Outspoken: A COPH Podcast

Episode Twenty-one: One Book, One CSUF - Japanese American Archival Collections

Illustration of microphone on navy blue background with Episode 21 text Opens in new window

In Episode Twenty-one, Dr. Benjamin Cawthra is joined by COPH archivist, Natalie Garcia; Director of Special Collections, Lisa Mix; and Special Collections archivist, Patrisia Prestinary. The group discuss the 2021-22 One Book, One CSUF selection, "They Called us Enemy," by George Takei, and talk about collaborating on a corresponding event on April 11th, which will highlight Japanese American archival materials held in the Center for Oral and Public History and the University Archives and Special Collections.

Later, in our Out of the Archives segment, archivist Natalie Garcia presents oral history clips from interviews with Georgia Day Robertson, Seiko Ishida, Hitoshi Nitta, and Clarence I. Nishizu.

Enjoy episode twenty-one and don't forget to follow us on  SoundCloud   and subscribe to our podcast on iTunes .

Out of the Archive Narrators

Georgia Day Robertson
Georgia Day Robertson standing in front of trees.

 


Georgia Day Robertson was a math supervisor-teacher at the Poston camp during World War II. She  was spurred to write the historical novel "Harvest of Hate" after returning to her home state of Iowa to visit relatives who had never heard of the Evacuation or the Japanese Internment camps.  In the novel she relates the experiences of a Japanese American family who were interned at Poston.  

In 1986 the Center for Oral and Public History, under the direction of Arthur Hansen, published Robertson's novel. She was 100 years old.

Robertson's oral history interview was conducted on June 6 and August 21, 1979 by Arthur Hansen.

For more information on Georgia Day Robertson, contact COPH at (657) 278-3580 or coph@fullerton.edu

 

Seiko Ishida

Scrapbook page with three black and white group photos of teachers

 

 

Seiko Ishida was interned at Manzanar following the attack on Pearl Harbor. Ishida donated her photo album to CSUF, which includes images of her prewar stays in Japan as a child, and images of  life in camp, including her work as a schoolteacher.  

Ishida's oral history interview was conducted by Arthur Hansen on August 6, 1974. 

For more information on Seiko Ishida, contact COPH at (657) 278-3580 or coph@fullerton.edu

Hitoshi Nitta

Black and white photo of Hitoshi Nitta (center) with brothers and father

 

Hitoshi Nitta (shown center, with brothers and father, circa 1929) was a Nisei rancher from a pioneering Japanese American family in Orange County. He was interned at Poston during World War II.

Nitta's oral history interview was conducted by Richard D. Curtiss on February 7, 1966. 

For more information on Hitoshi Nitta, contact COPH at (657) 278-3580 or coph@fullerton.edu

Clarence I. Nishizu

Clarence Nishizu standing outside in front of trees, with brothers in front of him

 

Clarence Nishizu (shown here with his brothers, circa 1924) was interned at Heart Mountain in Wyoming during World War II.  He went on to become a prominent member of the Japanese American Citizens League (JACL), and campaigned for redress for World War II internees. 

Nishizu's oral history interview was conducted by Richard D. Curtiss on January 1, 1966. 

For more information on Clarence Nishizu, contact COPH at (657) 278-3580 or coph@fullerton.edu