Manzanar National Historic Site
Oral History Preservation
Oral History Preservation
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National Historic Landmark
1985 National Historic Site 1992 Park Size 814 acres Annual Visitors 105,000 Park Fee none Superintendent Jeremy Scheier Park Partner Sierra Forever Location Inyo County, CA |
Manzanar National Historic Site preserves the compound where thousands of Japanese Americans were incarcerated during World War II. In 1942, the United States government ordered American citizens to leave their homes and escorted them under guard to this remote military-style detention camp for the duration of the war. The remains of the camp at Manzanar remind visitors of the fragile nature of civil liberties and the strength of the human spirit when faced with adversity.
To date, the park has conducted over 600 oral histories of internee family members, orphans, as well as staff. Oral histories are used extensively at the site, including in the development of interpretive exhibits and podcasts, and to identify archaeological resources such as buried gardens, play areas, and basements. The Fund for People in Parks provided a grant for the National Park Service and Eastern Sierra Interpretive Association (now known as Sierra Forever) to purchase new equipment to conduct and archive oral histories with the last remaining survivors who were incarcerated at Manzanar. Project Cost: $15,509 Project Completed: 2019 What Manzanar National Historic Site will be in the decades to come will rely on their memories, and those who have gone before them. Thank you for your support!" |
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