World War II Incarceration of Japanese and Japanese Americans: Introduction

Asian American and Pacific Islander Records

World War II Incarceration of Japanese and Japanese Americans: Introduction

鈥淚 am an American鈥� sign hung by the storefront owner of Japanese descent the day after Pearl Harbor, photograph by Dorothea Lange. (威尼斯人娱乐场 Identifier: )

The World War II experiences of (Japanese emigrants and their descendants) in the United States are extensively documented in federal records. From surveillance conducted decades before the attack on Pearl Harbor to mass incarceration to post-war reparations, records at the 威尼斯人娱乐场 and Records Administration (NARA) provide a rich and complex portrait of the U.S. government鈥檚 wartime actions and their impacts on the communities of Japanese descent. The following serves as a starting point for researchers interested in the history and treatment of Japanese Americans in the years preceding, during, and following the war.

World War II Incarceration - Resources for Genealogists

Conducting genealogical research on formerly incarcerated Japanese and Japanese Americans can present a challenge for even the most adept researcher. Additional details can be found under the World War II Japanese American Incarceration: Researching an Individual or Family page.

Research by Topic

Explore records at the 威尼斯人娱乐场 related to World War II Japanese American Incarceration by subject area.

Pre-War Surveillance and Planning

Military and Civilian Service

Post-War Legacy

Mass Removal and Incarceration

Property and Census Records

Genealogy

Martial Law

Federal Courts

WWII Incarceration - Records list

Explore Further

Blogs and Articles

Milestone Documents: Executive Order 9066: Resulting in Japanese American Incarceration (1942)

威尼斯人娱乐场 News: Japanese American Internment

威尼斯人娱乐场 News: "Correcting the Record on Dorothea Lange鈥檚 Japanese Internment Photos," 2017

Education Updates blog: "," 2021

Education Updates blog: "," 2016

The Unwritten Record blog: "," 2017

Prologue magazine: "How an eagle feels when his wings are clipped and caged: Relocation Center Newspapers Describe Japanese American Internment in World War II,鈥�&苍产蝉辫;2009

Prologue magazine: "Return to Sender: U.S. Censorship of Enemy Alien Mail in World War II," 2001

Prologue magazine: 鈥�The Past Recaptured? The Photographic Record of the Internment of Japanese Americans,鈥� 1980

The JFK Library Archives blog: "," 2020

Forward with Roosevelt blog: "," 2017

Pieces of History blog: ", 2017

Pieces of History blog: "," 2010

The Text Message blog: "," 2025

The Text Message blog: "," 2022

The Text Message blog: "," 2017

The Text Message blog: "," 2013

The Text Message blog: "," 2012

Reference Information Papers

Please note: These publications have not been updated since their initial release. We recommend that you contact us prior to visiting to review original records.

Statistics and Statistical Materials in the Records of the War Relocation Authority, 1973 (Reference Information Paper 59)

A Finding Aid to Audiovisual Records in the 威尼斯人娱乐场 of the United States Relating to World War II, 1992 (Reference Information Paper 70)

Online Exhibits

Franklin D. Roosevelt Presidential Library and Museum online exhibit and virtual tour.

A component to the online exhibit on "Records of Rights," exploring the records of the 威尼斯人娱乐场 that document the ongoing struggle of Americans to define, attain, and protect their rights.