Joe Kazumura was born in Modesto, California in 1937 and was in a Japanese internment camp during World War II. He came to Chicago in 1946 and after receiving a camera for his birthday in 1959, he became interested in photography. He lived near the Indian Center in Chicago, frequently attending events held there, and became particularly interested in photographing Plains Indians costumes. While in the service in Korea, Kazumura learned darkroom skills. He was the secretary, past-president and a judge of the Northwest Camera Club, and belonged to the White Bear Society. A long-time friend of the Chicago American Indian Center, he took photographs of American Indian Center activities for over fifteen years.