Amache: Strength of a Community
Wednesday, June 25th, 12pm Eastern Time, ONLINE via Zoom
Located in a remote corner of southeastern Colorado, Amache, also known as the Granada Relocation Center, was one of ten incarceration sites established by the War Relocation Authority (WRA) during World War II (WWII). Amache unjustly incarcerated Japanese Americans who were forcibly removed from their communities on the West Coast through Executive Order 9066.
From 1942-1945, over 10,000 people of Japanese ancestry, most of them American citizens, lived at Amache. The original building foundations and the historic road network are still visible today. Amache also includes a historic cemetery, a monument, and several reconstructed and restored structures from the camp era. Preservation efforts by the Town of Granada, Amache Preservation Society, former internees and descendants, and community supporters are dedicated to educating the public's understanding of Amache’s significance.
Join us as we learn more about life at Amache and what is being done to preserve this important history.
About the Speakers:
Mitch Homma is a sansei (3rd generation) who grew up and still resides in Southern California. In addition to working as an aerospace engineer, his interests include Japanese history and Christianity in Japan. He grew up attending his great grandparents’ churches and heard stories about the families WWII years from other church members. His family members loved photography has aided in the preservation and documentation of family’s WWII history. Grandfather Homma was a dentist and USC sports photographer. He would bring his cameras to Amache as dental equipment. Mitch’s great grandparents were arrested by the FBI and taken to Santa Fe, New Mexico and Seagoville, Texas. Great-grandmother was one of fifteen Issei women at Seagoville in 1942.
Dr. April Kamp-Whittaker is an Assistant Professor at the California State University Chico, Department of Anthropology and Co-Field Director of the University of Denver Amache Archeology Research Project. Her research at Amache has focused on the archaeology of community and the development of social networks and neighborhoods. She has worked on historical and prehistoric projects across the U.S. and tries to find new ways to connect audiences to archaeology through public presentations, exhibits, and curriculum. Her publications include works on the archaeology of institutional confinement, the archaeology of childhood, and historic urbanism.
Chris Mather has been with the National Park Service (NPS) for over 15 years and has served as the Site Manager at Amache National Historic Site since May 2023. He holds a bachelor's degree in Anthropology from the University of Idaho and a Master of Arts from Ashland University. Before joining Amache NHS, Chris worked at several other NPS units, including Grant-Kohrs Ranch NHS, Fort Laramie NHS, and Yellowstone National Park. Throughout his career, he has collaborated closely with agency partners, universities, and stakeholder organizations, and is a dedicated advocate for both park resources and staff.
With gratitude,
The Zen Peacemakers Team