Guide to the Mary Farquharson Papers Relating to the Incarceration of Japanese Americans during World War II
1942-1945

Biographical Note

Mary Farquharson was an activist for liberal and Christian causes who served as a Washington State senator from 1935 to 1941. She was born in 1901 or 1902 and died in 1982. During World War II, Farquharson was deeply committed to working to aid Japanese Americans who had been incarcerated. She was instrumental in advancing the case of Gordon Hirabayashi, a Japanese American who refused internment, to the U.S. Supreme Court.

Scope and Content

Farquharson's papers are organized into several accessions. Accession no. 397-5 dates primarily from 1942 to 1945 and documents activities of Caucasian Americans who did not agree with the federal relocation policy (groups such as the Fellowship of Reconciliation and the Pacific Coast Committee on American Principles and Fair Play). It includes several lengthy letters from Japanese American inmates, as well as clippings, ephemera, committee memoranda, newsletters, and miscellaneous writings of protest. It also contains subject series on two individuals, Gordon K. Hirabayashi and Mitsuo Paul Suzuki.

Restrictions on Use

Some restrictions exist on duplication, quotation, or publication. Contact the repository for details.

Restrictions on Access

Access restricted. Contact the repository for details.

General Notes

Researchers should note that a small amount of incarceration-related materials may also be found in some of the other Farquharson accessions. See especially Box 3 (the American Civil Liberties Union subgroup) of Accession numbers 397, 397-2, and 397-3.

Acquisition Info

This accession was given to the Libraries on June 6, 1989, by Chester Kingsbury.

Inventory