Question

Ansel Adams's Photographs of Japanese American Internment at Manzanar
adapted from the Library of Congress

In 1943, Ansel Adams, America's most well-known photographer, documented life at the Manzanar War Relocation Center in California. The Manzanar War Relocation Center was one of the places where Japanese Americans were interned during World War II.

War Relocation Program

After Japan bombed Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941, fear of a Japanese invasion and subversive acts by Japanese Americans prompted President Franklin D. Roosevelt to sign Executive Order 9066 on February 19, 1942. The act designated the West Coast as a military zone from which "any or all persons may be excluded." Japanese Americans were singled out for evacuation. More than 110,000 people of Japanese ancestry were removed from their homes and sent to ten relocation camps. Those forcibly removed included Japanese immigrants legally forbidden from becoming citizens, the American-born, and children of the American-born.

Adams's Work at Manzanar

This event struck a personal chord with Adams. Harry Oye, a Japanese American and Adams's parents' longtime employee, was picked up by authorities and sent halfway across the country to Missouri. Angered by this event, Adams welcomed an opportunity in 1943 to photograph Japanese American internees at the Manzanar War Relocation Center. The center was then run by his friend and fellow Sierra Club member, Ralph Merritt.

During the fall of 1943, Adams photographed at the Manzanar War Relocation Center in California. He concentrated on the internees and their activities. Adams photographed family life in the barracks. His images captured people at work—internees as welders, farmers, and garment makers. They also documented recreational activities, including baseball and volleyball games.

In a letter to his friend Nancy Newhall, Adams wrote: "Through the pictures the reader will be introduced to . . . loyal American citizens who are anxious to get back into the stream of life and contribute to our victory."

"A Grave Injustice" . . . A Congressional Apology

In 1988, Congress apologized on behalf of the nation for the "grave injustice" done to persons of Japanese ancestry. It implemented the Civil Liberties Act. Congress declared that the internments were "motivated largely by racial prejudice, wartime hysteria, and a failure of political leadership." It authorized a $20,000 payment to Japanese Americans who suffered injustices during World War II.

4
Why did Ansel Adams go to the Manzanar War Relocation Center?
A.
He felt a personal connection to the cause of Japanese Americans forced to relocate.
B.
He was interested in and wanted the advocacy of social justice with his whole heart.
C.
He had never seen the lifestyle of Japanese Americans before.
D.
He had a certain interest in the photography of the landscape surrounding the center.

Answer 1

The correct answer is:
A. He felt a personal connection to the cause of Japanese Americans forced to relocate.

This is supported by the text, which mentions that Adams was angered by the internment of Harry Oye, a Japanese American who had been a longtime employee of his parents, and this personal connection motivated him to photograph at the Manzanar War Relocation Center.