![](images/barbwire_three.png)
Japanese Americans endured many changes and indignities. However, a great number attempted to make the best of a bad situation. The War Relocation Authority [WRA], the civilian agency that administered the camp, formed an advisory council of internee-elected block managers. Internees with the support of the WRA established churches, temples, and boys and girls clubs. They developed sports, music, dance, and other recreational programs. They built gardens and ponds and published a newspaper, the Manzanar Free Press.
Most adults worked, maintaining and operating the camp. Children and many adults attended school. The barracks had no cooking facilities. That meant that internees had to line up three times a day, in any kind of weather, to eat at their block mess hall.
As the war turned in America’s favor, restrictions were lifted, and Japanese Americans were allowed to leave the camps. Church groups, service organizations, and some camp administrators helped find sponsors and jobs in the Midwest and the East.
A total of 11,070 Japanese Americans came through Manzanar. From a peak of 10,046 in September 1942, the population dwindled to 6,000 by 1944. The last few hundred internees left in November 1945, three months after the war ended. Many of them had spent three-and-a-half years at Manzanar, some had no home to return to.
Clothing and Footware
![Peacoat Peacoat](thumbs/camp/DailyLife/MANZ3085_coat.jpg)
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![Woman's Jacket Woman's Jacket](thumbs/camp/DailyLife/MANZ5190_jacket.jpg)
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![Baby's Suit Baby's Suit](thumbs/camp/DailyLife/MANZ5194_babysuit.jpg)
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![Slippers [Zori] Slippers [zori]](thumbs/camp/DailyLife/MANZ4122_slippers.jpg)
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![Child's Boots Child's Boots](thumbs/camp/DailyLife/MANZ4123_babyShoes.jpg)
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![Sandals [geta] Sandals [geta]](thumbs/camp/DailyLife/MANZ4124_sandals.jpg)
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![Sandals [geta] Geta [sandals]](thumbs/camp/DailyLife/MANZ5209_shoes.jpg)
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![Zori [slippers] Zori [slippers]](thumbs/camp/DailyLife/MANZ7579_shoes.jpg)
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![Razor Razor](thumbs/camp/DailyLife/MANZ473_razor.jpg)
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Furniture
![Bookcase Bookcase](thumbs/camp/DailyLife/MANZ3296_bookcase.jpg)
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![Chest of Drawers Chest of Drawers](thumbs/camp/DailyLife/MANZ3323_chestofDrawers.jpg)
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Personal Belongings
![Trunk Trunk](thumbs/camp/DailyLife/MANZ3298_trunk.jpg)
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![Plaque Plaque](thumbs/camp/DailyLife/MANZ5174_woodenPlaque.jpg)
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![Plaque Plaque](thumbs/camp/DailyLife/MANZ5175_plaque.jpg)
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![Family Identification Sign Family Identification Sign](thumbs/camp/DailyLife/MANZ7577_7576_namePlate.jpg)
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![Baby Blanket Baby Blanket](thumbs/camp/DailyLife/MANZ5195_babyBlanket.jpg)
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![Can Opener Can Opener](thumbs/camp/DailyLife/MANZ491_canOpener.jpg)
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![Duffle Bag Duffle Bag](thumbs/camp/DailyLife/MANZ2604_duffleBag2.jpg)
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![Pouch Pouch](thumbs/camp/DailyLife/MANZ5173_woolBag.jpg)
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Glassware
![Bowl Bowl](thumbs/camp/DailyLife/MANZ2256_bowl.jpg)
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![Sauceboat Sauceboat](thumbs/camp/DailyLife/MANZ3291_3293_gravyBowl_bowl.jpg)
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![Vase Vase](thumbs/camp/DailyLife/MANZ2255_vase.jpg)
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![Bottle](thumbs/camp/DailyLife/MANZ2259_bottle.jpg)
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Toys
![Toy Gun Toy Gun](thumbs/camp/DailyLife/MANZ5503_toyGun.jpg)
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![Toy Cannon Toy Cannon](thumbs/camp/DailyLife/MANZ7508_bigTank.jpg)
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![Dog Figurine Dog Figurine](thumbs/camp/DailyLife/MANZ4224_figurine.jpg)
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Photography
![Camera [replica] Camera [replica]](thumbs/camp/DailyLife/MANZ3331_camera.jpg)
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![Toyo Miyatake Toyo Miyatake](thumbs/camp/DailyLife/LOC_00448_Toyo_Miyatake.jpg)
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![Toyo Miyatake and Family Toyo Miyatake and Family](thumbs/camp/DailyLife/Adams_LC_A351_3_M_36_Miyatake_family.jpg)
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![Born Free and Equal Born Free and Equal](thumbs/camp/work/MANZ_Acc_55_LibraryCollection.jpg)
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![Roy Takeno (Editor) and Group Reading Manzanar Paper [i.e. Los Angeles Times] in front of office, Yuichi Hirata, Nabuo Samamura Roy Takeno (Editor) and Group Reading Manzanar Paper [i.e. Los Angeles Times] in front of office, Yuichi Hirata, Nabuo Samamura](thumbs/camp/DailyLife/Adams_LC_00006u_FreePress.jpg)
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![Mr. & Mrs. Dennis Shimizu Mr. & Mrs. Dennis Shimizu](thumbs/camp/DailyLife/Adams_LC_00233u_Shimizu.jpg)
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![Mr. & Mrs. Dennis Shimizu Mr. & Mrs. Dennis Shimizu](thumbs/camp/DailyLife/Adams_LC_A35_4_M_60_Shimizu.jpg)
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![Hidemi Tayenaka Hidemi Tayenaka](thumbs/camp/DailyLife/Adams_LC_00397u_Tayenaka_Hidemi.jpg)
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![Playing Bridge Playing Bridge](thumbs/camp/DailyLife/WRA_No_B_179_Lucy_Yonemitshu.jpg)
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![Mrs. Naguchi and two children Mrs. Naguchi and two children](thumbs/camp/DailyLife/LC_A351_3_M_22_Mrs_Naguchi.jpg)
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![Members of the Yonemitsu Family in their living room Members of the Yonemitsu Family in their living room](thumbs/camp/DailyLife/LC_00767u1_YonemitsuFamily.jpg)
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![Catholic Church Catholic Church](thumbs/camp/DailyLife/Adams_LC_A351_3_M_1_Catholic_Church.jpg)
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![Bert K. Miura, Pattern Making Bert K. Miura, Pattern Making](thumbs/camp/DailyLife/Adams_LC_00366u_Patternmaker.jpg)
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![Hospital, Manzanar Relocation Center Hospital, Manzanar Relocation Center](thumbs/camp/DailyLife/NARA538139_hospital.jpg)
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Documents
![Manzanar Free Press Japanese Pictorial Edition Manzanar Free Press Japanese Pictorial Edition](thumbs/camp/DailyLife/MANZ_MFP_pictorial_japanese_cover.jpg)
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![Transfer Slip Transfer Slip](thumbs/camp/DailyLife/MANZ005_03_003_02_TransferSlip.jpg)
Click here for full Caption...[/a] Train Ticket [a href="exb/Camp/DailyLife/scans/MANZ0055_03_002_03_TrainTicket.html" target="_blank"]
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![Train Ticket Train Ticket](thumbs/camp/DailyLife/MANZ0055_03_002_03_TrainTicket.jpg)
![Relocation Papers Relocation Papers](thumbs/camp/DailyLife/MANZ_0055_03_002_02_RelocationPapers.jpg)
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![Ticket Purchase Memorandum Ticket Purchase Memorandum](thumbs/camp/DailyLife/MANZ_0055_03_002_04_Memorandum.jpg)
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![Co-op Receipts Co-op Receipts](thumbs/camp/DailyLife/MANZ_0177_01_004_Receipts.jpg)
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![Letter Letter](thumbs/camp/DailyLife/MANZ_Acc122_LetterPG1.jpg)
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![Permit to Live Anywhere in the U.S. Notice Permit to Live Anywhere in the U.S. Notice](thumbs/camp/DailyLife/WRA_MANZ_0055_03_002_01_117.jpg)
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![Report Report](thumbs/camp/DailyLife/MANZ_0055_03_003_03_Report.jpg)
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