Othering
The Mochida family, relatives of Fred Korematsu, painted their name and an identifying symbol on each of their bags so the children could keep track of their possessions. The War Relocation Authority required them to wear tags with assigned identification numbers: one number per family and a letter for each family member. “A” denoted the head of the family or, if the elders did not speak English, the Nisei child who would be the chief point of contact with the authorities. Photograph by Dorothea Lange, Centerville, CA, May 9, 1942. National Archives.
Los Angeles residents shoved their belongings onto trains bound for Manzanar Relocation Center in California. The packed trains were hot and stuffy. Military police with rifles and bayonets guarded each car. People were not allowed to lift the blinds on the windows. The army said it was for the passengers’ own protection. Photograph by Clem Albers, Los Angeles, California, April 1, 1942. National Archives.
Government-hired photographer Dorthea Lange captured the weight of forced removal and incarceration on a tenant farmer, who had tidied everything and neatly packed for the next day’s expulsion. Photograph by Dorothea Lange, Woodland, California, May 20, 1942. National Archives.