Japanese American Confinement Education Act (HR 1931/S 988)

Courtesy of Densho, the Kinoshita Collection

Courtesy of Densho, the Kinoshita Collection

In 2006, the Japanese American Confinement Sites (JACS) Program was established for the preservation and interpretation of U.S. confinement sites where Japanese Americans were incarcerated during World War II. This original legislation was introduced by then Representative Bill Thomas, Doris Matsui, and Mike Honda. 

Since the first year of funded projects in Fiscal Year 2009, 35 million dollars has funded 269 projects in 24 states and the District of Columbia. Funding has ranged from as little as $5,000 to over $800 thousand for a single project. It has supported archeological surveys, site preservation and reconstruction, oral histories, documentary films, educational curricula, museum exhibits, digital resources, and more. The program was originally funded with 38 million dollars, which will soon be exhausted.

The Japanese American Confinement Education Act would permanently reauthorize the Japanese American Confinement Site (JACS) program within the National Park Service (NPS). It would also authorize $38 million in new funding, since the current funding will be completely spent before the end of 2022. This program has been one of the primary resources in the preservation and interpretation of the U.S. Confinement Sites where Japanese Americans were detained during World War II. Since 2009, 247 projects have received over $32.8 million. Funding has gone to 22 states plus the District of Columbia.

Additionally, the legislation establishes a separate, new five year, $2 million per year program to establish and disseminate educational materials about the Japanese American confinement. This grant would require the recipient museum to develop and nationally disseminate accurate, relevant, and accessible resources to improve awareness and understanding of Japanese American Confinement in WWII. This program is modeled after the Holocaust Education Act passed by Congress and signed into law in 2020.

The JACE Act has strong bi-partisan support with Representative Doris Matsui (D-CA)and Representative Rob Bishop (R-UT) as the originators of the bill.

TAKE ACTION NOW! 

Send a letter to the House National Parks, Forests, and Public Lands Subcommittee in Support of the JACE Act!

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Thursday, May 27th, the House Natural Resources Subcommittee on National Parks, Forests, and Public Lands held a hearing on the Japanese American Confinement Education Act! You can watch the hearing on the NPFPL Subcommittee’s Youtube page.

Endorsing Organizations: 

  • Amache Historical Society II

  • Anti-Defamation League (ADL)

  • Asian and Pacific Islander Americans in Historic Preservation (APIAHiP)

  • Bainbridge Island Japanese American Exclusion Memorial Association

  • Densho

  • Friends of Minidoka

  • Empty Chair Project

  • Fred T. Korematsu Institute

  • Friends of Minidoka

  • Full Spectrum Features

  • Go For Broke National Education Center

  • Heart Mountain Wyoming Foundation

  • Historical Museum at Fort Missoula

  • Japanese American Citizens League

  • Japanese American Confinement Sites Consortium

  • Japanese American National Museum

  • Japanese Cultural Center of Hawaii

  • Kizuna Little Tokyo Inc

  • KSPS Public Broadcasting Service

  • LA Conservation Corps

  • Minidoka Pilgrimage Planning Committee

  • National Council of Asian Pacific Americans (NCAPA)

  • National Japanese American Historical Society

  • National Japanese American Memorial Foundation

  • National Parks Conservation Association

  • National Veterans Network

  • OCA – Asian Pacific American Advocates

  • Poston Community Alliance

  • Shadows for Peace

  • The Nikkeijin Kai of Colorado

  • The University of California, Los Angeles

  • Visual Communications Media

  • Wing Luke Museum of the Asian Pacific American Experience

REFERENCE MATERIALS

INFORMATION ON THE JACS GRANT PROGRAM

LINKS TO OTHER SITES