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June 23, 2007
Heart Mountain Wyoming Foundation Unveils Two Important Plaques
The other plaque commemorates former U.S. Congressman and Transportation Secretary Norman Mineta's incarceration at Heart Mountain from 1942 to 1943 as well as his extraordinary record of public service.
I'll be at the ceremony. Maybe I'll post some photos later.
UPDATE:
The ceremony was a smash -- moving in its memory of the past, and inspiring in its commitment to the future. Here are a few photos. Better ones, taken by the Heart Mountain, Wyoming Foundation's expert photographer (and former internee) Bacon Sakatani, will be available soon.
Here are our three featured speakers: Wyoming Governor Dave Freudenthal (left), former Transportation Secretary (and Heart Mountain internee) Norman Mineta (middle), and former Wyoming Senator Alan Simpson.
Governor Dave Freudenthal emphasized that the internment of Japanese Americans at Heart Mountain involved injustice not just by the federal government, but also by the State of Wyoming.
Former Congressman and Transportation Secretary Norman Mineta spoke movingly about some of the people in his life who had inspired him to leadership even in times of adversity.
Mike Snyder, the Director of the National Park Service's Intermountain Region, unveiled a plaque designating the site of the Heart Mountain Relocation Center as a National Historic Landmark. He spoke very movingly about his own family background and the importance of preserving sites like Heart Mountain that reflect the triumph of the human spirit over adversity, and that serve as reminders of the importance of civil liberties during times of peril.
Former Senator Alan Simpson succeeded in getting the big crowd laughing -- and thinking about how his lifelong friendship with Norman Mineta, formed behind barbed wire at the Heart Mountain Relocation Center, should inspire us to prevent future injustices.
Two old Boy Scouts embrace in the shadow of Heart Mountain.
Posted by Eric at June 23, 2007 10:52 AM