Loading...
Identifier
ShirachiDorothy_2010_CRP
Description
Dorothy begins by describing her family. She lists off each member of her family, (one son, two grand-daughters, a brother and a sister, etc). Dorothy then describes how she came to Salinas, CA. She was born in Watergrove, CA and moved to Portland, CA, then moved to San Francisco and then moved to Salinas with her family. She met her husband shortly after the move and married in November of 1939. Dorothy’s husband began to help out her brother at his nursery in October of 1941. WWII started shortly after this, and Dorothy and her family were forced to move. They lived in the Salinas Fairground Internment camp from April of 1942 until July of 1942. Her family was then sent by train to Arizona from July 1942 until the spring of 1943. Dorothy and her husband moved east and lived in various states until they settled back in California. Although Dorothy’s experience during the internment of WWII was short, she does go into a lot of detail and speculation about why some people stayed at the camp longer. She also talks about the discrimination that Japanese met, especially in Salinas, which is why she felt that many didn’t return. Next Dorothy talks about her husband’s store on Lake Street and then her brother’s nursery. She doesn’t feel like she has much to say because the store was a partnership between her husband and brother. Dorothy, later in the interview, talks about her church involvement and career as an accountant, which is what she did while her husband ran both stores. She also helped out with community celebrations of Japanese culture. She talks in detail about teaching girls Japanese dances. Dorothy was raised Christian, but practiced some Buddhism when she came to California. She mostly spent time in and helping with the Methodist church. Dorothy describes in detail her husband’s baseball and military career. Her husband, Harry, was a famous Japanese-American baseball player. He was on the first national team and traveled to many states. He was able to travel a lot and was associated with the Japanese baseball team until 1999. When he was 38 he joined the army for a very short time, (he left when he was 39). Dorothy speculates that his short time was to partially clear his name as an American ally, and also because they needed his experience. Dorothy concludes by describing her experience during WWII. She sums up her family’s treatment during WWII as just that, an experience, and reflects that what she went through prepared her for her life as a farmer’s wife. She recommends that young people shouldn’t stress about whatever they’re experiencing because what they’re doing is probably going to be useful.
Interview Date
10-30-2010
Interviewer
Rebecca Barron
Geographic Coverage
Salinas (Calif.)
Subjects
Chinatown (Salinas, Calif.); Japanese American families; World War II--Incarceration camps; Incarceration Camps--Poston (Colorado River)
Type
Moving Image
Genre
Oral histories
Digital Format
video/mp4
Language
eng
Digital Collection
Chinatown Renewal Project
Repository
Archives & Special Collections of California State University, Monterey Bay
Disclaimer
These oral histories express the personal views, memories, and opinions of the interviewee. They do not represent the policy or views of California State University, Monterey Bay.
Recommended Citation
Shirachi, Dorothy and California State University, Monterey Bay, "Interview with Dorothy Shirachi" (2010). Chinatown Renewal Project. 43.
https://digitalcommons.csumb.edu/ohcma_chinatown/43
Rights Statement
