Chiura Obata papers, 1891-2000, bulk 1942-1945

This series includes correspondence between Obata and family, friends, and colleagues, primarily while he was incarcerated at Tanforan and Topaz. Occasional letters addressed to his family members are also included. Notable correspondents include John Boylin, Dorothea Lange, Monroe Deutsch, Dorothy Parker, Miné Okubo, and Ruth Kingman. Much of the correspondence in this series is in Japanese, including letters of appreciation from students who attended the art schools established by Chiura Obata at Tanforan and Topaz. Some correspondence includes explanatory notes summarizing letter contents or providing context, written by either Kimi Kodani Hill or Mia Kodani Brill, Obata's grandchildren who donated the collection to the archives. Noteworthy material includes a series of letters Obata wrote to his wife Haruko during his 1927 trip to the Sierras in California.

Chiura Obata letter drafts to unidentified correspondents are at the beginning of the series, followed by one folder of alphabetically arranged correspondence from a late addition to the collection. The rest of the correspondence in the series is arranged alphabetically by correspondent. Letters and comments from students and Christmas and greeting cards are housed at the end of the series.

The bulk of this series has been digitized, except for duplicates.