The Golden State Museum has announced the third presentation of the Time of Remembrance exhibit through Feb. 28.
This year, the Museum program has expanded to seven weeks and will host a community-wide event on Feb. 22, to reflect on the consequences of President Roosevelt’s signing of Executive Order 9066, which sent 120,000, Japanese Americans to internment camps during World War II.

Featured guest is Lane Nishikawa, author, playwright, and actor, whose performance will highlight the Japanese American internment experience. Performances are scheduled for 1:30 and 3 p.m. Activities throughout the day include an educational presentation, and a community panel on the internment of Japanese Americans in 1942 and the backlash against Arabs and Muslims today. Also featured is a historical exhibit, including a replica of a barrack and guard tower, a Peruvian-Japanese American exhibit, and book signings.

Former internees, friends and relatives assembled the barrack and replica guard tower. Under the direction of Ted Kobata, eight of his crewmembers: Masami Iwasa, Sus Satow, Glen Shimazu, Stan Umeda, Glenn Kobata, Sid Arase, Jim Kobata and John Guilday assembled the exhibits for the museum. Umeda is credited with constructing the replica sentry tower.

“After the first Poston Reunion, where the replica tower was built for display and barrack was exhibited, everyone wanted to use the exhibit,” said Masami Iwasa, a former internee and one of the exhibit’s assemblers. “The exhibit has made its rounds to Elk Grove and Sacramento schools, Time of Remembrance events, Cal State University Sacramento, and now the Golden State Museum,” he added.

“Ted came up with an idea where everything can be pre-assembled, so all we had to do was bolt together the walls,” Iwasa said.

This exhibit is presented in conjunction with a unique school program. The goal of the program is to teach students about the California and U.S. Constitutions and to become knowledgeable and responsible citizens.

Time of Remembrance is offered in partnership with the Florin, Marysville, Placer, Sacramento, and Stockton chapters of the Japanese American Citizen’s Leagues, along with California State University, Sacramento Archives and Special Collections, the Elk Grove Unified School District, Secretary of State Kevin Shelley, and major corporate sponsorship from East Lawn.

The program began in February 2001 with an attendance of over 1,000 students during its three-week run.

Time of Remembrance offers the opportunity to consider a unique event in American history through memories of Japanese Americans who lived through internment.

“Don’t miss this opportunity to reflect on an important topic of history.

At the Golden State Museum, you can discover who we were and the promise of a future of who we can become as Californians,” said a museum spokesperson.

The Museum is open Tuesday through Saturday 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., and Sunday noon to 5 p.m. Admission is $5 for adults; $4 for seniors; $3.50 for children 6 to 13; and under 6 is free. Visit our website at www.goldenstatemuseum.org. The museum is located at 1020 O Street, downtown Sacramento.

For more information, call (916) 395-7944 or email: [email protected]