Today marks the opening of the Heart Mountain Wyoming Foundation's grand opening of its Interpretive Learning Center. The weekend grand opening includes speakers Senators Daniel Inouye, Norman Mineta, and Alan Simpson, as well as broadcast journalist Tom Brokaw, and others; there will be a dedication ceremony, banquets, reunion and a hike up Heart Mountain. The Heart Mountain Foundation was established to preserve, interpret and commemorate the site where nearly 14,000 Japanese Americans were confined during WWII. The creation of the Interpretive Center was a collaboration between citizens of Wyoming, scholars, former internees and their descendants, as well as interested supporters throughout the United States. I am proud to have volunteered for this organization, and regret that I can not be there this weekend. Heart Mountain left an indelible mark on my soul.
To learn more, visit the
Heart Mountain Foundation's web site.