Book Review - Minidoka Interlude

Many people remember their high school yearbooks fondly. While looking through their classmates’ photos with family and friends, they usually point out the changes to people’s appearances. Over the years, people change and yearbooks are typically an enjoyable way to remember the past. Incarcerated Japanese Americans also created a yearbook, in 1943 of all individuals confined at Minidoka. The Minidoka Interlude contains photos of all Japanese Americans confined at Minidoka in 1943, including children and infants. Staff and administrators of the camp joined in the photobook. Clubs, sports, activities, and gatherings highlight the ways that those at Minidoka attempted to create a sense of normalcy and community, despite the circumstances of removal. 

One of the most vital aspects of The Minidoka Interlude is the photos of Minidoka and the display of daily life at Minidoka. Though all of the photos are clearly staged, the books demonstrates the conditions Nikkei lived in, including the stark, barren landscape that creeps at the corners of the photos in the background of the barracks. The yearbook helps individuals figure out what block and building their families lived in during the war, and provides information about the ways that Japanese Americans made the best of their horrific situation. The subpar cooking and education materials are also displayed, demonstrating the need for resourcefulness among Nikkei. Additionally, since incarcerated Japanese Americans did not have access to cameras, few photos of individuals and families at Minidoka exist, so The Minidoka Interlude helps to keep the connection between survivors and descendants strong. 

Friends of Minidoka currently has reprinted copies of The Minidoka Interlude available for purchase on our website.