Manzanar

Manzanar. Located in the remote Owens Valley of California, it was the first of ten internment camps established by the United States government during World War II. Under the authority of Executive Order 9066, over 10,000 individuals of Japanese ancestry, most of whom were American citizens, were forcibly relocated and incarcerated there between 1942 and 1945. The site stands as a stark reminder of the wartime suspension of civil liberties and has been preserved as the Manzanar National Historic Site.

History

The land in the Owens Valley had a complex history prior to its use as an internment camp, originally inhabited by the Paiute and Shoshone peoples. In the late 19th century, the area was developed for agriculture and ranching, with the town of Manzanar founded as an apple-growing community. The Los Angeles Department of Water and Power eventually acquired much of the water rights, leading to the decline of these settlements. Following the attack on Pearl Harbor and the subsequent issuance of Executive Order 9066 by President Franklin D. Roosevelt, the United States Army selected this isolated site for a wartime facility.

Establishment and operation

Construction began in March 1942 under the supervision of the U.S. Army's Wartime Civil Control Administration. The camp was hastily built, with internees initially arriving to find an incomplete facility surrounded by barbed wire and guarded by military police in watchtowers. Administration was later transferred to the civilian War Relocation Authority. The camp's layout was organized into 36 blocks, each containing 14 barracks, a mess hall, a recreation hall, and communal latrines and laundry facilities. Key administrative figures included project director Ralph P. Merritt.

Life at Manzanar

Despite the harsh, dusty environment and confined conditions, incarcerated individuals worked to establish a functioning community. They worked in essential camp operations like agriculture, manufacturing, and food services, often for meager wages. Internees created extensive irrigation systems to grow produce and built amenities such as a baseball field, gardens, and even a golf course. Cultural and educational activities flourished, including schools, newspapers like the Manzanar Free Press, and artistic endeavors. Notable figures interned there include Ansel Adams, who photographed the camp, and Toyo Miyatake, who secretly documented life inside. The camp was also the site of the Manzanar Riot in December 1942, a confrontation between internees and military police that resulted in two deaths.

Closure and aftermath

The camp officially closed on November 21, 1945, three months after the Surrender of Japan. Internees were given a small stipend and train fare to depart, facing the difficult task of rebuilding lives and communities that had been shattered. Many returned to find their former homes and businesses lost. The camp's buildings were sold or demolished, and the land eventually reverted to the control of the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power. For decades, the history of the site and the broader injustice was largely absent from national discourse and textbooks.

Legacy and remembrance

The effort to preserve and interpret the site began with annual pilgrimages organized by former internees and activists, such as those from the Japanese American Citizens League. This advocacy led to Manzanar being designated a National Historic Site in 1992, administered by the National Park Service. The site now features a restored auditorium serving as an interpretive center, original guard towers, remnants of barracks foundations, and the hauntingly beautiful Manzanar Cemetery monument. It serves as a primary site for educating the public about the incarceration and its implications for civil rights and constitutional law. The story of Manzanar has been explored in works like Jeanne Wakatsuki Houston's memoir Farewell to Manzanar and continues to inform discussions on race, national security, and justice in American history.

Category:Internment camps in the United States Category:National Historic Sites in California Category:World War II on the United States home front