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Northwest Women's History Project records and interviews

  • Coll 883
  • Collection
  • 1943-2021

This collection consists of the records of Northwest Women's History Project and audio recordings of oral history interviews the organization conducted with women who had worked in shipyards in Portland, Oregon, and Vancouver, Washington, during World War II.

Digitized materials available online in OHS Digital Collections consist of the interview audio recordings and, when available, completed interview transcripts. The interviews explore issues such as sexual harassment, sexism and racism in unions and on the job, child care, on-the-job training, and life after the war.

Undigitized materials available for use at the Oregon Historical Society Research Library consist of the Northwest Women's History Project records in the collection. The bulk of these records relate to the interviews with women shipyard workers and a resulting presentation, titled "Good Work, Sister!" The records include grant documents, telephone questionnaires, transcripts and excerpts of in-person interviews, photographic slides of interviewees who were featured in "Good Work, Sister!" and photographs and records relating to "Good Work, Sister!" events. Also included are some photographs, clippings, ephemera, and memorabilia relating to women shipyard workers in World War II. Other undigitized materials include administrative records, materials relating to the organization's later projects, and materials about the re-release of "Good Work, Sister!" on DVD.

Northwest Women's History Project

Japanese American Oral History Project

  • Japanese American Oral History Project
  • Collection
  • 1992-1998

A series of oral history interviews conducted between 1992 and 1998 with Japanese Americans in Oregon. Loen Dozono of the Japanese American Citizen's League (JACL) collaborated with OHS on this project. The interviews were conducted by JACL and OHS staff and volunteers. They aimed to interview Issei (first generation Japanese Americans), and ultimately also interviewed several Nisei (second generation Japanese Americans).

Oral history interview with John Y. Murakami

This oral history interview with John Y. Murakami was conducted by George Katagiri from July 13-20, 1992, at Murakami's home in Portland, Oregon. The interview was recorded as part of the Japanese American Oral History Project, which was conducted by the Oregon Historical Society to preserve the stories of Japanese Americans in Oregon. This interview was conducted in three sessions.

In the first interview session, conducted on July 13, 1992, Murakami discusses his family background and early life on a farm in Sherwood, Oregon, and in Portland, Oregon. He talks about the grocery store that his father, Shuichi Sam Murakami, owned; his experience during the Depression; and his education. He discusses jobs he worked after dropping out of high school and talks about playing in the Nisei Baseball League.

In the second interview session, conducted on July 14, 1992, Murakami continues discussing his experiences in the Nisei Baseball League, as well as his interest in other sports. He also talks about his social life as a teenager. He speaks about a few instances of prejudice that he experienced. He discusses his experience in the U.S. Army, serving in the European Theater during World War II. He also talks about the U.S. government's incarceration of his family at the Minidoka War Relocation Center, and about his marriage to Sumi Matsushita. He then discusses his life in Portland after his discharge from the Army in 1945, including working in construction and teaching building construction at Benson Polytechnic High School.

In the third and final interview session, conducted on July 20, 1992, Murakami talks about his children, their education, their families, and their careers. He then talks about his retirement activities, particularly his involvement in Japanese American community organizations. He also revisits the topic of his Army experience during World War II. He shares his opinion about the Civil Liberties Act of 1988, which granted redress to Japanese Americans whom the government incarcerated during the war. He closes the interview by reflecting upon his life and accomplishments.

Murakami, John Y. (John Yoneo), 1919-2005

Oral history interview with George Iwasaki

This oral history interview with George Iwasaki was conducted by Etsu Osaki at the Oregon Buddhist Church in Portland, Oregon, from August 19 to September 16, 1992. The interview was recorded as part of the Japanese American Oral History Project, which was conducted by the Oregon Historical Society to preserve the stories of Japanese Americans in Oregon. The interview was conducted in two sessions.

In the first interview session, conducted on August 19, 1992, Iwasaki discusses his family background and early life on a farm in Hillsboro, Oregon. He talks about the Japanese-American community in Oregon and about his education. He then discusses working on the family farm during the Depression, his marriage to Tomiko Natsuhara, and the lead-up to the U.S. government's incarceration of Japanese Americans during World War II, including making arrangements for the family farmland. He talks about his family's experiences while they were detained at the Portland Assembly Center and about accepting the option to work as fieldworkers in Nyssa, Oregon, including living conditions in the agricultural camp run by the Farm Security Administration. He then discusses returning to Hillsboro after the family's release in 1945.

In the second and final interview session, conducted on September 16, 1992, Iwasaki continues discussing the family's return to Hillsboro after their release in 1945, and describes how the family recovered their farmland and restarted their business. He talks about the evolution of the family farming business, now known as Iwasaki Bros., to focus on bedding plants. He also speaks about his involvement in Japanese American community organizations, including the Oregon Buddhist Church. He closes the interview by talking about his children, their families, and their careers.

Iwasaki, George, 1912-2009

Oral history interview with Tatsuro Yada

This oral history interview with Tatsuro Yada was conducted by Taka Mizote on March 8, 1992. The interview was recorded as part of the Japanese American Oral History Project, which was conducted by the Oregon Historical Society to preserve the stories of Japanese Americans in Oregon.

In this interview, Yada discusses his family background and early life on a farm in Salem, Oregon. He talks about the Japanese community in Salem, his education, and attending Japanese school. He speaks about returning home to take over the family farm after graduating from Willamette University. He discusses his involvement in the Civil Defense Corps before the United States joined World War II; talks about his reaction to the attack on Pearl Harbor; and describes the Japanese-owned businesses in the Salem area. He talks about his incarceration at Tule Lake Relocation Center during World War II. He describes living conditions in the camp, his role as a teacher, and the military service of his siblings. He talks about getting out of the camp less than a year later to work at a hotel in Nebraska, while his parents were incarcerated at the Minidoka War Relocation Center in Idaho. He then talks about returning to the family farm after the government ended incarceration of Japanese Americans in 1945. He discusses his marriage to Masako Onishi, his Christian faith, and the Japanese American community in post-war Salem. He talks about his children, their families, and their careers. He discusses his retirement activities, including farming, as well as his hopes for the future. He closes the interview by discussing serving on the Salem-Keizer School Board.

Yada, Tatsuro, 1916-2003

Oral history interview with Nadyne Yoneko Dozono

This oral history interview with Nadyne Yoneko Dozono was conducted by Clark Hansen at Dozono's home in Portland, Oregon, from January 23 to February 5, 1998. The interview was recorded as part of the Japanese American Oral History Project, which was conducted by the Oregon Historical Society to preserve the stories of Japanese Americans in Oregon. The interview was conducted in seven sessions.

In the first interview session, conducted on January 23, 1998, Dozono discusses her family background, including her parents' experiences immigrating to the United States in the early 20th century. She talks about Japanese culture, including flower arranging, marriage and wedding practices, and Japanese social structure. She speaks about her early life in Portland, Oregon, including the Portland Japantown, the neighborhoods and houses she lived in, and her home and family life. She also talks about the Japanese food that her mother cooked and sold. She closes the session by discussing her social life and her education.

In the second interview session, conducted on January 26, 1998, Dozono continues discussing her early life in Portland, Oregon, including her social life, her education, and her siblings. She talks about her poor health in her youth, celebrating both Japanese and American holidays, and picking berries in the summers. She then speaks about being sent to Japan at age 16 for a Japanese education. She talks about her journey to Japan by ship in 1931, the family members she met and lived with in Japan, and learning the Japanese language and customs. She closes the session by discussing her experiences adjusting to life in Japan and describing the house she lived in.

In the third interview session, conducted on January 29, 1998, Dozono continues discussing the family members she met and lived with in Japan, and her experiences adjusting to life there. She describes the house she lived in, her daily life, and learning Japanese customs. She talks about sewing traditional Japanese clothing, performing the Japanese tea ceremony, and the nuances of the Japanese language. She also describes the town she lived in, Seki Machi in Gifu prefecture, as well as Tokyo. She talks about Japanese festivals, plays, and holidays. She speaks at length about her arranged marriage to Asazo Dozono in 1934. She talks about Asazo Dozono's career and about raising children, including her first child's death at age 1 during an epidemic. She closes the session by describing life in Japan during World War II and explains that she was not well-informed about world events at the time.

In the fourth interview session, conducted on January 30, 1998, Dozono continues describing life in Japan during World War II. She also revisits the topic of her first child's death during an epidemic. She talks about rationing and shortages, as well as being uninformed about U.S. government's incarceration of Japanese-Americans in concentration camps. She describes the information the Japanese government gave the citizenry about the war's progress, the reaction of the people to Japan's surrender, and the bombing of Okayama City, as well as the bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. She talks about the aftermath of the war, including her husband losing his job due to his loyalty to the Japanese government, the American occupation, and revealing herself as an American citizen. She discusses her work as an interpreter for the American military; talks about the difficulty of explaining democracy to Japanese citizens; and shares stories about cultural misunderstandings between American troops and the Japanese population. She also talks about the changes that the U.S. made to Japan. She then discusses her work with the Atomic Bomb Casualty Commission as an interpreter in Hiroshima; describes the effects of radiation sickness that she witnessed; and shares her opinion that the bombings were unnecessary. She closes the session by sharing a story about acting as an interpreter for Jean MacArthur, the spouse of U.S. General Douglas MacArthur.

In the fifth interview session, conducted on February 2, 1998, Dozono discusses returning to Oregon with her daughter in 1953, then bringing her husband and sons later, and reconnecting with her siblings. She talks about readjusting to life in the U.S., working for the Japanese Ancestral Society, and her shock at realizing that racism was still a problem in the U.S. She also talks about her family's experiences during and after their incarceration by the U.S. government during World War II. She closes the session by discussing how her husband and children adjusted to life in the U.S.; her continued work as an interpreter; and her involvement in various community organizations particularly the Japanese Ancestral Society and the Veleda Nisei Women's Club.

In the sixth interview session, conducted on February 4, 1998, Dozono discusses the Japanese-American community in the Pacific Northwest, the community's reaction to incarceration by the U.S. government, and the movement for reparations. She talks more about her involvement in community organizations, particularly the Japanese Ancestral Society and the Veleda Nisei Women's Club. She also talks about gender roles in Japanese culture and how they have changed over the 20th century. She discusses her work speaking in schools about Japanese culture and the U.S. government's incarceration of Japanese Americans. She talks about Japanese-American organizations, including the Oregon Nikkei Endowment, as well as the Japanese-American community. She also discusses several trips she took back to Japan. She closes the session by talking about her children, their families, and their careers.

In the seventh and final interview session, conducted on February 5, 1998, Dozono continues discussing her children, their families, and their careers, while looking at photographs. She then talks about some of her American friends, including Maurine Neuberger; describes her involvement in various community organizations, particularly Ikoi no Kai; and closes the interview by discussing her hopes for the future.

Dozono, Nadyne Yoneko, 1915-2013

Karen Beck Skold dissertation papers and interviews

  • Mss 1803
  • Collection
  • 1941-1980

This collection consists of papers and interviews gathered by Karen Beck Skold during research for her 1981 Ph.D. dissertation in sociology at the University of Oregon, entitled "Women Workers and Child Care During World War II: A Case Study of the Portland, Oregon Shipyards."

Digitized materials available online in OHS Digital Collections consist of 26 audio recordings of interviews that Skold conducted with people, predominantly women, who worked at shipyards and in child care in the Portland, Oregon, area during World War II. Most of the people Skold interviewed worked at the Kaiser shipyards, including the Oregon Shipbuilding Corporation yard. A few were employed at Albina Engine Machine Works and Commercial Iron Works; one interviewee worked at the Tacoma-Seattle Shipbuilding Corporation in Washington. The interviewees were primarily welders, ship fitters, and drivers, but also include women who worked as teachers and nurses at child care centers in the shipyards or in war housing projects. Transcripts are available for many interviews, but not all transcripts are complete; only completed transcripts are available online. Also digitized and available online is a recording of a 1980 presentation that Skold delivered in Alameda County, California, titled "The Politics of Child Care during World War II: The Case of the Kaiser Child Service Centers."

Undigitized materials available for use at the Oregon Historical Society Research Library include photocopied reports and articles, mostly regarding children's services in Portland, as well as racism and sex segregation in the shipyards; newspaper clippings regarding Skold's research, 1975-1976; correspondence with sources, 1975-1976; biographical information about women who worked in shipyard child care centers, 1975; minutes of the Women's Advisory Committee, 1943; and a 1941 union agreement between the American Federation of Labor and the Pacific Shipbuilders.

Skold, Karen Beck

Interview with Rose K. Weed (Interview 1)

Rose K. Weed worked as a welder in the Kaiser shipyards. In this interview, Weed discusses the kind of work she did at the shipyards, particularly welding. She describes balancing child care and work. She also talks about the work environment at the shipyards, including her experiences with sexism, the dangers of welding, and her daily commute. She closes the interview by discussing the reasons why she didn't send her child to the shipyard child care centers.

Weed, Rose K. (Rose Klara), 1913-2006

Interview with Forrest E. Rieke (Interview 2)

In this interview, Forrest E. Rieke discusses his experiences as a physician in Portland, including treating people who struggled with mental health after the Depression. He talks about his experiences as a physician at the Kaiser shipyards during World War II, speaks about the introduction of women into the workforce, and shares his observations about the sexism they experienced. He talks about his role as one of the main doctors in the shipyard day care centers and details the severity of the health issues he saw in the children. He closes the interview by discussing how the day care centers benefited the families of women working in the shipyards, including how they improved the health of the children. Complete transcript available (27 pages). The end of the recording is on Side 1 of a shared cassette. The next interview, with Vernette Kilger, begins on Side 2.

Rieke, Forrest E. (Forrest Eugene), 1913-1978

Interview with Vernette H. Kilger (Interview 3)

In this interview, Vernette H. Kilger describes her experiences in the Kaiser shipyards in Portland, Oregon, and in Vancouver, Washington. She talks about how she spent her free time; the different ways the shipyards helped women employees; and the management structure within the shipyards. She closes the interview by discussing being laid off after the war and talking about her activities since then. Complete transcript available (30 pages). The recording begins on Side 2 of a shared cassette. Side 1 is the end of the previous interview, with Forrest E. Rieke.

Kilger, Vernette H. (Vernette Hanson), 1910-1992

Interview with Jean E. Amonson (Interview 4)

In this interview, Jean E. Amonson discusses her experiences as lead teacher for the Kaiser shipyards day care center in Portland, Oregon. She describes the daily operation of the center, the health and experiences of the children, and the teaching methods used. She closes the interview by discussing the lasting impact of this work on herself and her own children, and by talking about her retirement as a result of contracting polio. Incomplete transcript available (24 pages).

Amonson, Jean E. (Jean Elizabeth), 1920-2010

Interview with Marie Gleason (Interview 5)

In this interview, Marie Gleason discusses working as an electrician at the Kaiser shipyards. She talks about supervising other women workers, including helping to accommodate a deaf coworker; and discusses the people she worked with. She briefly mentions the use of the day care centers and how other women had benefited from them. She also talks about training her cat and shares other personal anecdotes. She speaks about being laid off at the end of the war, and talks about her activities since then. She closes her interview by reflecting on her involvement with the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW). Complete transcript available (24 pages).

Gleason, Marie, 1894-

Interview with Laura Fortier (Interview 6)

In this interview, Laura Fortier describes working as a truck driver for the Oregon Shipbuilding Corporation. She describes driving in bad weather, particularly describing driving in thick fog. She talks about her duties and responsibilities as a driver, about people she worked with, and about instances of unfair treatment. She closes the interview by discussing her activities since leaving the shipyards in 1944, and talking about her early life in Oklahoma. Complete transcript available (23 pages).

Fortier, Laura, 1899?-

Interview with Mary T. Bucher (Interview 7)

In this interview, Mary T. Bucher describes her experience working as a welder at the Kaiser shipyards. She talks about her training; describes the work environment at the shipyards; and talks about her relationship with her coworkers. She also discusses meeting her husband, Sherman Datus Bucher, while working in the shipyards. She talks about raising a family and about the jobs she worked after quitting her job as a welder. She closes the interview by reflecting on her experiences as a woman worker in the shipyards. Complete transcript available (32 pages).

Bucher, Mary T. (Mary Teresa), 1918-2013

Interview with Virla S. Busse (Interview 8)

In this interview, Virla S. Busse discusses working at the Albina Engine & Machine Works shipyard. She talks about her work as a welder, describes her job duties, and talks about her job schedule. She talks about balancing work and family life. She shares her experiences as a woman worker during World War II. Complete transcript available (22 pages).

Busse, Virla S. (Virla Stella), 1919-1993

Interview with Margaret E. Shearer (Interview 9)

In this interview, Margaret E. Shearer discusses working in the Oregon Shipbuilding Corporation shipyard. She talks about working in the office and about later working as a tool checker and cable stripper. She discusses her father's career as a foreman at the shipyards. She talks about the friends she made at the shipyards and discusses their later careers. Complete transcript available (17 pages).

Shearer, Margaret E. (Margaret Elise), 1924-2015

Interview with Mary E. Branin (Interview 10)

In this interview, Mary E. Branin discusses her experience as a welder for the Oregon Shipbuilding Corporation shipyard. She also talks about using the day care centers at the shipyards. She describes her training to become a welder, talks about later working on ship layouts, and discusses her early life in Washington. Includes a transcript (33 pages).

Branin, Mary E. (Mary Effie), 1915-1994

Interview with Reta B. Bixel and Louise M. Bailey (Interview 11)

In this interview, Reta B. Bixel and Louise M. Bailey discuss working in the Kaiser shipyards, including their reasons for seeking employment in the shipyards. Bixel describes her work and training as a welder, and Bailey describes working on the assembly line. They talk about the work environment at the shipyards, about using the shipyard child care centers, and about balancing work and family life. They close the interview by discussing their reasons for leaving the shipyards and their activities since then. Complete transcript available (29 pages).

Bixel, Reta B., (Reta Belle), 1916-1983

Interview with Isabella C. Sanders (Interview 12)

In this interview, Isabella C. Sanders discusses her experiences as a Black woman working as a scaler for the Oregon Shipbuilding Corporation. She talks about her commute, about balancing work and family life, and about her experience living in Vanport during the 1948 Vanport flood. She closes the interview by talking about other jobs she held. Complete transcript available (13 pages).

Sanders, Isabella C., 1918-1998

Interview with Elizabeth F. Goddard (Interview 13)

In this interview, Elizabeth F. Goddard discusses her role in founding the child care centers at the Kaiser shipyards. She talks about the lasting effect the child care centers had on public education in Portland; about the services the shipyards offered their women workers; and about the other people who helped found the child care centers. She speaks about how the children in the centers benefited. She closes the interview by reflecting on the reasons some women workers chose not to use the centers. Incomplete transcript available (20 pages).

Goddard, Elizabeth F. (Elizabeth Frances), 1902-1994

Interview with Vivian G. Humphrey and John C. Humphrey (Interview 14)

In this interview, Vivian G. Humphrey and John Humphrey discuss Vivian's work as a welder for the Oregon Shipbuilding Corporation. They talk about the training women welders received, about crime in the shipyards, and about the dangers of welding. They discuss the reasons Vivian Humphrey quit in 1943. John Humphrey talks about their commute, about shutting down the shipyards after the war ended, and about his work as a burner and chipper. They discuss how male shipyard employees treated the women workers. They talk about living in war housing in St. Johns and about their daily lives. They discuss their careers and raising a family after leaving the shipyards. Incomplete transcript available (31 pages).

Humphrey, Vivian G. (Vivian Gesme), 1916-2001

Interview with Cornella H. Novak (Interview 15)

In this interview, Cornella H. Novak discusses her work as coordinator for the Portland Public Schools nurseries during World War II. She describes receiving funds from the Lanham Act of 1940 and setting up the day care program; talks about the development of the 12 centers she oversaw; and speaks about the 24-hour center at the University Homes war housing project. She discusses the options available for infant care in Portland during and after World War II; speaks about the influence the Kaiser child care centers had on other day care facilities in Portland; and discusses the state of day care after the Lanham Act funding ceased in 1946. She talks about her life after the war and her later involvement with day care programs in Portland. She also speaks about Jim Hymes and his philosophy about early childhood development. She compares the Portland Public Schools nurseries to the Kaiser Child Service Centers, the Lanham-funded public nurseries in Vanport and Vancouver, and day care facilities available at the time of the interview in 1976. Incomplete transcript available(41 pages).

Novak, Cornella H. (Cornella Hill), 1913-2003

Interview with Leah V. Hahn (Interview 16)

In this interview, Leah V. Hahn discusses working as a welder and a burner in the Kaiser shipyards. She talks about the training she received and about the dangers of the job. She also speaks about her son, Rick Hahn, and his career; shares her memories of President Franklin D. Roosevelt's visit to the Kaiser shipyards; and talks about working for the American Canning Company during the Depression. She closes the interview by talking about her life after the war. Incomplete transcript available (27 pages).

Hahn, Leah V. (Leah Vogel), 1916-2019

Interview with Ione L. Williams (Interview 17)

In this interview, Ione L. Williams discusses working as a welder for the Oregon Shipbuilding Corporation. She talks about the dangers of the job and discusses the kind of work she and other women did. She speaks about using the shipyard day care centers and describes the care her children received. She discusses life in the St. Johns Woods war housing project, talks about grocery shopping, and discusses her career after the war ended. She also talks about being required to buy war bonds. Incomplete transcript available (25 pages).

Williams, Ione L. (Ione Lucille), 1919-2010

Interview with Eva M. Lund (Interview 18)

In this interview, Eva M. Lund discusses working as a welder for Commercial Iron Works. She speaks about her experience with the boilermaker's union; talks about her experience as the first woman to join the bartender's union; and her child care arrangement while working in the shipyards. She discusses the trucking business she ran with her husband after the war; talks about how work as a welder affected her health; and describes the dangers of the job. She also talks about quality control in the shipyards, about grocery shopping and rationing, and about the mass layoffs of women after the war ended in 1945. She closes the interview by sharing anecdotes about people and events at the shipyards. Incomplete transcript available (29 pages).

Lund, Eva M. (Eva May), 1912-1996

Interview with Ruth Cave (Interview 19)

In this interview, Ruth Cave discusses her work as head teacher at day care centers funded by the Lanham Act of 1940 in Portland, Oregon, during World War II. She talks about some of the children she worked with in Portland; speaks about her teaching methods; and discusses the training available for early childhood educators during the 1940s. She describes some of the children's crafts and activities in the day care centers. She talks about the staff at and the services offered by the day care centers. She compares the Lanham-funded nurseries with the Kaiser day care centers. She speaks about the sanitation protocols at the Lanham-funded day cares. Incomplete transcript available (27 pages). The end of the recording is on Side 1 of a shared cassette. The next interview, with Frances M. Brandon, also begins on Side 1 of the cassette.

Cave, Ruth

Interview with Frances M. Brandon (Interview 20)

In this interview, Frances M. Brandon discusses her work as a nurse at the Kaiser shipyard day care center on Swan Island. She talks about the health and sanitation practices in the day care infirmary. She also talks about using the centers for her children. Incomplete transcript available (15 pages). The recording is on a shared cassette. It begins on Side 1, following the end of the preceding interview with Ruth Cave.

Brandon, Frances M. (Frances Mae), 1913-1996

Interview with Violet McMurtrey (Interview 21)

In this interview, Violet McMurtrey discusses her work as a teacher at the day care center in the University Homes war housing project during World War II. She talks about the staff, about the building, and about the equipment. She discusses the care the children received at the center. She talks about the closure of the day care centers after the end of World War II and about her activities after the war. She compares the program at the University Homes day care center with the child care options available at the time of the interview in 1976. Incomplete transcript available (26 pages).

McMurtrey, Violet

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