History: Jerome was built on Farm Security Administration land in the swampy lowlands of the Mississippi Delta region. The site was poorly suited for habitation, with inadequate drainage and frequent flooding.

Jerome had a substantial agricultural program despite the challenging terrain. The camp farmed several thousand acres, producing vegetables for camp consumption and shipment to other centers. Livestock operations included cattle, hogs, chickens, and dairy cows.

Jerome saw four project directors in its first eight months. The fourth, LH Bennett, remained director from December 12, 1942 to July 31, 1945.

The camp was marred by inadequate housing, as people poured into a center which was not yet complete. As a result, Americans were housed in every conceivable space, in nearly constant 100 degree temperatures, until construction could be completed. Schools opened in October 1942 despite the almost total lack of supplies and furniture.

On November 30, 1942, Takeo Tada was beaten by a group of men. He had been employed by both the Turlock 'Assembly Center' and Jerome administrations and was targeted as an 'inu' (dog) by those angry over a delay in clothing allocations and at the administration in general. Hearings resulted in a 30 day jail sentance for the admitted perpetrator, amid a tense atmosphere where much of the camp population supported the attacker.

Inadequate sanitation and sewage facilities coupled with the swampy conditions, humidity, and heat led to outbreaks of diarrhea, dysentery, and other illnesses.

When Eleanor Roosevelt was to visit one of the camps in the Spring of 1943, Jerome was the one chosen, undoubtably because it had the best appearance.

Source: Japanese American History: An A to Z Reference, 1868 to the Present, by Brian Niiya. New York: Facts on File, 1993. This information is provided with the permission from the Japanese American National Museum and Brian Niiya, 1997.