LOS ANGELES — The Manzanar Committee congratulates and extends its best wishes to Bernadette Johnson, Superintendent, Manzanar National Historic Site, upon her retirement from the National Park Service on November 8. Johnson, who served as Superintendent at Manzanar beginning in June 2014, is finishing her career after 31 years of federal service. She has previously... Continue Reading →
Manzanar Committee Announces 7th Annual Sue Kunitomi Embrey Student Awards Program
LOS ANGELES — On October 30, the Manzanar Committee, sponsors of the annual Manzanar Pilgrimage and Manzanar At Dusk program, along with the youth education project, Katari: Keeping Japanese American Stories Alive, announced their Seventh Annual Sue Kunitomi Embrey Student Awards Program, a creative works program in which K-12 students may submit essays, short stories,... Continue Reading →
2022 Arnold Maeda Manzanar Pilgrimage Grant Available for College Students
The follwing is a joint press release from the Venice Japanese American Memorial Monument Committee and the Manzanar Committee. The Venice Japanese American Memorial Monument (VJAMM) Committee and the Manzanar Committee have announced the Second Annual Arnold Maeda Manzanar Pilgrimage Grant for 2022. Maeda, who passed on September 10, 2020, at the age of 94,... Continue Reading →
Help Manzanar National Historic Site Recover a Part of History
following is a press release from the Eastern Sierra Interpretive Association. The Eastern Sierra Interpretive Association (ESIA) is seeking to raise $40,000 to help move an original War Relocation Authority administration apartment building back to the Manzanar National Historic Site. The apartment building, once part of what the Japanese American incarcerees called “Beverly Hills,” will... Continue Reading →
Manzanar Committee Mourns the Loss of Member James To
LOS ANGELES — The Manzanar Committee mourns the loss of one of its own, member James (Jim) To, 64, who passed away on May 25. To, a product of the University of California, San Diego, where he completed his undergraduate work, and the Asian American Studies Master of Arts program at the University of California,... Continue Reading →
2020-21 Katari Program Was an Eye-Opening Experience for One Shin-Issei
Editor’s Note: The 2020-21 Katari program, which is usually held in early November at the Manzanar National Historic Site, had to be moved to an online format due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Despite the loss of the extremely important placed-based learning component of the program, by all accounts, it seems that we were able to... Continue Reading →
We Need to Speak Up, and Let It Be Known Democratic and Civil Rights for All People Must Be Protected
The following is the text of a speech during our virtual 52nd Annual Manzanar Pilgrimage on April 24, 2021. by Seia Watanabe Growing up, something always felt a little bit wrong. It felt wrong when teachers could not pronounce my name right, or when they mistook me for the other Asian girl in my class.... Continue Reading →
2020-21 Katari Program: “What Resonates With Me the Most Is the Refusal for This History to Be Forgotten, Erased, or Overlooked”
Editor’s Note: The 2020-21 Katari program, which is usually held in early November at the Manzanar National Historic Site, had to be moved to an online format due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Despite the loss of the extremely important placed-based learning component of the program, by all accounts, it seems that we were able to... Continue Reading →
Manzanar Revolt: Every Story Matters
Featured Photo: A funeral is held on December 21, 1942 for James Ito and Jim Kanagawa, both shot by soldiers as they gathered in a crowd on December 6, 1942 at Manzanar (Nagatomi Family Collection/National Park Service). This past Saturday, April 24, was our virtual 52nd Annual Manzanar Pilgrimage. As has been our tradition for... Continue Reading →
