by Jean Hibino
In April 1943 Junzo Hibino, an Issei man incarcerated in Topaz Relocation Center, wrote a letter in English to his son, Yosh, who was studying at the University of Texas in Austin.
Junzo had come to the US from Gifu Prefecture in 1903, intending to study English and become a doctor; but he eventually abandoned his dream. By the time the War began, he was living in Berkeley with his wife, Ito, and sons Yoshiyuki (Yosh) and Yukio (Yuk). The Hibinos worked as domestics in the homes of rich white people, gardening, cleaning, cooking, serving, and other odd jobs here and there.
On April 24, 1942 orders were issued for the Berkeley Japanese community to leave. The junk man came and took almost everything the Hibinos owned for $50, including their beloved dog, Boy. Six days later the family entered Tanforan as family number 13605. Yosh later recalled, “I remember sitting on the bus to Tanforan Assembly Center next to my brother with our folks sitting behind us. I see Ma sitting on the cot that first day in the horse stable, crying. I wasn’t much good at giving her consolation.”
thank you for doing this