Oral Histories

One rich source of social and community history comes from interviews with those who have most directly lived that history. These primary sources provide insight into the perspectives and experiences often overlooked in official documents. The JACL Collection includes a valuable set of interviews conducted with Nisei in Pocatello and Blackfoot between 1996 and 2004 by Bob Sims and Ron James. These are available among the digitized records of that collection, with links available below. Dameon Hansen in the Global Idaho class added to this record with the following interview of his relative, Brian Morishita, who lives near Idaho Falls.

Densho Digital Archives

Densho.org is a wide-ranging, high-quality set of resources to document the World War II era incarceration of Japanese Americans. Although Nikkei of southeast Idaho were not forced from their homes during the war, the proximity and large population of the Minidoka Camp cast a deep shadow over their lives. Many interacted with those who were imprisoned at Minidoka. The Densho Digital Archives includes the following oral history interviews that discuss Nisei experiences in Pocatello during the war.