Harry Ueno facts for kids

Harry Yoshio Ueno (1907-2004) was a Japanese-American activist. He was held in a special camp called Manzanar during World War II. He became well-known when he was arrested after an incident involving another camp leader. Many people in the camp believed he was innocent. His arrest led to a big protest known as the Manzanar Riot.

Early Life

Harry Ueno was born on April 14, 1907, in Pau’ulino, Hawaii. He had two brothers. In 1915, Harry moved to Japan. He went to school there, near Hiroshima and Tokyo.

He came back to the U.S. in 1923. He worked many different jobs across the country. In 1930, he married Yaso Taguchi Ueno. They had three sons and lived near Little Tokyo in Los Angeles. Harry worked selling fresh produce.

After the attack on Pearl Harbor in 1941, things changed. The U.S. government issued Executive Order 9066. This order forced many Japanese Americans to leave their homes. They had to move to special camps. Harry Ueno and his family were sent to the Manzanar War Relocation Center.

Life in Manzanar Camp

Harry Ueno arrived at Manzanar on May 15, 1942. He worked as a cook's helper in his living area, called Block 22. He also built a small rock pond outside the dining hall. This helped make the camp feel a bit nicer for people.

In October 1942, Harry started the Mess Hall Workers Union. This group included many Kibei, who were Japanese Americans educated in Japan. At this time, many people in the camp were upset. They felt that the Japanese American Citizens League (JACL) was not helping them. They thought the JACL supported their detention in the camp.

The Manzanar Riot

On December 5, 1942, a JACL leader named Fred Tayama was attacked. He was badly hurt by a group of people. Harry Ueno and two other Kibei were arrested soon after. Two of them were let go, but Harry was kept in jail. Tayama said Harry was one of the attackers. Harry was taken to a jail in Independence, California.

News of Harry's arrest quickly spread through Manzanar. Many people in the camp were very angry. They believed Harry was innocent.

On December 6, some members of the Mess Hall Union met with the camp director, Ralph Merritt. They wanted Harry Ueno to be brought back to Manzanar. Merritt agreed to move Harry to Manzanar's jail. But he wanted the crowd to go back to their barracks first.

Later that evening, people gathered again. The crowd became very upset. Shots were fired by soldiers, and two people died. Nine others were hurt. This event became known as the Manzanar Riot.

After the Riot

Even though he was not charged with a crime, Harry Ueno was moved from Manzanar. He was sent to a jail in Bishop, California. A few days later, he was moved again to Lone Pine. Other men who were seen as "troublemakers" were also sent there.

On January 9, 1943, Harry and the other prisoners were sent to a camp in Moab, Utah. He stayed there for four months in a special isolation center. This center was for people who caused problems in other camps. While there, he said he would give up his U.S. citizenship. He planned to go back to Japan.

Later, he was moved to a camp in Leupp, Arizona. He was jailed for two weeks before getting a spot in the barracks. Harry kept asking for a trial or a hearing. He wanted to prove he was innocent. But the government never gave him one.

In December 1943, the Leupp camp closed. Harry was then moved to Camp Tulelake. There, he was finally reunited with his wife and children. Harry promised the camp director he would stay out of camp politics. At Tule Lake, his U.S. citizenship was given back to him. He decided to stay in America after learning about how difficult life was in Japan after the war. He was finally released from Camp Tulelake in early 1946.

Later Life

After leaving Camp Tulelake, Harry Ueno and his family moved to Santa Clara County. They grew cherries and strawberries on rented land for over 20 years. During this time, Harry did not talk much about his experiences during the war.

But in the 1960s and 1970s, movements for social justice grew. Harry started to feel more comfortable sharing his story. In 1985, he gave an interview that became a book called Manzanar Martyr.

After his wife died in 1987, Harry became more involved in the Japanese American community. He went to many Manzanar pilgrimages. These were trips to the old camp site. He also took part in other public events. He shared his story and the stories of others who were held in Manzanar.

Harry also helped with the movement for Japanese American redress. This was a movement to get an apology and money from the U.S. government for what happened during the war. He worked with the National Council for Japanese American Redress (NCJAR). This group filed a lawsuit against the government.

Harry Ueno died on December 14, 2004, in Mountain View, California. He was 97 years old.