California State University San Marcos

Nagata, George and Alethea. Interview November 16, 2022

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00:00:00 - Introduction/ Family backgrounds

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Segment Synopsis: George and Alethea Nagata explain their family backgrounds. They are both second generation Japanese-American citizens. George Nagata was born in Gardena, CA in 1924. He explains that his father immigrated to the United States from the city of Kumamoto, Japan around 1900. He moved around the country working various jobs, including in farming. His parents married around 1920, and the family had a farm by the time George was born. The family later moved to Torrance, CA and then to Bellflower, CA in order find better farming conditions.

Althea Nagata was born in 1926. Her parents moved around California during her early childhood, living in Orange County, Bonsall, and San Luis Rey. Her father became involved in farming after immigrating to the U.S. from Japan in 1905 and settling in Orange County, where he began growing peppers.

Keywords: Arizona; Bellflower (Calif.); Bonsall (Calif.); Farming; Gardena (Calif.); Immigration; Kumamoto, Japan; Los Angeles (Calif.); Melons; Orange County (Calif.); Peppers; San Francisco (Calif.); San Luis Rey (Calif.); Seattle (Wash.); Second-generation Japanese American citizens; Strawberries; Texas; Torrance (Calif.)

00:10:50 - George Nagata’s education/ The family farm

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Segment Synopsis: George Nagata recounts his school years as a teenager. Nagata explains that due to financial difficulties and his father’s ill health, his family was forced to commute throughout Southern California throughout his high school years, which interrupted his schooling. He was also registered at two different high schools including a school in Oceanside, CA. He also explains that his mother took over the farming duties due to his father’s health. The family harvested strawberries and Italian squash and sold the produce to the San Francisco market.

Keywords: Education; Farming; High school; Italian squash; Los Angeles (Calif.); Oceanside (Calif.); San Francisco (Calif.); Squash; Strawberries; Student

00:16:47 - George Nagata’s internment/ Work in Chicago

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Segment Synopsis: George Nagata recounts his time at the Poston War Relocation Center, located in Yuma County, AZ. Nagata was only sixteen years old when his family was removed and interred starting May 15, 1942. He recalls the dark train ride and internees having to stuff their own mattresses with straw upon arrival to the camp. He was interned at Poston for a little over a year before leaving for Chicago, IL with a friend. He worked in Chicago in an auto mechanic shop for about four of five months before his family was released from Poston. Nagata explains that he and his family met one another again in Colorado in order to continue farm work. He farmed in Colorado for a man who owned an onion seed company. Nagata explains that he was never paid for his work. He remained in Colorado until 1944 or 1945 when he moved back to California.

Keywords: Auto mechanic; Auto repair; Chicago (Ill.); Colorado; Farming; Internees; Internment; Japanese internment; Onion seed; Santa Fe (NM.); WWII; World War 2; World War II; World War Two; World War Two World War 2 Poston War Relocation Center; Yuma County (AZ.)

00:25:10 - George Nagata returns to California

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Segment Synopsis: George Nagata discusses his return to Vista, CA after working in Colorado. He recounts moving into a friend’s avocado grove and stayed in a room that was converted from a chicken coop. In 1945, they found thirty acres of land that they were able to lease for a year before buying the property in order to begin farming. Nagata recalls that they originally lived on a tent on the property because there were no houses in the area.

Keywords: Avocado grove; Chicken coop; Colorado; Farming; Vista (Calif.)

00:27:42 - Alethea Nagata’s internment

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Segment Synopsis: Alethea Nagata recounts her time at the Poston War Relocation Center located in Yuma County, AZ. She explains how her father rented land and raised strawberries in Rancho Santa Margarita. She recalls after the war broke out, her father and grandfather were arrested by the FBI and were sent to the San Diego jail before being transferred to Topanga, CA. Eventually, their entire family was sent to the Poston concentration camp. Nagata was in high school at the time of her internment. Nagata explains that her family did not experience the same harsh conditions that her husband’s family experienced. Although the Nagata’s families were both interned at Poston, the couple met after the war. Their families were also placed in different blocks at Poston.

Keywords: Arrest; FBI; Farming; Internees; Internment; Japanese internment; Poston War Relocation Center; Rancho Santa Margarita (Calif.); San Diego (Calif.); Strawberries; Topanga (Calif.); WWII; World War 2; World War II; World War Two; Yuma County (AZ.)

00:31:52 - Alethea Nagata returns to California

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Segment Synopsis: Alethea Nagata discusses returning to California after internment. She explains that her family was split up after their release from the Poston camp: her father and grandfather were sent to New Mexico, while the rest of the family returned to North County San Diego. It is unclear from the interview, but it can be inferred that her father and grandfather eventually made their way back to North County as well by 1945. Alethea Nagata’s family farm was left in the care of Escondido High School’s Vice Principal Mr. Grave and other caretakers until they could return home.

Keywords: Escondid High School; Escondido (Calif.); Farming; Lordsburg (NM.); North County San Diego (Calif.); Oceanside (Calif.); Poston War Relocation Center; San Luis Rey (Calif.); San Marcos (Calif.); Santa Fe (NM.); WWII; World War 2; World War II; World War Two; Yuma County (AZ.)

00:35:22 - Education in internment/ George Nagata’s early career in farming

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Segment Synopsis: George and Alethea Nagata discuss their education while in the concentration camps. They explain that while Alethea was able to graduate in the Poston camp, George did not have the opportunity to go to school. George Nagata also explains that when he applied to night school in Chicago, the institution did not consider Poston an accredited school and told him he would have to start his education over before applying to their program. George Nagata also discusses how he began his career in farming. He explains the challenges he faced in obtaining and paying back loans for his supplies, and how weather conditions ruined his crops. He also describes how they later invested in a strawberry freezer business, which also led to other financial challenges for the farm.

Keywords: Education; Fallbrook (Calif.); Farming; Freezer business; Loans; Los Angeles (Calif.); Night School; Poston War Relocation Center; Strawberries; Student; Ventura (Calif.); WWII; World War 2; World War II; World War Two; Yuma County (AZ.)

00:44:24 - Alethea Nagata’s family farm/ Early experimentation on crops

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Segment Synopsis: Alethea Nagata discusses her family farm in San Marcos, CA. Alethea Nagata describes her family’s farming business, which was led by her father, and later taken over by her brothers. The family grew crops such as asparagus, chili peppers, romaine lettuce, tomatoes, and strawberries. She explains that her family also grew cauliflower, which was not a money-making crop, but it helped to maintain workers. Nagata also recounts her father teaching her to drive a Caterpillar and her sister driving trucks around the farm. She reflects how she and her two sisters were involved on the farm and how her father respected women.

George Nagata also explains how he worked with Althea’s Uncle Fred to encourage the experimentation on berries. They were involved in organizations such as the Farm Bureau and the Bracero program. He also recalls how they travelled to U.C. Davis to encourage the university in developing a new variety of berries that would be suitable for Southern California. They eventually went to the Legislature and asked one of the representatives to pass a budget which would allow farmers to experiment on new varieties of strawberries. George and Alethea also explain how they met on a blind date set up by Alethea’s Uncle Fred.

Keywords: Asparagus; Bracero program; Cauliflower; Chili peppers; Davis (Calif.); Experimentation on berries; Farm Bureau; Farming; Romaine lettuce; San Marcos (Calif.); Strawberries; Tomatoes; Truck driving; U.C. Davis; WWII; World War 2; World War II; World War Two

00:53:31 - Growth and diversity of crops

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Segment Synopsis: George Nagata discusses the growth and diversity of crops in farming. He explains that growth and diversity began to improve when experimentation was granted in Southern California. The experiment transferred from the USDA property, to a plot in Orange County, before eventually finding home on Irvine Ranch. They developed various varieties of strawberries during the experiment.

Keywords: Crops; Experimentation on berries; Farming; Growth and diversity of crops; Irvine Ranch; Orange County (Calif.); Strawberries; USDA

00:56:40 - Farming blueberries and cherimoyas

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Segment Synopsis: The Nagatas discuss growing blueberries and cherimoyas on their farm. They explain how labor-intensive it can be to harvest cherimoyas; that although it is easy to grow cherimoyas in the Southern California climate, the fruit has to be hand-pollinated.

Keywords: Blueberries; Cherimoyas; Farming; Farming techniques; Hand-pollination; Innovation in farming; Oceanside (Calif.)

00:59:25 - Future of farming

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Segment Synopsis: The Nagatas discuss the future of farming. They explain that farmers face many difficulties in succeeding in the market due to today’s political climate. They reflect on many issues such as the water rationing, changes to the global market, and competition.

Keywords: California laws; Farming; Future of farming; Global market; Market competition; Political climate; Politics; Specialty crops; Water rationing