We were there

A Football squad at the Rohwer Center. -- Photographer: Parker, Tom -- McGehee, Arkansas. (11/?/42) Courtesy of the Japanese American Digital Archive (JARDA) at the Bancroft Library at the University of California, Berkeley.

In the sign shop, at the Rohwer Center, experienced artists and sign painters prepare sign boards for center use. -- Photographer: Parker, Tom -- McGehee, Arkansas. (3/8/43) Courtesy of the Japanese American Digital Archive (JARDA) at the Bancroft Library at the University of California, Berkeley.

Scene at Rohwer Relocation Center. Alongside the barracks, many of the evacuees have small vegetable and flower gardens. -- Photographer: Van Tassel, Gretchen -- McGehee, Arkansas. (12/9/43) Courtesy of the Japanese American Digital Archive (JARDA) at the Bancroft Library at the University of California, Berkeley.

Vines hide the tar paper on this Rohwer residence. Courtesy of the Japanese American Digital Archive (JARDA) at the Bancroft Library at the University of California, Berkeley.

This Issei woman is winding yarn in the weaving room at Rohwer Relocation Center. -- Photographer: Van Tassel, Gretchen -- McGehee, Arkansas. (12/9/43) Courtesy of the Japanese American Digital Archive (JARDA) at the Bancroft Library at the University of California, Berkeley.

One of the many small victory gardens seen throughout the Rohwer Center. -- Photographer: Mace, Charles E. -- McGehee, Arkansas. (6/16/44) Courtesy of the Japanese American Digital Archive (JARDA) at the Bancroft Library at the University of California, Berkeley.

View of barracks at Rohwer Relocation Center showing front yards and drainage ditch which surrounds each block. -- Photographer: Van Tassel, Gretchen -- McGehee, Arkansas. 12/9/43 Courtesy of the Japanese American Digital Archive (JARDA) at the Bancroft Library at the University of California, Berkeley.

The Mail and File Section of the Office Staff at the Rohwer Center. -- Photographer: Parker, Tom -- McGehee, Arkansas. (11/25/42) Courtesy of the Japanese American Digital Archive (JARDA) at the Bancroft Library at the University of California, Berkeley.

Residents of the Rohwer Relocation Center near McGehee, Arkansas, are shown harvesting a large crop of cucumbers grown at the center's agricultural project. -- Photographer: Mace, Charles E. -- McGehee, Arkansas. (7/?/43) Courtesy of the Japanese American Digital Archive (JARDA) at the Bancroft Library at the University of California, Berkeley.

A young resident of the Rohwer Center views the grave of one of his relatives buried in the permanent cemetery, built and maintained by the evacuees. -- Photographer: Iwasaki, Hikaru -- McGehee, Arkansas. (6/16/44) Courtesy of the Japanese American Digital Archive (JARDA) at the Bancroft Library at the University of California, Berkeley.

Allan Hagio, a former Californian artist, preparing a sign in the sign shop at the Rohwer Relocation Center, where former west coast residents are temporarily residing. -- Photographer: Parker, Tom -- McGehee, Arkansas. (3/8/43) Courtesy of the Japanese American Digital Archive (JARDA) at the Bancroft Library at the University of California, Berkeley.

A 5-day Boy Scout Camp on the bank of the Mississippi River was composed of nearly a hundred boys from the Rohwer Center, a few less from the Jerome Center, together with a small group from the nearby town of Arkansas City. -- McGehee, Arkansas. (8/19/43) Courtesy of the Japanese American Digital Archive (JARDA) at the Bancroft Library at the University of California, Berkeley.

There is provision for weaving and spinning at Rohwer Relocation Center. This man has grown his own cotton on a little plot by his barrack. Here he is spinning it into thread preparatory to weaving it. -- Photographer: Van Tassel, Gretchen -- McGehee, Arkansas. (12/9/43) Courtesy of the Japanese American Digital Archive (JARDA) at the Bancroft Library at the University of California, Berkeley.

A class in English at the Rohwer center. This class, a part of the Adult Education Program, is attended chiefly by issei women who after having their first opportunity to learn English. -- Photographer: Parker, Tom -- McGehee, Arkansas. 11/25/42 Courtesy of the Japanese American Digital Archive (JARDA) at the Bancroft Library at the University of California, Berkeley.

A sewing class in the adult education division of the Rohwer schools. This class is conducted by center resident, Mrs. Sadako Yasue, a qualified Home Economics Teacher, who, with other assistant teachers, have been recruited from among center residents (former west coast persons of Japanese ancestry). -- Photographer: Parker, Tom -- McGehee, Arkansas. (3/7/43) Courtesy of the Japanese American Digital Archive (JARDA) at the Bancroft Library at the University of California, Berkeley.

In a sewing class at the Rohwer Center schools, Misaye Oku gets pointers from instructress, Mrs. Sadako Yasue. Adult classes, teaching subjects which contribute to the comforts or living requirements of center life, are very popular with housewives and mothers. -- Photographer: Parker, Tom -- McGehee, Arkansas. (3/7/43) Courtesy of the Japanese American Digital Archive (JARDA) at the Bancroft Library at the University of California, Berkeley.

Changing classes at the temporary high school quarters. -- Photographer: Parker, Tom -- McGehee, Arkansas. (11/23/42) Courtesy of the Japanese American Digital Archive (JARDA) at the Bancroft Library at the University of California, Berkeley.

Two young grade school students watch the camera as their pictures are being taken. -- Photographer: Parker, Tom -- McGehee, Arkansas. (11/22/42) Courtesy of the Japanese American Digital Archive (JARDA) at the Bancroft Library at the University of California, Berkeley.

Story hour in the first grade. Miss Margaret Morrissy. -- Photographer: Parker, Tom -- McGehee, Arkansas. (11/22/42) Courtesy of the Japanese American Digital Archive (JARDA) at the Bancroft Library at the University of California, Berkeley.

Ray D. Johnston, the Project Director at this center, seated at his desk in the Administrative Office. -- Photographer: Parker, Tom -- McGehee, Arkansas. (11/27/42) Courtesy of the Japanese American Digital Archive (JARDA) at the Bancroft Library at the University of California, Berkeley.

Sam Takeda and George Yoshihara, former west coast butchers, cutting meat for center mess halls. With meat rationing strictly adhered to, only experienced butchers are employed in distributing the limited meat supply to mess hall kitchens. They are recruited from center residents (former west coast persons of Japanese ancestry). -- Photographer: Parker, Tom -- McGehee, Arkansas. (3/10/43) Courtesy of the Japanese American Digital Archive (JARDA) at the Bancroft Library at the University of California, Berkeley.

The 11th grade class in American History in the temporary High School. Mrs. B.D. Ramsdell. -- Photographer: Parker, Tom -- McGehee, Arkansas. (11/25/42) Courtesy of the Japanese American Digital Archive (JARDA) at the Bancroft Library at the University of California, Berkeley.

A Judo class. Lessons are held every afternoon and evening at this relocation center. -- Photographer: Parker, Tom -- McGehee, Arkansas. (11/25/42) Courtesy of the Japanese American Digital Archive (JARDA) at the Bancroft Library at the University of California, Berkeley.

Center Director Ray Johnston, right, congratulates George Kiwashima on his voluntary enlistment in the United States Army while Captain John Holbrook and two other volunteers look on. (L to R) Captain John A. Holbrook, George Kiwashima, Charles Afuso, Tommy Hiraoka and Ray Johnston. -- Photographer: Parker, Tom -- McGehee, Arkansas. (3/10/43) Courtesy of the Japanese American Digital Archive (JARDA) at the Bancroft Library at the University of California, Berkeley.

Volunteer workers loading coal from a gondola to trucks for transportation to mess halls. Wood is used for barracks heating. -- Photographer: Parker, Tom -- McGehee, Arkansas. (11/21/42) Courtesy of the Japanese American Digital Archive (JARDA) at the Bancroft Library at the University of California, Berkeley.

A Music Class. Vocal lessons are taught by Miss Leola Parsley. -- Photographer: Parker, Tom -- McGehee, Arkansas. (11/25/42) Courtesy of the Japanese American Digital Archive (JARDA) at the Bancroft Library at the University of California, Berkeley.

Captain John A. Holbrook, of a special Army Recruitment Team, points out the dotted line to Fred H. Kitagawa and Tommy Hiraoka, who are volunteering for combat duty with a special Japanese-American unit in the United States Army. -- Photographer: Parker, Tom -- McGehee, Arkansas. (3/10/43) Courtesy of the Japanese American Digital Archive (JARDA) at the Bancroft Library at the University of California, Berkeley.

Evacuees loading trucks with supplies for transportation to the warehouses at this relocation center. -- Photographer: Parker, Tom -- McGehee, Arkansas. (11/21/42) Courtesy of the Japanese American Digital Archive (JARDA) at the Bancroft Library at the University of California, Berkeley.

In a wood carving class, this center resident, a former Californian of Japanese ancestry, works on a patriotic carving cut from a natural hardwood formation. -- Photographer: Parker, Tom -- McGehee, Arkansas. (3/7/43) Courtesy of the Japanese American Digital Archive (JARDA) at the Bancroft Library at the University of California, Berkeley.

A Japanese folk dancer at an outdoor entertainment. -- Photographer: Parker, Tom -- McGehee, Arkansas. (11/15/42) Courtesy of the Japanese American Digital Archive (JARDA) at the Bancroft Library at the University of California, Berkeley.

Closing of the Jerome Center, Denson, Arkansas. Scene as one of the buses departed carrying Densonites to the Rohwer Center. -- Photographer: Iwasaki, Hikaru -- Denson, Arkansas. (6/20/44) Courtesy of the Japanese American Digital Archive (JARDA) at the Bancroft Library at the University of California, Berkeley.