Heart Mountain Relocation Center records

This collection contains the Heart Mountain charter, community minutes, notes on resettlement plans, and documents in Japanese. There are also transcripts of the trial of Tom Yamada, 13- or 14-year old teenager who was charged with assault and battery with a BB gun by the Heart Mountain Judicial Commission in September 1944.

Additional content for this collection can be found in the "Inventory for collection.”

Nisei in the War against Japan, April 1945

Illustrated pamphlet on Japanese Americans in the 442nd Regimental Combat Team and 100th Battalion. Includes an article about Ben Kuroki, the only American of Japanese descent in the United States Army Air Forces to serve in combat operations in the Pacific theater of World War II.

Resource Identifier
ah09804_277-285
Citation
Heart Mountain Relocation Center Records, Collection No. 9804, Box 1, Folder 9, American Heritage Center, University of Wyoming
Preview

Instructions to evacuees on seasonal work leave (WRA-49), circa 1943

Rules and regulations for incarcerees at Heart Mountain regarding "seasonal work leave." Covers travel, change of address, unemployment, expiration, returning to the Center prior to contract expiration, welfare services, and information for aliens.

Resource Identifier
ah09804_225-226
Citation
Heart Mountain Relocation Center Records, Collection No. 9804, Box 1, Folder 7, American Heritage Center, University of Wyoming
Preview

Policies of the Relocation Planning Commission, circa 1944

The Commission was composed entirely of evacuees. Depending on effective leadership, the Commission worked off and on at Heart Mountain dealing with the problems and the mechanics of disseminating information and counseling on relocation.

Resource Identifier
ah09804_213-224
Citation
Heart Mountain Relocation Center Records, Collection No. 9804, Box 1, Folder 7, American Heritage Center, University of Wyoming
Preview

Report on Community Government, January 1 - June 30, 1944

A semi-annual report regarding community government in the incarceration centers, including Heart Mountain. The report was  submitted to WRA officials by Solon T. Kimball, head of the WRA's Community Organization and Activities Section.  A Harvard educated anthropologist who came to the WRA through the Office of Indian Affairs (OIA), Kimball oversaw efforts to design and implement inmate community government in the ten concentration camps. 

Resource Identifier
ah09804_195-205
Citation
Heart Mountain Relocation Center Records, Collection No. 9804, Box 1, Folder 6, American Heritage Center, University of Wyoming
Preview

Transcript of People of Heart Mountain Relocation Center vs. Tom Yamada, September 16, 1944

Yamada was a 13- or 14- year old charged with assault and battery involving injury to another person from a BB gun. The court is composed of seven judges selected from the residents and appointed by the Project Director. They presided over infractions of Heart Mountain's regulations.

Resource Identifier
ah09804_227-270
Citation
Heart Mountain Relocation Center Records, Collection No. 9804, Box 1, Folder 8, American Heritage Center, University of Wyoming
Preview

Heart Mountain Community Council minutes, May 1944

Includes mention of the young men at Heart Mountain who were indicted on the charge of "draft evasion."

Resource Identifier
ah09804_010-017
Citation
Heart Mountain Relocation Center Records, Collection No. 9804, Box 1, Folder 3, American Heritage Center, University of Wyoming
Preview

Heart Mountain Community Council minutes, June 1944

Includes mention of the young men at Heart Mountain who were indicted on the charge of "draft evasion."

Resource Identifier
ah09804_018-028
Citation
Heart Mountain Relocation Center Records, Collection No. 9804, Box 1, Folder 3, American Heritage Center, University of Wyoming
Preview

Heart Mountain Community Council minutes, July 1944

Includes mention of an investigation regarding a drowned boy in an irrigation canal in the camp.

Resource Identifier
ah09804_029-042
Citation
Heart Mountain Relocation Center Records, Collection No. 9804, Box 1, Folder 3, American Heritage Center, University of Wyoming
Preview

Heart Mountain Community Council minutes, August 1944

Includes discussion of educational and medical updates, such as the request of required blood typing.

Resource Identifier
ah09804_043-048
Citation
Heart Mountain Relocation Center Records, Collection No. 9804, Box 1, Folder 3, American Heritage Center, University of Wyoming
Preview

Heart Mountain Community Council minutes, October 31, 1944

Includes discussion of agricultural needs and the mention of desired fish types for the internees.

Resource Identifier
ah09804_058-061
Citation
Heart Mountain Relocation Center Records, Collection No. 9804, Box 1, Folder 3, American Heritage Center, University of Wyoming
Preview

Heart Mountain Community Council minutes, November 1944

Includes mention of the difficulty of receiving optometric care for internees.

Resource Identifier
ah09804_062-072
Citation
Heart Mountain Relocation Center Records, Collection No. 9804, Box 1, Folder 3, American Heritage Center, University of Wyoming
Preview

Heart Mountain Community Council minutes, December 1944

Includes discussion of health and sanitation issues in the camp, such as the increase in cases of hospitalization and the closed medical wards.

Resource Identifier
ah09804_074-087
Citation
Heart Mountain Relocation Center Records, Collection No. 9804, Box 1, Folder 3, American Heritage Center, University of Wyoming
Preview

Heart Mountain Community Council minutes, January 1945

Includes discussion of health and sanitation issues in the camp, such as the continuing difficulty of receiving optometric care.

Resource Identifier
ah09804_089-105
Citation
Heart Mountain Relocation Center Records, Collection No. 9804, Box 1, Folder 4, American Heritage Center, University of Wyoming
Preview

Heart Mountain Community Council minutes, February 1945

Includes questions and answers regarding the War Relocation Authorities' major reasons for closing the relocation centers before the end of the war. 

Resource Identifier
ah09804_106-121
Citation
Heart Mountain Relocation Center Records, Collection No. 9804, Box 1, Folder 4, American Heritage Center, University of Wyoming
Preview

Heart Mountain Community Council minutes, March 1945

Includes discussion of renunciation of American citizenship and the encouragement of Americanization within the center.

Resource Identifier
ah09804_122-133
Citation
Heart Mountain Relocation Center Records, Collection No. 9804, Box 1, Folder 4, American Heritage Center, University of Wyoming
Preview

Heart Mountain Community Council minutes, April 1945

Includes discussion of food rations,

Resource Identifier
ah09804_134-144
Citation
Heart Mountain Relocation Center Records, Collection No. 9804, Box 1, Folder 5, American Heritage Center, University of Wyoming
Preview

Heart Mountain Community Council minutes, May 1945

Includes discussion of the nurse shortage within the center.

Resource Identifier
ah09804_142_ah09804_145-153
Citation
Heart Mountain Relocation Center Records, Collection No. 9804, Box 1, Folder 5, American Heritage Center, University of Wyoming
Preview

Heart Mountain Community Council minutes, June 1945

Includes discussion of storage within relocation freights.

Resource Identifier
ah09804_154-163
Citation
Heart Mountain Relocation Center Records, Collection No. 9804, Box 1, Folder 5, American Heritage Center, University of Wyoming
Preview

Heart Mountain Community Council minutes, July 1945

Includes discussion of the housing issues and disbursement of recreational equipment following relocation.

Resource Identifier
ah09804_164-172
Citation
Heart Mountain Relocation Center Records, Collection No. 9804, Box 1, Folder 5, American Heritage Center, University of Wyoming
Preview

Heart Mountain Community Council minutes, August 1945

Includes discussion of the present situation of the Mess Halls and food storage.

Resource Identifier
ah09804_173-180_182
Citation
Heart Mountain Relocation Center Records, Collection No. 9804, Box 1, Folder 5, American Heritage Center, University of Wyoming
Preview

Heart Mountain Community Council minutes, September 1945

Includes discussion of the food shortage and the coming closing of the camp.

Resource Identifier
ah09804_183-190
Citation
Heart Mountain Relocation Center Records, Collection No. 9804, Box 1, Folder 5, American Heritage Center, University of Wyoming
Preview

Heart Mountain Community Council minutes, October 1945

Includes further discussion of the upcoming closing of the camp.

Resource Identifier
ah09804_191-194_181
Citation
Heart Mountain Relocation Center Records, Collection No. 9804, Box 1, Folder 5, American Heritage Center, University of Wyoming
Preview

Northern California Resettlement News, June 20, 1945

First issue of the newspaper. It was published in anticipation of the closing of the internment centers. Charles F. Miller was a WRA Area Supervisor for Northern California.

Resource Identifier
ah09804_288-299
Citation
Heart Mountain Relocation Center Records, Collection No. 9804, Box 1, Folder 9, American Heritage Center, University of Wyoming
Preview

Prospectus of Organization, North American Cooperative Rehabilitation Association, Inc., July 16, 1945

A plan by relocation center internees to form an organization to assist other internees in advance of the center closures. It is not known if the organization became a reality.

Resource Identifier
ah09804_271-273
Citation
Heart Mountain Relocation Center Records, Collection No. 9804, Box 1, Folder 9, American Heritage Center, University of Wyoming
Preview