Manzanar

I had an amazing Saturday!  This weekend my small crew (I like to call them an "elite strike force" instead of an army) went to Manzanar in the Owens Valley area of California.  About 3 hours north of Los Angeles. This is where the Japanese Americans (nearly 11,000 of them in this camp and over 100,000 overall) were held during World War II after the bombing of Pearl Harbor.

It was also where a young Iwao Takamoto spent 4 years of his life from ages 16-20 with his father, mother, brother and sister.  They lived in Block 10.  The building has been razed, but a marker remains.



Iwao was one of the first people released from the camp after his artwork caught the attention of someone at Walt Disney studios.  He left the camp after four years of isolation and went to work at Disney on "Snow White" and "Lady and the Tramp." Iwao remained until the 1960's (when he left for an even more legendary career at Hanna Barbera).

We spent the day at Manzanar seeking people who knew Iwao or his family.  We found a few and passed out plenty of postcards in hopes the people will spread the word.


Please help us get the news out!  We have a presence on social media and will be launching a crowdfunding effort soon.

For now follow us here on AliveNotDead and on Twitter (@iwaodoc)


Thanks and hope you all are well!

best,

Joe