Education

Tours and School Programs

Tours at the Oregon Nikkei Legacy Center are designed to tell the story of people of Japanese descent (Nikkei) in Oregon before, during, and after World War II. Tour themes and activities are designed to connect with curriculum and Common Core Standards in the areas of Language Arts, Social Science and American History. Inquiry-based tours at the Oregon Nikkei Legacy Center are thematic and are lead by our trained volunteer docents. Scheduling details are below.

In addition to self-guided tours (please confirm availability in advance), the following options are available for docent-guided tours:

Oregon Nikkei: Reflections of an American Community (permanent exhibition)
Our standard tour is designed to tell the story of people of Japanese descent (Nikkei) in Oregon and their struggles before, during, and after World War II. This exhibition gives students the opportunity to learn about a specific time in history, while also exploring universal ideas such as community, identity, immigration and civil rights.

Identity (Recommended for grades 3-5)
Students will discuss the concept of identity in relation to the story of the Oregon Nikkei. They will draw on their own understanding of "identity" to explore these questions: What identifies you and makes you who you are? What can change or shape your identity? Is identity something we take with us no matter where we go? How do you think the Japanese American's identity might have changed after living in the internment camps?

Civil Rights (Recommended for grades 7-12)
Students will explore the concept of civil rights in relation to the story of the Oregon Nikkei. They will discuss the Bill of Rights and what they mean for all Americans. Students will uncover the stories of Nikkei who were stripped of their civil rights, as well as the role of the government during a difficult time in American history.

Japanese American Historical Plaza
The Plaza is an internationally recognized, award-winning public park located at the Tom McCall Waterfront Park in Portland. Located two blocks from the Oregon Nikkei Legacy Center, the Plaza is a memorial to the 120,000 men, woman and children held against their will in internment camps during WWII. A guided tour of the Plaza will help students interpret historical events and provide an opportunity to reflect on the past.

Oregon Nikkei Legacy Center in the Classroom

Museum in a Suitcase Program - developed by the Oregon Nikkei Legacy Center, with assistance from the National Trust for Historic Preservation.

Let us bring the Oregon Nikkei Legacy Center to your classroom! Our docents will come to your classroom and share the Japanese American experience in Oregon with your students through the use of primary resources, such as visual images and artifacts. A teacher guide with resources and lesson plans aligned to Common Core Standards is also included.

The primary resources included in the suitcase cover the following topics:

Early Japanese Immigration to Oregon

Creating Communities – Life in Nihonmachi (Portland's Japantown)

Incarceration Story – World War II, Executive Order 9066, civil rights, Evacuation Process, Portland Assembly Center, Transfer to WRA Camps, Life in Camp, U.S. Military, End of the War, Resettlement Process, and Redress

Speakers Bureau

Oregon Nikkei Endowment speakers are available for classroom visits, school assemblies, civic organizations, and other groups. Each speaker is well versed to talk about the Japanese American experience during World War II as well as the broader topics of civil rights, citizenship and the Constitution.

Minoru Yasui: From Roots to Results is a five-lesson curriculum that introduces students to experiences of Japanese Americans in Oregon during World War II and to the work of Minoru Yasui, the Oregon attorney who challenged the curfew placed on that community in 1942.

The curriculum includes lessons aligned to Common Core Standards and primary source material to support those lessons. The curriculum was funded by the Multnomah Bar Foundation with support from the Oregon Nikkei Endowment and the Minoru Yasui Tribute Project. Contact Oregon Nikkei Endowment if you are interested in receiving a copy of this curriculum.

Phone: 503-224-1458

Digital Citizenship and Japanese American History Curriculum

Digital Citizenship and Japanese American History is a seven-lesson curriculum that addresses critical questions about rights and responsibilities of citizenship, especially related to media. The experiences of Japanese Americans during World War II provide a relevant context for this study. The curriculum includes lessons aligned to Common Core Standards and primary source material to support those lessons. This curriculum was funded by a grant from the Collins Foundation with support from the Oregon Nikkei Endowment.

Minoru Yasui Essay Contest

In this 2018-2019 school year, the Minoru Yasui Tribute Project and the Oregon Nikkei Endowment are holding the second annual Minoru Yasui Essay Contest. This contest is open to middle and high school students in Oregon. Students submitting essays will be encouraged to learn about Minoru Yasui, an Oregon attorney who challenged the curfew placed on Japanese American citizens during World War II. His test case went to the U.S. Supreme Court. In November 2015, President Barack Obama bestowed upon Minoru Yasui the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the highest civilian award given in the United States.

Through this essay, students will have the opportunity to address contemporary civil rights and social justice issues and the actions they have taken or can take to promote justice.

Have you stood up against an injustice in your community? Is there a problem in your community that you would like to address? In what ways does this problem relate to civil rights or social justice? Having read about Minoru Yasui's many efforts to fight injustice and build a society founded on equity and social justice, what kind of help and wisdom would you seek from him in your work?

Prompt: Imagine a conversation between Minoru Yasui and yourself. What would you tell him about the work you have done or your plan of action? What questions would you ask him about your plan? How do you think he would respond? How could your conversation with him help you in your efforts to seek social justice?

MUSEUM AND PLAZA TOURS: $3.50 per student, $5.00 per adult (with three complimentary adult admissions per school group).

SPEAKERS BUREAU AND MUSEUM IN A SUITCASE: $55 per class/talk.

To schedule your group for one of our programs, please fill out the Request Form and mail, fax, or e-mail it to the Oregon Nikkei Endowment office. Contact us (2-4 weeks in advance requested) with questions or to discuss your options:

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Collections
The Legacy Center has a wealth of resources documenting Japanese American history and culture, housing original manuscripts, government documents and publications, as well as historical and contemporary artifacts and photographs.