still exists in San Gabriel, California
Looking back at history for Tokyo Thursdays # 140
Previously: Next Station is Shinagawa, Tokyo Photo Expo in
Bordeaux, May 13 to 28