Interviews

1. Memories of childhood in Peru

2. Forcibly deported to the U.S. from Peru

3. Food on the ship to the U.S.

4. Family welcomed at Crystal City

5. First meal at Crystal City

6. Enjoying undokai and sports in Crystal City

7. Postwar sponsorship (Inglês)

8. Immersed in Japanese culture and language

9. Proud of his Japanese, American, and Peruvian identity

Jimmy Naganuma

(b. 1936) Japanese Peruvian incarcerated in Crystal City

Enjoying undokai and sports in Crystal City

While we were there, there were all kinds of events. One that I really enjoyed was, in Japanese, they call it undokai, where all the classes, all the students participate. Third grade would compete with another third grade, with another class, and so on. And running, especially, and if you win, they would give you a pamphlet, they would give you a paper, they would give you a pencil, eraser, that was our prize. But that was very enjoyable, just competing with another.

childhood Crystal City internment camp Department of Justice camps Japanese Peruvians sports Texas undokai United States World War II World War II camps

Date: September 20, 2019

Location: California, US

Interviewer: Tom Ikeda and Yoko Nishimura

Contributed by: Watase Media Arts Center, Japanese American National Museum and Denshō: The Japanese American Legacy Project.

Interviewee Bio

Jimmy Naganuma was born in Callao, Peru to his Issei parents in 1936. He was eight years old when his family were forced to board a ship, to be incarcerated at Crystal City, Texas, during World War II. They remained there even after the war had ended, without a place to go. They were able to leave via a sponsorship by a reverend in San Francisco, California, where they were able to find jobs and housing. (June 2020)