The Smithsonian Institution’s National Museum of American History has begun planning for its com- memoration of the 75th anniversary of the signing of Executive Order 9066. Feb. 19, 2017, will mark 75 years since President Franklin D. Roosevelt signed the three-page document executive order, which affected the lives of the Americans of Japanese ancestry forever. To commemorate the important historical event, the National Museum of American History is developing a special exhibition that will open on the “Day of Remembrance” in February 2017.
The museum plans to show how the document shaped the lives of Japanese Americans during World War II — and continues to resonate throughout the community today. It will feature images and objects from the museum’s growing Japanese American history collection. Museum curators are also seeking additional artifacts and documents that capture the Japanese American camp experience, such as objects made and used in camp, documents and photos.
Representatives of the National Museum of American History will be attending the JACL National Convention, which will be held July 13 to 15 in Las Vegas. They are encouraging attendees to bring a photo of the object being considered for donation to the museum.
The exhibit at the National Museum of American History will remain open through November 2017. It is expected to reach more than 3 million visitors, who will view the exhibition in person at the museum, plus millions more who will view it online.
For more information, contact americanhistory apacollections.si.edu.
