Tokyo Boyz
| Founded | 1942 |
|---|---|
| Founding location | Manzanar, California, United States |
| Years active | 1942–1996 |
| Territory | Manzanar, and in later years, San Francisco, California |
| Ethnicity | Japanese Americans |
| Membership | ~200 During Internment, over 500 post Internment |
| Criminal activities | gambling, illegal drug trade, contract killing |
| Allies | Jackson-Side Wah Ching |
The Tokyo Boyz were a Japanese-American gang founded in Manzanar Concentration camp during World War II. They were split into three groups: the Kibei Boys (Japanese-Americans from Japan), Issei Boys (first-generation Japanese-Americans), and the Nisei Boys (second-generation Japanese-Americans).
History
During World War II, American president Franklin D. Roosevelt passed Executive Order 9066 which provided for the forceful relocation of Japanese and Japanese-Americans into concentration camps. Among these camps was Manzanar, where over 100,000 Japanese Americans were interned. At the camp, a group of rebellious Japanese youths and adults quickly formed a gang. At first there was a power struggle between other gangs in the camp, but after the Manzanar Riots, almost all gangs united into the Tokyo Boyz.[1]
Throughout the lifetime of the camp, The Tokyo Boys were not involved in high-level crimes, but rather trivial offenses such as stealing extra rations and harassing non-Japanese prisoners.
Post-Manzanar history
After the Japanese-Americans were released from Manzanar, many went to California to work legally and reintegrate into American society. However, many Japanese Americans were unable to find work. Many Japanese-Americans to this day remain under the poverty line in places along the West Coast. Due to their socio-economic position, many members of the Tokyo Boys continued their lifestyle of crime after their release.[1]
References
- 1 2 Rachel Schreiber (May 10, 2012). "Online Exclusive: Gangs and the Internment". Hyphen Magazine. Retrieved April 16, 2019.