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Topaz Japanese Internment Camp Joins Others as National Historic Landmark
If you've ever read the novel Snow Falling on Cedars or seen the movie, perhaps you remember the scenes that took place in a Japanese internment camp. I recall David Guterson's prose about the dust and wind that whipped through the camp where one of the main characters and his family were taken during WWII. The internment camps that were set up in the United States to house 120,000 Japanese-Americans after the Pearl Harbor attack are still evident in the buildings and barbed wire that remain. Most of the buildings are gone, however.
When I read about the Topaz Internment Camp becoming a National Historic Landmark, I thought about those scenes. Because of its national historic status, what's left of the camp will remain as a witness to this piece of American history. The dedication ceremony was on June 30 and now the camp is a museum. Here's a news clip of the dedication day. The footage includes interviews with former detainees and historic film clips. If you click on the photo you'll go to normaltoilet's Flickr page where other photos and descriptions are posted. You'll also be able to read the sign better.
Six of the other ten internment camps are designated as National Historic Landmarks as well.
- Manzanar Relocation Center, California
- Rowher Relocation Camp Cemetery, Arkansas
- Granada Relocation Center, Colorado
- Tule Lake Relocation Center, California
- Heart Mountain Relocation Center, Wyoming
The Minidoka Relocation Center in Idaho is part of the National Park System.
Filed under: Arts and Culture, Festivals and Events, Stories, North America, United States, Video
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
alex Jul 16th 2007 9:49PM
this is great. it's about time.
on another note, what will it take for the Japanese government to acknowledge their atrocities during the same war?
Ken Sep 22nd 2011 3:59PM
Alex, let me first point out that your viewpoint is exactly what put 120,000 Japanese Americans into these camps. That viewpoint did not distinguish the difference between American citizens of Japanese ancestry and the Imperial Army and Navy of the Empire of Japan. The Japanese American citizens had not one instance of espionage or hostility by the end of the war, not one. I heard a would-be candidate for public office in California, Bruce Herschenson, protest the 1988 redress of Japanese Americans wrongfully incarcerated by Executive Order 9066. He said that "...they bombed Pearl Harbor, why should we give them anything." Once again, no ability to discern the very significant distinction between the two peoples. And unless you are an indigenous American, you too are subject to the same broad brush stroke that could potentially label yourself someday as an "enemy alien". Don't you get it? The Bill of Rights was written for everyone. There is no exclusion clause in it for the whims of racism. It's a document that is immune to that sin. Twof my uncles who fought for this nation in Italy and Germany while their parents and siblings were jailed in "internment camps" knew this was unjust. And still they risked their lives and fought for the country that they felt would surely see the injustice and one day correct it. One did not live to see the day that Ronald Reagan signed the document apologizing for the wrong done to its citizens and the redress as a token of sincerity. Yet, attitudes among Americans like you persist. And sadly, I'm sure there's nothing I can write to dissuade you from holding it. But I will always defend your right to keep it. Because that's what an American does.
skylark130xx Sep 23rd 2011 12:48PM
Hi Ken.
Please take a moment RE-READ my comment, and re-compose your thoughts. And yes, I am replying to an almost 4 year old thread on which there was only 1 comment (mine) and I know that no one else will probably read this except for you... because of what I see as a personal attack on my character. At the end of this, I would expect an apology to be in order.
Please note that nowhere in my comment did I state that people of Japanese Ancestry deserved to be incarcerated in these camps. Nor did I have anything negative about the US apologizing to people of Japanese ancestry.
What I did say was “this is great. It’s about time” which I read as "this is great that the US is admitting they made a mistake, and it's about time that they are rectifying it"
From your comment, I am assuming that you are a proud, educated, and connected Japanese American, as you should be. I appreciate you taking the time out to write an entire diatribe on the horrors and inequities that occurred during a dark time of human history. I also appreciate the personal history, the jab at my "Americanism," and the civics lesson that you managed to throw in there.
But I do take offense to you totally ignoring the point of my comment. Re: the Japanese government. Did you know that in schools across Japan, they still skirt around the issue of WWII, and the atrocities which their armed forces committed to against the civilian non-combatants? if you think what you saw in Schindler's list was bad... you can start your research by reading the book "The Rape of Nanking" then research the other atrocities that were committed up and down the areas conquered by the Japanese Armed Forces. Afterwards, read up on HOW the Japanese Government has responded, and tell me if you're not horrified.
And yes, I will also defend your right to call me bad names. But know that I will fight back if I am wronged.