This collection contains materials belonging to the Higaki family portraying Japanese American life and communities in California, spanning 1932-2012 with a gap between 1945-1966. It includes two photo albums with photos taken between 1932-1945, depicting the Miwa family and larger Japanese community before, during, and after being interned at the Poston War Relocation Center during WWII, several JACL publications, and various photobooks relating to the Mountain View Buddhist Temple, the California Flower Market, and an anniversary photobook of the California Chrysanthemum Growers association.

Larger photo album includes pre-WWII photos in San Benito County depicting various family portraits of the Miwa family including childhood photos of Mae and her siblings, the Fremont School and San Justo school, and other Japanese individuals/families in and around San Benito County. Bulk of the second half of the larger photo album has assorted group and individual portraits of Japanese Americans in Poston, and several group photos of the Poston Core Class of '42 and '43 one of which includes a full list of student names from the core class, including Mae Miwa.

The smaller photo album's bulk of photos were taken at Poston and depict various buildings, people, and events at the War Relocation Center, including an elevated panoramic shot of the Poston War Relocation Camp in Arizona, and documentation of several community events at Poston, such as dances, classrooms in session, and other activities. Numerous photos taken at Poston are portraits of individual internees, many of which are labeled by name. Also includes a photo of a barber shop in Parker, Arizona with "Japs Keep Out You Rats" sign on door. The last portion of this album depicts life after Poston, and contains numerous autographed Photos of Frank Miwa, Harry Miwa, and other Japanese Americans with many handwritten dedications to Mae.

This collection also includes an eight page article written by John W. Powell describing life at Poston, and criticism of Japanese internment camps as well as condemning the treatment of Japanese and Japanese Americans during WWII. Powell served as chief of the community management division at Poston, and spoke at the 1943 Poston High School graduation ceremony in which Mae attended.

Contains Mojave Memos, a 1943 Poston High School yearbook with Mae Miwa autographed on cover and various expositions on life in Poston by students including descriptions of the different high school’s departments/classes. Also includes Mohaveland, a 1945 photobook depicting the different blocks and people of Poston including captions and descriptions of photographic subjects.

Included in this collection are a 1966 Japanese Americans Citizens League booklet detailing its history and the history of Japanese Americans in the United States, and a 1985 San Benito County Japanese American Reunion booklet sponsored by the San Benito County JACL with numerous congratulatory letters from various officials and offers a history of the Japanese community in San Benito County from the 1880s to 1985.

Later materials relate to the Higaki family’s involvement with the Mountain View Buddhist Temple including several anniversary photobooks documenting the members and history of the Temple, an anniversary photobook of the California Flower Market with membership rosters and written/photographic history of the organization, as well as an anniversary photobook of the California Chrysanthemum Growers Association detailing its history and membership over the years.