Amy Leigh, interviewed by Jane Covernton, 30 March 1973

Amy Leigh, interviewed by Jane Covernton, 30 March 1973

Abstract
In this interview Jane Covernton interviews Amy Leigh regarding her life and career as a social worker. Leigh discusses her early years moving from England to Burnaby, British Columbia with her family. She emphasizes her involvement in Girl Guides. She explains how she became a social worker and the different positions she held throughout her career. At the end of the interview she expresses her views on the gender differences in the field of social work when she was working for the government of British Columbia. Regarding Japanese Canadians, Leigh notes that she worked for the British Columbia Security Commission for one year, and she was involved in finding and organizing the places where Japanese Canadians were forcibly removed to in the interior of British Columbia. Leigh briefly considers the impacts of race in how Japanese Canadians were treated during the internment era.
This oral history is from the British Columbia Archives and focuses on the experience of issei (first generation Japanese-Canadians).
No transcription available.

Metadata

Title

Amy Leigh, interviewed by Jane Covernton, 30 March 1973

Abstract

In this interview Jane Covernton interviews Amy Leigh regarding her life and career as a social worker. Leigh discusses her early years moving from England to Burnaby, British Columbia with her family. She emphasizes her involvement in Girl Guides. She explains how she became a social worker and the different positions she held throughout her career. At the end of the interview she expresses her views on the gender differences in the field of social work when she was working for the government of British Columbia. Regarding Japanese Canadians, Leigh notes that she worked for the British Columbia Security Commission for one year, and she was involved in finding and organizing the places where Japanese Canadians were forcibly removed to in the interior of British Columbia. Leigh briefly considers the impacts of race in how Japanese Canadians were treated during the internment era.
This oral history is from the British Columbia Archives and focuses on the experience of issei (first generation Japanese-Canadians).

Credits

Interviewer: Jane Covernton
Interviewee: Amy Leigh
Transcriber: Jennifer Landrey
Audio Proofer: Nathaniel Hayes
Publication Information: See Terms of Use for publication and licensing information.
Setting: Vancouver, British Columbia
Keywords: bystander; childhood; Girl Guides; immigration; education; children; policy; Great Depression; social work; British Columbia Security Commission ; Kaslo ; Austin Taylor ; gender; 1900s to 1970s

Terminology

Readers of these historical materials will encounter derogatory references to Japanese Canadians and euphemisms used to obscure the intent and impacts of the internment and dispossession. While these are important realities of the history, the Landscapes of Injustice Research Collective urges users to carefully consider their own terminological choices in writing and speaking about this topic today as we confront past injustice. See our statement on terminology, and related sources here.