This luncheon was open to Directors, Deputy Directors, CEOs, CFOs, Leadership Team Members, and Trustees, and featured guest speaker David Pettyjohn, Executive Director of the Idaho Humanities Council. David Pettyjohn discussed the Council’s mission of “deepening the understanding of human experience by connecting people with ideas,” and provided information on programming and funding opportunities, including Museum on Main Street, Speakers Bureau, and grants.
2. Panel
Jacey Brain
Visitor Services Coordinator, Idaho State Historical
Society, Old Idaho Penitentiary
Phillip Thompson
Executive Director, Board President, Idaho Black
History Museum
Hanako Wakatsuki
Chief of Interpretation and Education, National Park
Service, Minidoka National Historic Site
16. E X P E R I E N C E Y O U R A M E R I C A
CHALLENGES WITH
INTERPRETING MINIDOKA
NATIONAL HISTORIC SITE
October 7, 2019
Western Museums Association Conference
Boise, Idaho
National Park Service
U.S. Department of the Interior
Minidoka National Historic Site
17. E X P E R I E N C E Y O U R A M E R I C A
Minidoka National Historic Site
18. E X P E R I E N C E Y O U R A M E R I C A
During WWII:
110,000 people forcibly removed to 10 camps
19. E X P E R I E N C E Y O U R A M E R I C A
Minidoka Stats
Incarcerees were from Washington, Oregon, and Alaska
In operation for 3 years
33,000 Acres large
13,000 people went through Minidoka
Peak population: 9,397 people
Idaho’s 7th largest city
20. How do we interpret this
history?
Consult the many communities invested in this
story to collectively develop the park’s on the
interpretive themes
General Management Plan
Foundation Document
Long-Range Interpretive Plan
Use current academic research to inform us
Use facilitated dialogue techniques and approach
through conversation
Provide the history in full context, not just through
the lens of WWII
E X P E R I E N C E Y O U R A M E R I C A
21. Audience Issues
Audience is misinformed on the subject
“Social truths” conflicts with facts
“Military necessity” falsehood
Assumptions incarcerees were POWs
Not wanting to accept government reports
Implicit Bias
Politics
Racism
Harassing interns/employees on information provided
because of false sense of “bias” due to ethnicity
Challenging why interns/employees are there based on
their ethnicity
E X P E R I E N C E Y O U R A M E R I C A
22. How we try to mitigate this?
E X P E R I E N C E Y O U R A M E R I C A
More pubic programming to make this story
more known
Create dynamic interpretive media and
experiences
Film
Exhibits
Special Events: Pilgrimages
Trying to spend more one on one time if
possible to open the dialogue
23. E X P E R I E N C E Y O U R A M E R I C A
Minidoka National Historic Site
www.nps.gov/miin
208-825-4169
National Park Service
U.S. Department of the Interior
24. Contact Us!
For questions, discussion, or a copy of the presentation:
Jacey Brain, Idaho State Historical Society
jacey.brain@ishs.idaho.gov
Phillip Thompson, Idaho Black History Museum
phillip.thompson@ibhm.org
Hanako Wakatsuki, National Park Service
hanako_wakatsuki-chong@nps.org