Administrative Area: Relocation Camp Administration & Governance
Heart Mountain Relocation Center
In front of you stood the Administration Area which consisted of an H shaped Administration building, a small building to the right of the Administration building for the Block Managers Community Council offices, and a building to the south for the newspaper, agriculture, engineering and welfare offices. Caucasian civilian housing was to the left and to the right of where you are now standing and included a separate mess hall and recreation hall.
The civilian War Relocation Authority (WRA) ran the relocations camps. Initially headed by Milton Eisenhower and later by Dillon S. Myer, WRA used the Army as "security." Policies governing camp life were strictly defined by the WRA and carried out by the Project Directors, C.E. Rachford, and after December 1942, Guy Robertson.
The Heart Mountain staff numbered about 200 persons divided into seven sections. These included: legal service, reports, internal operations, relocation, community management, supply, and finance. Except at the top levels, the turnover of Caucasian employees was high.
[The Judicial Commission met in this barrack. Mr. Phil Matsumura and Mr. Uyejo (left to right). Photo by Eiichi Sakauye.]
The internees were allowed a form of self-government that guided many of the important functions of relocation center life.
The Project Directors appointed one person from each block as a Block Manager to handle daily problems with housing, repair, maintenance and the mess hall.
In 1943, the internees established and ratified the Charter of Heart Mountain Relocation Center to establish internal justice and promote the welfare of their community.
The Charter created the position of Councilman, elected by each block for a six-month term to consult with WRA officials about internal problems. The Block Managers were usually Issei- the foreign born generation, while the Councilmen were U.S. citizens whose first language was English.
Although living in Wyoming, internees could not vote as citizens in Wyoming. However, they could vote absentee ballots in their hometown elections.
Administrative Area: Relocation Camp Administration & Governance
Heart Mountain Relocation Center
In front of you stood the Administration Area which consisted of an H shaped Administration building, a small building to the right of the Administration building for the Block Managers Community Council offices, and a building to the south for the newspaper, agriculture, engineering and welfare offices. Caucasian civilian housing was to the left and to the right of where you are now standing and included a separate mess hall and recreation hall.
The civilian War Relocation Authority (WRA) ran the relocations camps. Initially headed by Milton Eisenhower and later by Dillon S. Myer, WRA used the Army as "security." Policies governing camp life were strictly defined by the WRA and carried out by the Project Directors, C.E. Rachford, and after December 1942, Guy Robertson.
The Heart Mountain staff numbered about 200 persons divided into seven sections. These included: legal service, reports, internal operations, relocation, community management, supply, and finance. Except at the top levels, the turnover of Caucasian employees was high.
[The Judicial Commission met in this barrack. Mr. Phil Matsumura and Mr. Uyejo (left to right). Photo by Eiichi Sakauye.]
The internees were allowed a form of self-government that guided many of the important functions of relocation center life.
The Project Directors appointed one person from each block as a Block Manager to handle daily problems with housing, repair, maintenance and the mess hall.
In 1943, the internees established and ratified the Charter of Heart Mountain Relocation Center to establish internal justice and promote the welfare of their community.
The Charter created the position of Councilman, elected by each block for a six-month term to consult with WRA officials about internal problems. The Block Managers were usually Issei- the foreign born generation, while the Councilmen were U.S. citizens whose first language was English.
Although living in Wyoming, internees could not vote as citizens in Wyoming. However, they could vote absentee ballots in their hometown elections.