Tule Lake

Tule Lake, located in northeastern California near the Oregon border, served as one of ten War Relocation Authority (WRA) concentration camps during World War II. Initially opened as a standard incarceration facility, it later became designated as a segregation center for individuals deemed "disloyal" to the United States.

The camp housed the largest population of any WRA facility at its peak, with 18,789 incarcerees. Its transformation into a segregation center in 1943 created one of the most tense and heavily militarized environments of all the camps. The camp remained operational until March 1946, making it one of the last to close.

Life at Tule Lake was characterized by harsh conditions and military surveillance. Families lived in cramped barracks with thin walls and communal facilities. The climate brought extreme temperatures—brutally cold winters and scorching summers—with little protection from the elements.

As a segregation center, Tule Lake was surrounded by multiple fences, guard towers, and military police. Residents faced strict curfews, armed guards, and a general atmosphere of suspicion and control. Despite these conditions, incarcerees created schools, cultural programs, sports leagues, and religious services to maintain dignity and community.

Tule Lake became a site of significant resistance to the unjust incarceration. When the loyalty questionnaire was administered in 1943, many at Tule Lake answered "no" to questions 27 and 28—refusing to swear unqualified allegiance to a country that had imprisoned them and to serve in combat while their families remained incarcerated.

These "no-no" responses led to the designation of Tule Lake as a segregation center. Protests, work stoppages, and organized resistance occurred throughout the camp's history. The military response included martial law, arrests, and the construction of a stockade to isolate protesters and community leaders.