University of Denver News Releases
Thursday, June 19, 2008
Japanese-Americans and former internees to visit Amache Japanese Internment Camp in Granada, Colorado
Tours during archaeological excavation by University of Denver anthropologists
Japanese-Americans, including former inmates, will tour Amache, the World War II U.S. government-run detention camp in Granada, CO July 3 and 6 where University of Denver (DU) anthropologists are conducting research to preserve the site. The tours are part of the Los Angeles-based Japanese American National Museum (JANM) National Conference in Denver July 2 - 6.
Amache was one of 10 War Relocation Authority (WRA) camps where Japanese and Japanese-Americans were forced to live for more than three years following the bombing of Pearl Harbor. Although one of the smaller camps, Amache housed more than 7,000 people, two-thirds of whom were U.S. citizens. Amache, named a National History Landmark in 2006, was in operation from August of 1942 and officially closed Oct. 15, 1945.
During the JANM Amache site visit, attendees will spend the day touring the site, seeing the Amache Preservation Society Museum and watch a program by students at Granada High School. They will also witness the on-going work of University of Denver anthropologists.
Bonnie Clark, assistant professor of anthropology at the University of Denver, will lead a field school June 16 to July 11 at Amache. During the four-week field school, professors and students will conduct surface surveys, excavate the area and help the Amache Preservation Society, which operates a small museum.
The University of Denver has a unique history with the Japanese-American community. Following the closure of the camps, many state schools did not welcome former inmates, but DU opened its doors.
When Rose Tanaka was released from Manzanar, a WRA camp in California, she was given a scholarship and tuition assistantship to attend and pay for her education at DU. She graduated from DU in 1948 with a degree in social science.
Rose does not believe millions of dollars should be poured into monuments, but she says, “these sites should not be plowed over and forgotten.” While Rose is quiet about her experience, she believes it is important for her to speak out since so many internees have passed away.
Rose’s husband, Floyd Tanaka, passed away Jan. 29. Also an internee at Manzanar, Floyd Tanaka graduated from DU with a degree in architecture and city planning and went on to lead one of Aurora’s most respected urban planning firms.
Note to Editors: The professional photography staff (video and print) at the University of Denver will document this historical event. Contact us for use of this material, or feel free to attend the following events that are open to the media.
Amache Field School - June 23 – 27
Bonnie Clark, assistant professor of anthropology at the University of Denver, will lead a field school June 16 to July 11 at Amache. Clark and the students are available for interviews and prefer visits the week of June 23-27. Most excavating will be done in the morning hours, while it is cool. During the afternoon heat, students will help in the Amache Preservation Society Museum.
JANM Conference – July 2 – 6
The Japanese American National Museum (JANM) National Conference “Whose America? Who’s American? Diversity, Civil Liberties, and Social Justice” will be held at the Hyatt Regency at the Colorado Convention Center July 2 to 6. This event is part of a three-year project titled Enduring Communities: The Japanese American Experience in Arizona, Colorado, New Mexico, Texas and Utah.
JANM Amache Camp Tour – July 3 or July 6 – 7a.m. to 7p.m.
Organizers of the JANM National Conference in Denver are offering attendees tours of Amache, the WRA camp in Granada. Tours will leave the Hyatt Regency at the Colorado Convention Center at 7 a.m. July 3 and 6. It is approximately a 4-hour drive, so attendees will be on-site from about 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.
For more information about the conference and camp tour, please visit the JANM web site: www.janm.org/prjects.ec.
Note to Editors: Please notify the media contact before making the 4-hour trip to Granada, so we can give the team a heads-up. We can also make special arrangements for stations wanting to fly their helicopters down, but we will need advance notice.
Amache Exhibit - University of Denver Museum of Anthropology – July 3 - 7 to 9 p.m.
The University of Denver Museum of Anthropology invites all JANM conference attendees to a dessert reception and open house on July 3, from 7-9 p.m. Sturm Hall Room 102. Sturm hall is located at 2000 E. Asbury Ave. On view will be a student curated exhibit that highlights the efforts of different groups who have worked together to preserve Amache, Colorado’s Japanese-American internment camp. In particular, the University extends a special welcome to Japanese-American alumni of the university.
Note to Editors: Rose Tanaka and other former internees are willing to be interviewed. If you are interested in an interview, the media contact would be happy to make arrangements. Many of the local Japanese-Americans are hosting large family reunions during the conference, so please call in advance in order to respect their family time.
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The University of Denver (www.du.edu), the oldest private university in the Rocky Mountain region, enrolls approximately 11,117 students in its undergraduate and graduate programs. The Carnegie Foundation classifies the University of Denver as a Research University with high research activity.
The Japanese American National Museum is dedicated to fostering greater understanding and appreciation for America’s ethnic and cultural diversity by preserving and telling the stories of Americans of Japanese ancestry. Since its incorporation in 1985, the National Museum has grown into an internationally recognized institution, presenting exhibitions, educational public programs, video documentaries and curriculum guides. It is located in the Little Tokyo Historic District of Downtown Los Angeles. For more information, call (213) 625-0414 or go to www.janm.org.
Contact: Kristal Griffith
Phone: (303) 871-4117
E-mail: Kristal.griffith@du.edu