Pacific Citizen: Japanese Americans Can Trace Family’s Experience in Incarceration Camps

Japanese Americans interested in learning about their family’s experience in incarceration camps during World War II can see personal profiles and documentation on their family at the National Archives in Washington, D.C., reports Patti Hirahara in the Pacific Citizen.

This can be a moving experience for many, especially those who have relatives who have shared very little about their time in incarceration. The service is free, but there will be costs associated with making copies of the documents.

You’ll be able to see personal handwritten documents including what your family wrote on the WRA (War Relocation Authority) profiles as well as carbon copies of documents. To get started register for a National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) research card. You must also show photo identification, fill out some paperwork and sit through a PowerPoint presentation.

You must have the person’s name and birth date as well handwritten permission from that person to look up their records for privacy reasons. If the person is dead, you should bring a death certificate.

For more detailed information, read the Pacific Citizen. It also has important information for anyone who cannot make a trip to Washington, D.C. but might still be interested in retrieving some records.