Kenge Kobayashi Oral History Interview

Interviewee: Kenge Kobayashi
Interviewer: Elizabeth Uhlig
Interview Date: June 3, 2006
Location: Uhlig residence, Eugene, Oregon
Duration: 1:58:29
 

Kenge Kobayashi was born in Imperial Valley, California in 1926 where his parents, who emigrated from Japan in 1905, had a farm. In 1942, his family lived in internment camps, first in the Gila River Relocation Center in Arizona for one year, and then in Tule Lake Relocation Center in California until 1945. The family resettled in California where Kobayashi studied art and graphic design at the Art Center School in Pasadena. He served in the army for two years during the Korean War. He would later work for an advertising company in Chicago for eleven years and eventually moved back to California. With his first wife he had seven children; after her passing he remarried and following his retirement he moved to Eugene in 1989. He taught painting in Eugene and was active in Japanese-American community organizations. Kobayashi's art is installed on the panels of the stand stones in the Japanese American Memorial Project, depicting concepts of justice, perseverance and honor.

Dublin Core

Title

Kenge Kobayashi Oral History Interview

Description

Kenge Kobayashi was born in Imperial Valley, California in 1926 where his parents, who emigrated from Japan in 1905, had a farm. In 1942, his family lived in internment camps, first in the Gila River Relocation Center in Arizona for one year, and then in Tule Lake Relocation Center in California until 1945. The family resettled in California where Kobayashi studied art and graphic design at the Art Center School in Pasadena. He served in the army for two years during the Korean War. He would later work for an advertising company in Chicago for eleven years and eventually moved back to California. With his first wife he had seven children; after her passing he remarried and following his retirement he moved to Eugene in 1989. He taught painting in Eugene and was active in Japanese-American community organizations. Kobayashi's art is installed on the panels of the stand stones in the Japanese American Memorial Project, depicting concepts of justice, perseverance and honor.

Creator

Kenge Kobayashi

Source

Japanese-American Association of Lane County, Oregon, Oral History Collection

Publisher

Special Collections and Archives Research Center, Oregon State University Libraries

Date

June 3, 2006

Contributor

Elizabeth Uhlig

Format

Born Digital

Language

English

Type

Oral History

Identifier

oh15-kobayashi-kenge-20060603

Oral History Item Type Metadata

Interviewer

Elizabeth Uhlig

Interviewee

Kenge Kobayashi

Location

Uhlig residence, Eugene, Oregon

Original Format

Born Digital

Duration

1:58:29

OHMS Object

Interview Format

audio