War Relocation Authority Photographs: Japanese American Incarceration During WWII

The photographs taken by the War Relocation Authority (WRA) provide a significant visual record of the experiences of Japanese Americans before and during World War II, especially as they were forcibly relocated and incarcerated in concentration camps. These images, largely forgotten for many years, hold immense historical importance, capturing the resilience, dignity, and hardship of an entire community subjected to unjust treatment by the U.S. government during a period of intense war-related fear and prejudice.

Background: Japanese American Incarceration During World War II

In the wake of the bombing of Pearl Harbor on 7 December 1941, anti-Japanese sentiment in the United States escalated dramatically. Under the guise of national security, President Franklin D. Roosevelt issued Executive Order 9066 on 19 February 1942, which authorised the forced relocation and incarceration of around 120,000 Japanese Americans. The vast majority of those affected were American citizens, many of whom were second-generation (Nisei), while others were first-generation immigrants (Issei) barred from U.S. citizenship due to exclusionary laws.

Japanese Americans were removed from their homes along the West Coast and taken to ten concentration camps, officially referred to as “relocation centers”, scattered across the western and central United States. Life in these camps was characterised by severe living conditions, with cramped quarters, inadequate facilities, and harsh climates. Families were uprooted, livelihoods lost, and communities fractured, yet the narrative of their experiences often faded from the broader historical memory for decades.

The Role of the War Relocation Authority

The War Relocation Authority was the U.S. government agency responsible for overseeing the forced relocation and internment of Japanese Americans. To justify its actions and document the internment process, the WRA commissioned photographers to capture various aspects of life before and during the relocation. Notably, two prominent photographers, Dorothea Lange and Ansel Adams, were enlisted to create these photographic records.

Lange, best known for her powerful images of Dust Bowl migrants during the Great Depression, was hired by the WRA in 1942. Her images of Japanese Americans, particularly in the months before their incarceration, depict the forced removal of individuals from their homes and businesses. Lange’s photographs of people waiting to be transported to assembly centers convey the stark emotional toll and uncertainty faced by families as they were stripped of their civil liberties.

Ansel Adams, famous for his landscapes of the American West, took a different approach when documenting the Manzanar War Relocation Center in California. Adams sought to capture the resilience of Japanese Americans within the confines of the camp, emphasising their efforts to build a sense of community despite their circumstances. His images present individuals participating in various activities, such as sports, religious services, and agricultural work, all of which aimed to preserve a semblance of normalcy amidst the profound injustice they faced.

The Photographs: A Tension Between Propaganda and Truth

The photographs commissioned by the WRA are deeply layered in meaning, reflecting both the government’s intent to control the narrative and the photographers’ efforts to capture the human dignity of those incarcerated. These images were intended to serve as a tool for public relations, showing that Japanese Americans were being “humanely” treated in the camps. However, many of the images, especially those by Dorothea Lange, reveal the harsh reality of confinement and the violation of constitutional rights.

Lange’s work, particularly, was considered so subversive that many of her photographs were impounded by the government and only released decades later. Her images starkly contradict the WRA’s attempt to downplay the suffering caused by internment. Lange captured poignant moments of Japanese Americans boarding buses, children clutching their belongings, and the vacant, haunted expressions of individuals whose lives had been irrevocably altered. These images speak to the human cost of a policy born of racial prejudice and wartime hysteria.

In contrast, Ansel Adams’ images, though capturing moments of resilience and hope, do not shy away from the harsh environment of the camps. His subjects are shown attempting to lead productive lives, yet the barren desert surroundings, barbed wire fences, and guard towers serve as a constant reminder of their unjust incarceration. Despite Adams’ aim to highlight the strength and perseverance of the Japanese American community, the oppressive atmosphere of the camp is unmistakable.

The Legacy of the WRA Photographs

The War Relocation Authority photographs remain an essential part of the historical record, offering a visual testimony to one of the most shameful episodes in American history. The images allow us to confront the reality of Japanese American incarceration and the far-reaching effects of war-induced racial discrimination. These photographs not only document the lives of those interned but also serve as a lasting reminder of the importance of civil liberties and the dangers of government overreach.

In the decades following the war, the Japanese American community fought for redress and reparations for their wrongful imprisonment. In 1988, President Ronald Reagan signed the Civil Liberties Act, which formally apologised for the internment and provided reparations to surviving internees. The photographs taken by the WRA played a crucial role in this process by visually reinforcing the profound injustice of the internment policy.

Today, the legacy of the War Relocation Authority’s photographs continues to influence how we understand and remember this period of history. Exhibitions, publications, and educational programmes have helped ensure that the images of Japanese American incarceration are not forgotten. By examining these photographs, we can better appreciate the resilience of those who endured such hardship and remain vigilant against similar injustices in the future.

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