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Photos: Clubs started in World War II internment camps slowly disappearing

Teresa Montelongo, left, Yuri Long and Sumi Hughes look at old photos of themselves and their families at Hughes' home. The Atomettes celebrate the 65th anniversary of their social group this year.

Teresa Montelongo, left, Yuri Long and Sumi Hughes look at old photos of themselves and their families at Hughes’ home. The Atomettes celebrate the 65th anniversary of their social group this year.  (Michael Robinson Chavez / Los Angeles Times)

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The Atomettes are a group of Nisei women who have been friends since 1949. They are still going strong.

Nisei ladies social club

Teresa Montelongo, left, and Sumiko Davis discuss what kind of poker game they are going to play at one of their meetings. The group of friends have gone through marriage, deaths, children and grandchildren. They attribute their cohesion to Japanese cultural values of consensus.  (Michael Robinson Chavez / Los Angeles Times)

Nisei ladies social club

Sumi Hughes, who is 80, holds up some old photographs of herself taken in the 1940s.   (Michael Robinson Chavez / Los Angeles Times)

Nisei ladies social club

Sadie Hifumi, 79, right, shows off photographs of members of the Atomettes to Rose Honda, 87, left.   (Brian van der Brug / Los Angeles Times)

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