Beyond the Barbed Wire
Charcoal on paper
18" x 24"
Charcoal on paper
18" x 24"
Setsuo Tomita was 10 years old when he and his family were forcibly relocated from their home in San Fernando Valley to the Manzanar incarceration camp in 1942. There, they lived in a 20-by-25-foot “apartment” shared with eight family members. Their room was furnished with only a single oil stove, a bare lightbulb, and army-issued cots.
After their release in 1945, the Tomita family returned to San Fernando Valley. But for them, the war was not yet over. They faced even greater hardship due to widespread anti-Japanese discrimination. Unable to return to their former home, the family struggled to find housing. Setsuo’s father eventually secured a portion of a garage with nine people living together in the space.
Five years later, his father was at last able to purchase a home. One of Setsuo’s memories from that time is simply turning on a faucet and feeling hot water flow—a quiet moment of joy after years of hardship.
In his twenties, Setsuo served as a flight engineer in the U.S. Air Force. After his service, he built a life rooted in family, hard work, and resilience. Now in his 90s, he lives with his wife and their large dog in a spacious home in San Fernando. A proud father and grandfather, Setsuo remains active in preserving the legacy of Japanese American incarceration, sharing his story with future generations.
