Analysis
Since the subjects of all of these photographs are children under the age of six, one can safely assume that, by the end of internment, they had no memory of life before internment. Yet, there is a visible difference in their emotions between their life in the camps under internment, and their life after they knew they could leave, even though the setting had not changed. Suddenly, they had something to look forward to, something for which they knew their parents hoped. Solely on the word of older children and adults, they believed that their lives had been better before and would be better afterward. This does not exactly mirror reality, as they cannot simply return to their homes and revert to pre-internment life. They still had to endure the lasting effects of racism against the Japanese and had to build themselves back into society, regaining employment and schooling. However, to see these children’s faces is to believe that everything would be perfect again immediately. This photographic timeline ends with the evacuation of the internment camps, so it does not capture the struggle that would follow these children for years. As good Americans, the public believed that which was printed in newspapers, therefore they still mistrusted Japanese Americans. The release of internment camps did not change everyone’s mind about the potential guilt of Japanese Americans, and the negative stigma would stick with them long into the Cold War.
The most notable difference in the Japanese American children of this Washington area throughout these photographs is that, before internment, they were children, and after internment, they are Japanese American children. While race has always been an issue in America, they lived in suburbs with manicured lawns as respected neighbors until Pearl Harbor. Once the internment process began, these children were forever marked with a modifier. They were no longer just children. It would be interesting to look at pictures of children a few years after the end of internment, when the harsh realities of this labeling were clear, but the collection being analyzed does not extend that far.
The most notable difference in the Japanese American children of this Washington area throughout these photographs is that, before internment, they were children, and after internment, they are Japanese American children. While race has always been an issue in America, they lived in suburbs with manicured lawns as respected neighbors until Pearl Harbor. Once the internment process began, these children were forever marked with a modifier. They were no longer just children. It would be interesting to look at pictures of children a few years after the end of internment, when the harsh realities of this labeling were clear, but the collection being analyzed does not extend that far.