Introduction
These guidelines were written in 2020-2021 by members of the Reparative Archival Description Task Force: Stephanie Bredbenner, Alison Clemens, Cate Peebles, Karen Spicher, Jessica Tai (chair), and Timothy Thompson. This document was formed to provide additional guidance on the remediation of collections documenting Japanese American incarceration during World War II. The authors of these guidelines consist of a majority of white people at a predominately white institution. None of the primary task force members identify as Japanese American. In the course of developing these recommendations we have collaborated with community groups, including Densho and the Japanese American Citizens League who have advised on the development of our preferred terminology guidelines. Both groups were offered honoraria for their time and expertise. In addition, other members of the Yale community have served in consultative roles on our task force, including James Kessenides, Librarian for American History, Haruko Nakamura, Librarian for Japanese Studies, and Mary Lui, Professor of American Studies and History. We thank our colleagues for their invaluable contributions to our work.
Methodology
Terms used in our preferred terminology guide (see below) have been selected based on community-produced resources, including Densho’s Terminology Guide and the Japanese American Citizen League’s Power of Words Handbook. These resources aided us in identifying which finding aids and MARC records we included for redescription. Identification was also guided by prior research conducted by Yale graduate students Megan Asaka and Courtney Sato. A list of the records included in the project are located in a chart below. Additional conversations with both groups helped determine our local preferred terms, and as well as additional guidelines on the application of terms and potential exceptions. We recognize the limits on reaching a definitive consensus on the preferred terms to describe specific communities or events.
Style
Recognizing the need for nuance and careful consideration in redescription, the following style guidelines have been formulated:
Inserting preferred terminology in place of existing description can be challenging, as adding new language can feel as though it is not adequately integrated. Description should be looked at holistically, taking context into consideration, and making additional edits as needed to ensure cohesion.
Although repeating terms such as “incarcerees” may feel awkward, it is preferable over leaving non-preferred terms in place. When possible, use people-first language to avoid repetition (i.e. “people,” or using the names of the incarcerees vs. only using the term “incarcerees”)
When using the preferred terminology guide to determine preferred terms, pay special attention to the “notes” column. This additional guidance includes important considerations when conducting redescription, including exceptions for the use of certain non-preferred terms.
Exceptions for the use of non preferred terminology
In the “notes” column of the preferred terminology guide, it lists that there is an exception for the use of the terms, “interned,” “internment,” and “internment camp.” These terms should be reserved for cases of describing Japanese Americans detained by the Army or the DOJ. An accompanying tab on the spreadsheet lists the DOJ and Army camps that qualify for the use of these terms.
Another exception is the use of “relocation center” when used as part of an official name (ex. “Gila River War Relocation Center.” Use the preferred term, “American concentration camp” to describe camps (ex. Minidoka concentration camp), or use the official name in conjunction with the preferred term (ex. The Gila River War Relocation Center was an American concentration camp in Arizona).
Processing information
Provide the following note specific to material documenting Japanese American incarceration:
This finding aid was revised in [year] to address outdated or harmful descriptive language. During that revision, description was changed in [general description of descriptive sites, e.g. the scope and contents notes of Series I and Series II]. References to Japanese American “relocation,” “evacuation,” and “internment” during World War II were removed and replaced with community recommended/currently accepted terminology in [year], such as “Japanese American incarceration.” Previous versions of this finding aid may be available. Please contact [repository] for details. If you have questions or comments about these revisions, please contact the [repository] or the Archival and Manuscript Description Committee. For more information on reparative archival description at Yale, see <ref href="https://guides.library.yale.edu/specialcollections/statementondescription">Yale’s Statement on Harmful Language in Archival Description.</ref>
If original creator folder titles or original descriptive notes are present in the finding aid (often indicated by quotation marks), indicate that in the processing information note accordingly:
Folder titles were revised to enclose original creator-supplied titles in quotation marks [in accordance with Yale University Library/repository policy] in [year]. Original folder titles may include outdated or harmful descriptive language. Original folder titles have been maintained to preserve the original context of how the creator labeled their files.
This finding aid contains original creator-supplied titles. [Devised titles are enclosed in brackets, and all other folder titles are original.] [All folder titles in this finding aid are original.] Original folder titles may include outdated or harmful descriptive language. Original folder titles have been maintained to preserve the original context of how the creator labeled their files.
Use of original descriptive language in titles/description
This finding aid contains original descriptive language for materials that may contain outdated or harmful language. This may include [transcribed captions of photographs/transcribed titles of printed works]. The use of this description is not an endorsement of the language it contains. Original descriptive language has been retained to promote searchability and discoverability of the collections.
For additional guidance on processing notes, see: RAD Standardized description notes
Revision statement
Include the following revision statement when changes are made to the finding aid:
Revision date: YYYY-MM-DD
Finding aid revised to replace outdated or harmful descriptive language. See the processing note for more information.
For additional guidance on revision statements, see: Reparative Archival Description Task Force: Standardized descriptive notes.
When a record lacks sufficient or proper historical context, a standard biographical/historical note should be added as the first biog/hist note:
The United States declared war on Japan in 1941 following an attack by Japan on the United States naval base at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii. Under authority granted by Executive Order 9066, issued in February 1942, the federal government incarcerated over 120,000 people of Japanese descent in American concentration camps.
Add this note as needed when material documenting Japanese American incarceration makes up a significant portion or majority of the collection.
Edit this note as needed to indicate differing historical contexts, e.g. incarceration in Canada or Latin America.
954
Provide the following note specific to material documenting Japanese American incarceration:
This catalog record was edited in [year] as part of ongoing revision of outdated or harmful language in cataloging. Previous versions of this catalog record may be available. For more information, contact the [repository]. ‡d YYYY-MM-DD ‡7 repdesc
NOTE: only add this note if actual language was revised in the catalog record.
If the record includes the use of original descriptive language in titles/description, you can add the following text to the 954 note:
This catalog record contains original descriptive language for materials that may contain outdated or harmful language. This may include [transcribed captions of photographs/transcribed titles of printed works]. The use of this description is not an endorsement of the language it contains. Original descriptive language has been retained to promote searchability and discoverability of the collections. ‡d YYYY-MM-DD ‡7 repdesc
545
When a record lacks proper historical context, a standard 545 note should be added as the last 500 note in the record:
The United States declared war on Japan in 1941 following an attack by Japan on the United States naval base at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii. Under authority granted by Executive Order 9066, issued in February 1942, the federal government incarcerated over 120,000 people of Japanese descent in American concentration camps.
| Non-preferred term | Community preferred term/s | Local preferred term | Notes | Sources |
| assembly center/camp | temporary detention center | temporary detention center | Assembly center should only be used as part of a proper noun (ex. Santa Anita Assembly Center). The use of a proper noun should be followed by the preferred term (ex. At its peak, the Santa Anita Assembly Center, a temporary detention center, held 18,719 incarcarees) | Densho, JACL |
| detainees | incarcerees | incarcerees | Refers to those held in American concentration camps | JACL |
| evacuation | forced removal, exclusion | forced removal | Densho, JACL | |
| evacuees | people [who were] forcibly removed | people [who were] forcibly removed | Densho, JACL | |
| interned | incarcerated | incarcerated | Use preferred term, unless in the specific case of describing Japanese Americans detained by the Army or DOJ | Densho, JACL |
| internees | incarcerees | incarcerees | Refers to those held in American concentration camps | JACL |
| internment | incarceration | incarceration | Use preferred term, unless in the specific case of describing Japanese Americans detained by the Army or DOJ. If this context is not known, use the preferred term. | Densho |
| internment camp | American concentration camp, incarceration camp, illegal detention center | American concentration camp | Use preferred term to describe camps (ex. Minidoka concentration camp) Internment camp may be used in the exception of describing Japanese Americans detained by the Army or DOJ. If this context is not known, use the preferred term. | Densho, JACL |
| internment center | internment center | internment center | Use this term only when describing a DOJ or Army camp holding Japanese Americans under Alien Enemies Act 1798 | JACL |
| Japanese detainees | Japanese American incarceree | Japanese American incarceree | Densho, JACL | |
| Japanese evacuees | Japanese American incarceree | Japanese American incarceree | Densho, JACL | |
| Japanese relocation | Japanese American incarceration | Japanese American incarceration | Densho, JACL | |
| Japanese-American detainees | Japanese American incarceree | Japanese American incarceree | Densho, JACL | |
| Japanese-Americans evacuees | Japanese American incarceree | Japanese American incarceree | Densho, JACL | |
| relocate | forced removal | forced removal | JACL | |
| relocation | forced removal | forced removal | JACL | |
| relocation center/camp | American concentration camp, incarceration camp, illegal detention center | American concentration camp | In describing certain historical contexts, or describing official government communication, the phrase relocation center may be appropriate only as part of an official name (ex. "Gila River War Relocation Center" or "War Relocation Authority") It is not otherwise recommended for general usage even with quotation marks. Use preferred term to describe camps (ex. Minidoka concentration camp), or use the official name in conjunction with the preferred term (ex. The Gila River War Relocation Center was an American concentration camp in Arizona) |
Densho, JACL |
| temporary detention camp | temporary detention center |
temporary detention center |
JACL |
|
Call number |
Repository |
Title |
Link to finding aid and/or catalog record |
|
WA MSS S-4113 |
Beinecke |
Photographs of baseball players in Gila River Relocation Center |
|
|
WA MSS S-1590 |
Beinecke |
Walter Millsap / Keikichi Akana Imamura family papers |
|
|
WA MSS S-2429 |
Beinecke |
United States War Relocation Authority reports |
|
|
WA MSS S-2650 |
Beinecke |
Records related to the community government at the Poston Relocation Center, Arizona |
|
|
WA MSS S-2651 |
Beinecke |
Mary Burford Courage papers related to the Poston Relocation Center, Arizona |
|
|
WA MSS S-2894 R4499 |
Beinecke |
Letter : Missoula, Montana, to Walter |
|
|
WA MSS S-2897 |
Beinecke |
Yonekazu Satoda papers, photographs, and films |
|
|
WA MSS S-2996 |
Beinecke |
United States Army Western Defense Command records |
|
|
WA MSS S-3059 |
Beinecke |
[Drawings of scenes of the Central Utah Relocation Center] |
|
|
WA MSS S-3082 |
Beinecke |
Katano family papers, |
|
|
WA MSS S-3088 |
Beinecke |
Albert Tsugawa papers relating to Tri-Lake High School, Tule Lake Relocation Center |
|
|
WA MSS S-3108 Sa782 |
Beinecke |
Ben S. Sasaki papers |
|
|
WA MSS S-3114 |
Beinecke |
Kennosuke Matsuo papers |
|
|
WA MSS S-3117 |
Beinecke |
Tetsu Oda papers |
|
|
WA MSS S-3198 |
Beinecke |
Report on the evacuation of persons of Japanese ancestry from the northern California sector |
|
|
WA MSS S-3211 |
Beinecke |
Aiko Takita and Miyeko Takita papers |
|
|
WA MSS S-3315 El528 |
Beinecke |
Report on alien internee camps : typescript. |
|
|
WA MSS S-3367 N633 |
Beinecke |
Corrine Nishimura autograph album : manuscript. |
|
|
WA MSS S-3470 |
Beinecke |
Sally Sakae Kusayanagi and Thomas Mosahur Okabe correspondence |
|
|
WA MSS S-3744 |
Beinecke |
John Fujio Aiso and Sumi Akiyama Aiso papers |
|
|
WA MSS S-3895 G79893 |
Beinecke |
Statistics on evacuees removed from Northern California from files on Wartime Civil Control Administration : Report on Japanese-Americans relocated in northern California from Western Relocation Division of WRA |
|
|
WA MSS S-3897 |
Beinecke |
Noriko Sawada Bridges Flynn and Haruko Fujioka letters and photograph album |
|
|
WA MSS S-3903 K8119 |
Beinecke |
Jay K. Kochi papers concerning Gila River Relocation Center |
|
|
WA MSS S-3993 |
Beinecke |
Matsuura family letters |
|
|
WA MSS S-3994 |
Beinecke |
Ii family correspondence |
|
|
WA MSS S-4027 |
Beinecke |
Heart Mountain Community Christian Church programs |
|
|
WA MSS S-4070 K8119 |
Beinecke |
Jay K. Kochi high school graduation papers |
|
|
WA MSS S-4115 M6997 |
Beinecke |
Manzanar : typescript |
|
|
WA Photos 510 |
Beinecke |
Photographs of Japanese and Japanese American incarcerees at the Poston Relocation Center, Arizona. |
|
|
WA Photos 537 |
Beinecke |
[Photographs of the Manzanar Concentration Camp, California]. |
|
|
WA Photos 550 |
Beinecke |
[Photograph album of activities in California and correspondence related to Japanese American incarceration]. |
|
|
WA Photos 557 |
Beinecke |
[Photographs of Japanese American adolescents and young adults during World War II incarceration]. |
|
|
WA Photos 778 |
Beinecke |
[Photograph album related to the Bay Farm concentration camp at Slocan, British Columbia, and agricultural work at the Niagara Peninsula, Ontario]. |
|
|
WA Photos Folio 207 |
Beinecke |
War relocation center Manzanar California |
|
|
Zc49 +On5 |
Beinecke |
Onlooker |
|
|
2019 Folio 123 |
Beinecke |
Relocation of Japanese Americans |
|
|
Zc56 +R53 |
Beinecke |
Rivulet (Rivers, Ariz.) |
|
|
Zc45 +943mi |
Beinecke |
Minidoka interlude : September, 1942-October, 1943 / [edited by Tom Takeuchi]. |
|
|
1978 Folio S106 |
Beinecke |
Tulean dispatch (Newell, Calif. : 1943) |
|
|
Zc24 +V66 |
Beinecke |
Victoria / presented by The Students of Denson High School. |
|
|
Zc49 +983am |
Beinecke |
Amache remembered, 1942-1945 / [Amache Memorial Project]. |
|
|
E184 J3 U53 (LC) |
Beinecke |
Uprooted Americans in your community |
|
|
1979 Folio S26 |
Beinecke |
Topaz Times |
|
|
Zc10 +943ja |
Beinecke |
Japanese American student relocation : an American challenge. |
|
|
Zc72 2003bL |
Beinecke |
Blossoms in the desert |
|
|
Zc45 +H91 |
Beinecke |
Memoirs / Hunt High School. |
|
|
Zc56 +Y33 |
Beinecke |
Year's Flight. |
|
|
Zc24 988je |
Beinecke |
Jerome reunion. II : October 7, 8, 9, 1988. |
|
|
2019 +S655 |
Beinecke |
Information digest : for the use of the WRA staff / War Relocation Authority. |
|
|
1979 +S7 |
Beinecke |
Post-año. |
|
|
1978 Folio S104 |
Beinecke |
Heart Mountain sentinel. |
|
|
Zc10 +942ch |
Beinecke |
A chronology of evacuation and relocation. |
|
|
Zc72 +945va |
Beinecke |
Valediction / published by the Associated Student Body of Manzanar High School. |
|
|
Zc72 +944ou |
Beinecke |
Our world, 1943-1944 : Manzanar High. |
|
|
Zc72 944ar |
Beinecke |
Archie-- senior year at Tri-State. |
|
|
Zc72 943to |
Beinecke |
Today we follow, tomorrow we lead : senior colors, red and white. |
|
|
Zc56 +945mo |
Beinecke |
Mohaveland. |
|
|
Zc47 +H35 |
Beinecke |
Documents Composed at the Heart Mountain Relocation Camp in Wyoming |
|
|
RG 178 |
DIV |
Charlotte B. DeForest Papers |
|
|
RG 61 |
DIV |
Issues of Peace and War Pamphlet Collection |
|
|
MS 1089 |
Manuscripts & Archives |
Sidney Lovett papers |
|
|
MS 1129 |
Manuscripts & Archives |
Bernard Bloch Papers |
|
|
MS 1830 |
Manuscripts & Archives |
Christopher Phillips papers |
|
|
MS 1923 |
Manuscripts & Archives |
Samuel Kravitt photographs and other materials |
|
|
MS 465 |
Manuscripts & Archives |
Henry Lewis Stimson papers |
|
|
MS 688 |
Manuscripts & Archives |
World War II collection, |
|
|
MS 771 |
Manuscripts & Archives |
Elizabeth Page Harris Papers |
|
|
MS 803 |
Manuscripts & Archives |
United States War Relocation Authority. Poston, Arizona Relocation Center Collection |
|
|
D769.8 A6 L47 |
Sterling |
U.S. Commission on Wartime Relocation and Internment of Civilians |
|
|
Film B17277 |
Sterling |
President Franklin D. Roosevelt's office files, 1933-1945 |
|
|
Film B21136 |
Sterling |
Japanese-American evacuation and resettlement records |
|
|
Film B20859 |
Sterling |
Records of the War Relocation Authority, 1942-1946 field basic documentation located at the National Archives, Washington, D.C. |
|
|
Film An J271 19-20 |
Sterling |
Topaz Times |
|
|
Cb4y J27 +Un33p |
Sterling |
United States. War Relocation Authority. Community Analysis Section. |
|
|
Cb4y J27 949p |
Sterling |
The College Nisei |
|
|
Film B14028 |
Sterling |
The governing of men [microform]; general principles and recommendation based on experience at a Japanese relocation camp [by] Alexander H. Leighton. |
|
|
D753.8 Y67 1988 |
Sterling |
Manzanar Concentration Camp diary : 12/7/41--12/17/42 |
|
|
WQ 1187 |
Sterling |
[Report of activities at the Colorado River Relocation Center (for Japanese) at Poston, Arizona] |
|
|
PL889 U6 N55 1997 7 |
Sterling |
Hāto Maunten bungei. |
|
|
PL889 U6 N55 1997 5-6 |
Sterling |
Tessaku. |
|
|
PL889 U6 N55 1997 3-4 |
Sterling |
Doto |
|
|
PL889 U6 N55 1997 2 |
Sterling |
Wakōdo. |
|
|
WC 4596 |
Sterling |
A Tule Lake interlude; first anniversary, Tule Lake W.R.A. project, May 27, 1942-1943. |
|
|
Zc49 +944am |
Sterling |
Amache |
|
|
PL889 U6 N55 1997 8-12 |
Sterling |
Posuton bungei. |
|
|
Film S1338 |
Sterling |
Pacific citizen [microform]. |
| Before | After |
|---|---|
| The Poston Relocation Center in Arizona was the largest of the ten Japanese American internment camps operated by the United States War Relocation Authority during World War II, 1942-1945. | The Poston Relocation Center in Arizona was the largest of the ten American concentration camps operated by the United States War Relocation Authority during World War II, 1942-1945. |
| Publications published by the United States War Relocation Authority include information distributed to employees and residents of the camp. The collection includes... newspaper clippings from 1992 about the evacuation and relocation of Japanese Americans...The collection also includes photographic Christmas cards, circa 1952-1955, from the Kitaji family, who were former residents of the camp. | Publications published by the United States War Relocation Authority include information distributed to employees and Japanese Americans incarcerated in the camp. The collection includes...newspaper clippings from 1992 about the forced removal and incarceration of Japanese Americans. The collection also includes photographic Christmas cards, circa 1952-1955, from the Kitaji family, who were incarcerated in the camp. |
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