Manzanar: “Never Again” Released – Video by Ken Burns: Watch It Here!

May 21, 2009 — Gann Matsuda

Manzanar: “Never Again,” a short film by critically acclaimed documentary filmmaker Ken Burns, has been released by WETA-TV (Public Television in Washington, DC) and Florentine Films. The mini-documentary is one of five such films produced by WETA and Florentine Films as part of their Untold Stories project.

Manzanar: “Never Again” was shown at a preview screening at the Beverly and Jim Rogers Museum of Lone Pine Film History in Lone Pine, California on April 24, 2009. It was also screened at the Manzanar At Dusk program on April 25, 2009, following the 40th Manzanar Pilgrimage, held earlier that day at the Manzanar National Historic Site. Read the rest of this entry »

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No Time To Rest On Our Laurels

June 2, 2009 — Gann Matsuda

The following is a reflection on the 40th Manzanar Pilgrimage and Manzanar At Dusk 2009 by James To, co-coordinator of the Manzanar At Dusk program.

It’s midnight, one week after the 40th Manzanar Pilgrimage and Manzanar At Dusk 2009 (MAD), and I finally have a little time to think about the events.

After such an arduous weekend in the Owens Valley, I probably should be resting but I find myself reflecting on the successes of last week in seeing the growth and the quality of the programs and I feel good that we have continued Sue Kunitomi Embrey’s legacy and set the foundation to continue her work.

After looking at some old photographs and reading poems and stories that were written, there is more work to be done. The stories of those who began the Pilgrimage forty years ago and those stories of former internees some 67 years ago have yet to be told. A mantle of responsibility has been handed down to the next generation to help tell the stories of “No More Manzanars.” Read the rest of this entry »

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CALTRANS Making Progress On Highway Widening Project Near Manzanar

May 26, 2009 — Gann Matsuda

CALTRANS is making significant progress on their four-lane widening project for US Highway 395 in the vicinity of the Manzanar National Historic Site. Read the rest of this entry »

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Tak Yamamoto Receives Sue Kunitomi Embrey Legacy Award

May 20, 2009 — Gann Matsuda

MANZANAR NATIONAL HISTORIC SITE, NEAR INDEPENDENCE, CA — To most in attendance at the 40th Manzanar Pilgrimage, it was probably just another award, like so many that are handed out at community events. But a closer look at the affable recipient tells a very different story.

On April 25, 2009, during the 40th Manzanar Pilgrimage, the Manzanar Committee honored long-time Committee member Tak Yamamoto as their first recipient of the Sue Kunitomi Embrey Legacy (Baka Guts) Award.

The award, named after the late chair of the Manzanar Committee who was one of the founders of the annual Manzanar Pilgrimage and was the driving force behind the creation of the Manzanar National Historic Site, was presented to Yamamoto in honor of his many years of toil, hard work, and dedication to the Manzanar Committee. Read the rest of this entry »

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Getting Emotional: Manzanar At Dusk 2009

May 18, 2009 — Gann Matsuda

Editor’s Note: Manzanar Committee treasurer Fred Bradford, who is always working hard behind the scenes to ensure that the Manzanar Pilgrimage and Manzanar At Dusk programs run smoothly, finally got a chance to participate in the small group discussions at the Manzanar At Dusk 2009 program on April 25, following the 40th Manzanar Pilgrimage held earlier in the day. When I saw Fred sitting in with one of the small groups, I knew that it was the first time in all the years we’ve been sponsoring the Manzanar At Dusk/Manzanar After Dark programs that he had been able to participate in one of the small group discussions. And as his group finished up, I got the distinct impression that Fred was moved and impacted by the discussion in a big, big way….and I was right. Here are his thoughts about the experience.

MONTEREY PARK, CA — I wrote about my experiences after my first trip to Manzanar in 1982 (and now, some 27 years later, that story has been reprinted here on our blog (see Manzanar Pilgrimage 1982).

Since then, I have become an active member of the Manzanar Committee and was recently appointed as treasurer. Although I have participated in most of the Pilgrimages since 1982, prior to this year, I always seemed to be involved in the physical work. I normally had dinner and went directly to bed.

This year the staff of the Manzanar National Historic Site did more of the miscellaneous work I used to do for the Pilgrimage, allowing me more time to watch and listen to the program. This also allowed me to have more energy for the evening’s event: Manzanar At Dusk (MAD).

As I was setting up for MAD and trying to eat dinner, I missed the short pre-release screening of Ken Burns’ latest documentary short, Manzanar – Never Again, as well as the panel discussion in the Lone Pine High School gymnasium. But afterwards, I had some free time and joined in the small group discussions for the first time and I was surprised at how my emotions were affected by the group I was in.
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So Much More Than A Pilgrimage

May 13, 2009 — Gann Matsuda

Editor’s Note: The following is a commentary/reflection piece on the 40th Manzanar Pilgrimage and Manzanar At Dusk 2009 written by Yo Miyamoto, President, UCSD Nikkei Student Union.

The Manzanar Committee encourages all those who may wish to share their thoughts, experiences and stories from the 40th Manzanar Pilgrimage and Manzanar At Dusk 2009 programs, held on April 25, 2009, to submit them for publication. Whether it is a story, commentary piece, poem, photographs, audio or video, we welcome your contributions for possible publication here on our blog.

For information on submiting your work, click on: About the Manzanar Committee/Contact Us.

As the President of the UCSD Nikkei Student Union, I have always marveled at what makes our annual journey to the Manzanar Pilgrimage one of the most anticipated and popular events our organization participates in.

Many of us have relatives who were interned and for them the trip can be a very emotional one. I think Michelle Mitsuda, our Cultural Chair and trip organizer, put it best when she told me that seeing first-hand what her grandparents went through made her feel “…sad but proud” of where she is now after what her grandparents have had to endure. Read the rest of this entry »

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Presentation On Manzanar Internees Who Snuck Out Of Camp To Go Fishing Scheduled For May 8

May 4, 2009 — Gann Matsuda

LOS ANGELES — On Friday, May 8, 2009, Manzanar Committee historian Cory Shiozaki will speak at a meeting of the Greater Los Angeles Chapter of the Japanese American Citizens League about his research project, “From Barbed Wire To Barbed Hooks: Fishing Stories From Manzanar” at Faith United Methodist Church, starting at 8:00 PM PDT.

Shiozaki has documented the history of former Manzanar internees who snuck out of the World War II American concentration camp to go fishing, even though the camp was surrounded by barbed wire and had eight guard towers manned by armed sentries. The presentation will include a preview of his work in progress, a one-hour documentary film about these adventurous internees. Read the rest of this entry »

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Media Coverage of the 40th Manzanar Pilgrimage/Manzanar At Dusk 2009

May 4, 2009 — Gann Matsuda

With the 40th Manzanar Pilgrimage and Manzanar At Dusk 2009 programs now a week-old memory, here are a few stories about the day’s events… Read the rest of this entry »

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Community Activist, Poet, Educator Al Robles Passes on May 2 – Video

May 3, 2009 — Gann Matsuda

On Saturday, it was learned that long-time community activist, poet and educator Al Robles has passed away.

Along with Bill Sorro, Robles was a key figure in the eviction protest and the rebuilding of the I-Hotel in San Francisco through the Manilatown Heritage Association.

Also with Sorro, Robles brought his Education InAction students from City College of San Francisco to the Manzanar Pilgrimage and Manzanar After Dark (now known as Manzanar At Dusk) programs for several years. That continued until a few years ago, before Sorro passed away in August 2007.

Robles has been missed at the Manzanar Pilgrimage. Now he will be missed by everyone whose lives he has touched. Read the rest of this entry »

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New At Manzanar National Historic Site: Merritt Park Excavated

May 2, 2009 — Gann Matsuda

In late July and early August 2008, volunteers, including the family of Kuichiro Nishi, who was imprisoned at Fort Missoula, Montana and Manzanar during World War II, excavated Merritt Park at the Manzanar National Historic Site.

Nishi was a 56 year-old nursery owner and garden designer in West Los Angeles when he was arrested by the FBI. In June, 1942, he joined his family at Manzanar.

Internees transformed the monotonous conformity of camp into a community, including beautifying the landscape and Nishi used his experience as a nursery owner to make the desert bloom. Within two months of arriving at Manzanar, he participated in the construction of a garden with pools and a fountain in Block 22. He later convinced camp director Ralph Merritt to donate supplies and equipment for the community garden that was first named Rose Park, then Pleasure Park and was later renamed Merritt Park. Read the rest of this entry »

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