"Preview Edition"
When Manzanar National Historic Site was established by Congress on March 3, 1992 the National Park Service was tasked with no only preserving the Manzanar site, but with telling the larger story of the evacuation and internment of Japanese Americans and resident aliens during World War II. Manzanar is an important site, but only one piece of the larger puzzle of American history.
In 1999, the National Park Service (NPS) published Confinement and Ethnicity: An Overview of World War II Japanese American Relocation Sites by Jeffery Burton. It is by far the most popular archeological report ever published by the NPS (and now available from the University of Washington Press). Burton discovered what some already knew: there is a growing interest in these sites and the stories they tell. From California to Arkansas, Idaho to Arizona, individuals and organizations are working to document and preserve these important sites. Two of the former sites are now units of the National Park System: Manzanar National Historic Site and Minidoka Internment National Monument. Others are under the care of local organizations. Some camps have several groups working for their preservation.
In 2001, members of the Manzanar National Historic Site staff and the congressionally-authorized Manzanar Advisory Commission met to discuss programs and projects at Manzanar and agreed that a newsletter covering efforts at all of the camps would be useful. Over the past year, park staff has attended pilgrimages, reunions, and meetings for Rohwer, Tule Lake, Topaz, Heart Mountain, and Manzanar. Our talks with other camp folks confirmed the need for a way for all of us to share what we're doing, what we've learned, and where we hope to go.
This newsletter is by no means an exhaustive list of resources or a directory of organizations. It is an informal attempt to share some of the information we have gathered in the past year. Hopefully, by connecting our efforts we can all accomplish more in preserving this important chapter in American history.
Please keep in mind that this is a "preview issue." We wanted to share it at the All Camp Summit to encourage others to share their ideas and resources. Later this winter, we plan to have this newsletter professionally printed and share it with a broader audience. We also hope to publish future issues. Let us know what you think. How can it become a useful tool for all of those working to preserve the past? Please send your ideas and suggestions to us at the address listed on page 15.
Preserve History: Share Your Memories
When You're Gone, They're Gone
Sometimes, the WWII chapter of Japanese American History looks like a lesson in statistics: 110,000? 112,000? 120,000? At other times, it sounds like a lesson semantics: concentration camp? internment camp? relocation center? prisoner? evacuee?
No matter how you count it or what you call it, history is a collection of individual stories tied together by common experience. In the six decades since the sites highlighted in the following pages became part of history, tens of thousands of unrecorded stories have been left untold. Oral history is vitally important in preserving the past for the sake of the future.
\We hope that you will connect with your own experiences as you read this preview edition of "Camp Connections." If you remember the WWII years, consider sharing your story. If you don't, encourage family members and friends to share their memories. The experience is difficult to talk about for most people, but some find that finally putting thoughts and feelings into words after all these years is a healing experience.
Every interview is different, but you will most likely be asked about your memories of life before the war; how you were personally affected in the days and weeks after Pearl Harbor; how, when and where you left home (if you did); what life was like in the Assembly Center and/or Relocation Center; you memories of events, personalities, and controversies. There are no wrong answers of value judgements; just your own story in your own words.
Several of the groups profiled in the following pages are actively documenting oral histories and would be honored to hear from you. Your experience can play a key role in how others come to understand this important chapter of American History. For information on Manzanar's oral history program, please contact: Manzanar Oral History Coordinator, Manzanar National Historic Site, P.O. Box 426, Independence, CA 93526. Phone: 760-878-2194, ext. 12.
Gila River
and U.S. Army Facilities
