A capacity crowd attended “Camp Pilgrimages,” presented by the Japanese American Historical Society of Southern California, Friends of Manzanar National Historic Site, and Heart Mountain Wyoming Foundation on June 21 at the Katy Geissert Civic Center Library in Torrance.
Panelists were (from left) Darrell Kunitomi, Mas Okui, Rose Ochi and Bacon Sakatani. Kunitomi, whose family was interned at Heart Mountain, and Sakatani, a former incarceree who has been active in preserving the camp’s history, discussed the Heart Mountain Pilgrimage, to be held Aug. 22-23 in Powell and Cody, Wyo. (visit http://heartmountain.org for details). Ochi, a key figure in the establishment of the Manzanar National Historic Site, and Okui, who appears in the documentary “The Manzanar Fishing Club,” talked about the significance of the annual Manzanar Pilgrimage. Excerpts from Tadashi Nakamura’s documentary “Pilgrimage” were shown.
Writer and filmmaker Sharon Yamato served as moderator. Roy Sakamoto spoke on behalf of JAHSSC.
Photos by J.K. YAMAMOTO/Rafu Shimpo