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[Home Movies of Jerome and Rohwer / circa 1942 – 1945]
Maker
Watanabe, Bruce
Artist
Henry Sugimoto
(American, 1900 - 1990)
Date1942-1945
DimensionsFilm Format: 8.00 mm, L: 180 ft
ClassificationsMoving Images
Credit LineGift of Bruce M. Watanabe, M.D.
Object number2003.121.7
DescriptionBlack and white home movie footage of Jerome and Rohwer concentration camps, filmed by Gunji Watanabe, circa 1942-1945. The footage shows panning views of camp scenery and buildings, people moving with luggage (possibly between the closure of Jerome and move to Rohwer), and features multiple instances of men and women painting, including Henry Sugimoto.
0:31 – Adults exiting a barracks building and walking in a line towards the camera operator carrying small portable paint boxes. One man carries a laundry basket away from the camera.
0:50 – A painting on an easel of a camp scene; camera backs away from the painting. Possibly Henry Sugimoto painting.
1:00 – Panning views of camp buildings including barracks and auditorium building; basketball hoop and empty dirt; more barracks.
1:42 – Three women sit on the steps of a barracks doing arts and crafts or reading, one man bothers the woman on the right, she swats him.
1:47 – People painting outdoors with portable easels.
2:02 – Pan across assembled members of art class standing with their supplies.
2:17 – Panning views of camp including a water tank, cement pipes, and nearby buildings.
2:56 – Workers relaxing near water tank; Man exits building.
3:19 – Same man carves wood.
3:29 – Panning views of water tank area with cement pipes; men exiting a building.
3:48 – Men walking above water tank on catwalk.
4:08 – Adults sitting on a porch, some men carve wood with hammers and chisels. Girl swings on a swingset.
4:23 – Exterior views of area between barracks, many children and adults walking or standing around.
4:44 – Man carries a baby. People enter and exit a barracks; luggage is outside apartment 3-02-E.
5:00 – People milling around mounds of trunks and luggage waiting to load into trucks.
5:32 – Panning views of barracks exteriors with more luggage; very scratched and grainy film. Trucks pull up. Men and women stand around in separate groups chatting.
6:27 – Truck pulls away from camera operator, piled with luggage. More people standing around; sitting on porches fanning themselves.
7:08 – Girls run a race over a dusty field.
7:15 – Two women and a young boy exit barrack apartments 33-7-B and C, stroll between buildings, stand and pose on their porch.
7:57 – Exteriors of barracks, many landscaped plants and bushes visible. Woman walks towards camera operator. Another woman carries two empty pails to a laundry building, and walks back with them full of water.
8:48 – Closeup of two women and young boy (same as strolling group from 7:15). Girl exits barrack with little girl, carries her towards camera operator.
9:22 – A painting on an easel of a camp scene, possibly a Henry Sugimoto.
9:27 – Girls playing outside a barracks.
9:36 – A painting on an easel of a camp scene; another painting of a young girl with a doll.
10:06 – Panning view of barracks exterior with extensive landscaping, girls playing outside, people strolling.
10:50 – Group sitting on a barracks porch, walking around landscaping.
11:32 – Closeups of group members’ faces.
11:38 – Very dark interior of mess hall; people serving food, grabbing plates, eating at tables. Some closeups of people eating.
12:38 – Artist in straw hat (Henry Sugimoto) painting while standing at an easel (painting in JANM collection, ID# 92.97.90, is on the easel). He removes his hat and looks at the camera operator. Closeups of painting (man, woman, and young girl pushing a wheelbarrow in winter in camp.
13:02 – Man, woman, and girl (Henry, Susie, and Madeleine Sugimoto) exiting a barracks and walking. Closeups of each family member.
13:37 – Man and two women exit barrack 28-2-C. Closeups of each family member.
13:50 – Water tank panning views; people walking by camera operator; panning views of camp buildings and cars. Hospital smokestack visible at 14:37.
14:48 – Young JA woman and elderly caucasian man stroll near buildings.
15:12 – Women stroll between buildings. Footage becomes speckled and grainier. Older man paints at an easel; closeup of his painting of a woman and the same woman standing next to the canvas. The man stands with his painting, points at it, and the camera operator pans over to the painting and back.
16:16 – Barracks exteriors covered with plants; children standing around.
16:41 – Film goes black.
Black and white amateur footage of activities at Jerome and Rohwer concentration camps, Arkansas filmed by Bruce Watanabe between 1942 and 1945. Composed of home movie clips of the daily life Japanese Americans lived during their World War II incarceration, including images of people walking around the barracks with suitcases, women sewing, children playing, girls running in a foot race, various people painting and sketching, and the mess hall.;1 film reel (180 ft.) : si., b&w ; 8 mm. original pos.
0:31 – Adults exiting a barracks building and walking in a line towards the camera operator carrying small portable paint boxes. One man carries a laundry basket away from the camera.
0:50 – A painting on an easel of a camp scene; camera backs away from the painting. Possibly Henry Sugimoto painting.
1:00 – Panning views of camp buildings including barracks and auditorium building; basketball hoop and empty dirt; more barracks.
1:42 – Three women sit on the steps of a barracks doing arts and crafts or reading, one man bothers the woman on the right, she swats him.
1:47 – People painting outdoors with portable easels.
2:02 – Pan across assembled members of art class standing with their supplies.
2:17 – Panning views of camp including a water tank, cement pipes, and nearby buildings.
2:56 – Workers relaxing near water tank; Man exits building.
3:19 – Same man carves wood.
3:29 – Panning views of water tank area with cement pipes; men exiting a building.
3:48 – Men walking above water tank on catwalk.
4:08 – Adults sitting on a porch, some men carve wood with hammers and chisels. Girl swings on a swingset.
4:23 – Exterior views of area between barracks, many children and adults walking or standing around.
4:44 – Man carries a baby. People enter and exit a barracks; luggage is outside apartment 3-02-E.
5:00 – People milling around mounds of trunks and luggage waiting to load into trucks.
5:32 – Panning views of barracks exteriors with more luggage; very scratched and grainy film. Trucks pull up. Men and women stand around in separate groups chatting.
6:27 – Truck pulls away from camera operator, piled with luggage. More people standing around; sitting on porches fanning themselves.
7:08 – Girls run a race over a dusty field.
7:15 – Two women and a young boy exit barrack apartments 33-7-B and C, stroll between buildings, stand and pose on their porch.
7:57 – Exteriors of barracks, many landscaped plants and bushes visible. Woman walks towards camera operator. Another woman carries two empty pails to a laundry building, and walks back with them full of water.
8:48 – Closeup of two women and young boy (same as strolling group from 7:15). Girl exits barrack with little girl, carries her towards camera operator.
9:22 – A painting on an easel of a camp scene, possibly a Henry Sugimoto.
9:27 – Girls playing outside a barracks.
9:36 – A painting on an easel of a camp scene; another painting of a young girl with a doll.
10:06 – Panning view of barracks exterior with extensive landscaping, girls playing outside, people strolling.
10:50 – Group sitting on a barracks porch, walking around landscaping.
11:32 – Closeups of group members’ faces.
11:38 – Very dark interior of mess hall; people serving food, grabbing plates, eating at tables. Some closeups of people eating.
12:38 – Artist in straw hat (Henry Sugimoto) painting while standing at an easel (painting in JANM collection, ID# 92.97.90, is on the easel). He removes his hat and looks at the camera operator. Closeups of painting (man, woman, and young girl pushing a wheelbarrow in winter in camp.
13:02 – Man, woman, and girl (Henry, Susie, and Madeleine Sugimoto) exiting a barracks and walking. Closeups of each family member.
13:37 – Man and two women exit barrack 28-2-C. Closeups of each family member.
13:50 – Water tank panning views; people walking by camera operator; panning views of camp buildings and cars. Hospital smokestack visible at 14:37.
14:48 – Young JA woman and elderly caucasian man stroll near buildings.
15:12 – Women stroll between buildings. Footage becomes speckled and grainier. Older man paints at an easel; closeup of his painting of a woman and the same woman standing next to the canvas. The man stands with his painting, points at it, and the camera operator pans over to the painting and back.
16:16 – Barracks exteriors covered with plants; children standing around.
16:41 – Film goes black.
Black and white amateur footage of activities at Jerome and Rohwer concentration camps, Arkansas filmed by Bruce Watanabe between 1942 and 1945. Composed of home movie clips of the daily life Japanese Americans lived during their World War II incarceration, including images of people walking around the barracks with suitcases, women sewing, children playing, girls running in a foot race, various people painting and sketching, and the mess hall.;1 film reel (180 ft.) : si., b&w ; 8 mm. original pos.
Yoritsune, Henry
1930-1956
Hashizume, Naokichi
1936-1939
Watanabe, Gunji
ca. 1936-1937
Fukuzaki, Ben
ca. 1943-1955