| The Otsus (seen at left) were from Alameda, CA and came to Centerville/Niles* in hopes of avoiding the World War II evacuation of the Japanese after Pearl Harbor was bombed. Sugino Ushijima had originally lived in Alameda but moved to Centerville (in the Washington Township) around 1920.
On February 9, 1942, Tomoe Otsu wrote in her diary: “I wrote to Mrs. Ushijima in Niles asking for a favor. We may end up staying there. If possible, I would like to be near where Susumu-san** is. The rain continues to fall. It seems to be tears of sympathy for the Japanese in Alameda.”
On May 9, Lange photographed the Township Japanese as they were being evacuated on buses to Tanforan. But it’s possible the photo at left was Lange’s first of the day, given the overcast light and that the first buses were leaving at 8:30am (later that morning it was sunny).
Lange may have contacted the Washington Township JACL*** in advance to make this picture, which is clearly posed. The Ushijima house at RFD 371 (rural free delivery) was nearly two miles from the JACL where Lange made virtually all her other photos that day.
Did Lange then give the trio a ride to the JACL? There is nothing about it in her caption for this image, but she may have done so. Why not?
*Today, Centerville is Fremont, CA.
**Susumu Tomine would soon become Tomoe’s husband. They were married in Tanforan just before they were sent to be incarcerated in Topaz, Utah.
*** Japanese American Citizens League
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photo caption:
L to R: Tomoe Otsu, her mother, Yoshino Otsu, and family friend Sugino Ushijima at the Ushijima farm in Centerville. Photo by Dorothea Lange, May 9, 1942. Lange is one of America’s foremost photo documentarians, although she was very disappointed with her photos of the evacuation. “I fear the intolerance and prejudice is constantly growing,” Lange said. “We have a disease. It’s Jap-baiting and hatred. I went through an experience I’ll never forget when I was wo |
