This workshop introduces K–5 Social Studies educators to the forced removal and mass incarceration of Japanese Americans during World War II, including the two camps established in Arkansas at Rohwer War Relocation Center and Jerome War Relocation Center. Participants will explore the national and Arkansas impact of this history, from the attack on Pearl Harbor to the war’s end in 1945, including the loss of constitutional rights, the service of Japanese American soldiers, and postwar reparations.
A special focus examines the camp school programs, where students were taught democratic ideals by a government that had denied their freedoms. Through authentic student essays, artwork, literature, and film, educators will gain classroom-ready resources and learn about field trip opportunities to McGehee’s museum and the Rohwer memorial site.