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Hirao Smoky Sakurada Photograph Collection

 Collection
Identifier: 2005.010

Scope and Contents

The Hirao Smoky Sakurada Photograph Collection contains photographs of friends, acquaintances and prominent Chicagoans throughout the years (1940s-2000s). Many of the earliest photographs are assembled into a scrapbook album (ca.1949-1955) and Sakurada has identified most of the individuals and the events at which the photos were taken. The photographs also document many of the events organized by the Japanese American Service Committee (JASC) and the Japanese American Citizens League (JACL). Sakurada dated most of the photographs in ink on the back and identified many individuals. One should note, however, the some of the names may be misspelled.

Dates

  • 1948-2000s

Biographical / Historical

Hirao Smoky Sakurada (1917-2008) was a resident of California when President Franklin Delano Roosevelt authorized United States Executive Order 9066 on February 19, 1942. This order led to the forced evacuations of individuals of Japanese descent from designated “military zones” located mostly along the West Coast. Smoky and his family first reported to Merced Assembly Center and then they were incarcerated at Granada Relocation Center (also known as Amache) in Colorado.
After World War II ended, Smoky relocated to Chicago, Illinois and became an active member of the Japanese American Citizens League, the Japanese American Service Committee and the Friends of the Parks organization.

Source: Sakurada, Hirao Smoky

Extent

7 boxes

Language of Materials

English

Japanese

General

Stacks 02 Column 07 Shelf A

Title
Hirao Smoky Sakurada Photograph Collection
Language of description
English
Script of description
Latin
Language of description note
English

Repository Details

Part of the JASC Legacy Center Repository

Contact:
4427 N Clark St.
Chicago IL 60640 United States
1 (773) 275-0097