Part 3/9:

The euphemistic labels utilized to describe these camps—relocation centers, reception centers, and more—were attempts to dilute the harsh realities faced by these individuals. The camps were located in remote areas, often in swamps or deserts, under the guise of farming them, even though many of these immigrants were successful farmers uprooted from their livelihoods.

Culinary Memories: Food as Comfort and Resistance

Food in the incarceration camps was emblematic of their struggles and an accessible means of maintaining a semblance of normalcy amid despair. A key source of insight into the culinary rituals of Japanese Americans during this time comes from “Food Fancies,” a column written by Evelyn Kimura for the Topaz Times, published by inmates of the Topaz Relocation Center in Utah.