McMenamins Kennedy School
(503) 249-3983
info.ks@mcmenamins.com

On Monday, February 23, 2009, at 7 p.m., the Oregon Historical Society, Holy Names Heritage Center and McMenamins will present a lecture on the Japanese-American experience in Oregon during the World War II years. Guests of all ages are welcome and admission is free; please bring a contribution of canned goods for donation to the Oregon Food Bank. McMenamins refreshments will also be available for purchase.

This month, featured speakers June Schumann, Henry Sakamoto and Gary Higashi will provide historical perspectives and first-hand accounts regarding the local Japanese-American experience, a subject now featured in Stubborn Twig by Lauren Kessler, the current selected title of Oregon Reads 2009.

June Arima Schumann, recently retired longtime executive director of the Oregon Nikkei Legacy Center, will give an introductory overview of Oregon Nikkei history, from 1880 up to World War II.

Henry Sakamoto is the president of the Japanese Ancestral Society of Portland and co-founder of the Oregon Nikkei Legacy Center. He will speak from personal experience of the internment of 112,581 Japanese-Americans during WWII. Born and raised in Portland, Sakamoto was a teenager in 1942 when he and his family were among the 3,700 persons of Japanese ancestry detained and confined under military guard at an assembly center now known as the Expo Center before being taken to the Minidoka, ID, internment camp.

Gary Higashi, a longtime history political science teacher and who was born in the Minidoka internment camp, will provide a historical perspective and interpretations of Nikkei history in broader context of American history and what impact it has on us today.

About McMenamins Kennedy School:
Built in 1915, Kennedy School was closed in 1980 following years of declining enrollment. Purchased and restored by McMenamins Hotels, Pubs & Breweries, Inc., the Kennedy School reopened in 1997 as a neighborhood hub with guestrooms, a restaurant, brewery, small bars, movie theater, soaking pool, original artwork and more. Contact McMenamins Kennedy School at (503) 249-3983 or visit www.mcmenamins.com for more information.

About Oregon Historical Society:
The Oregon Historical Society preserves Oregon's unique history and brings it to life through world-class exhibits in their interactive museum, publications and research library. From the Oregon Trail, to Native American culture, to nationally renowned Smithsonian exhibits, the Oregon Historical Society has educated and entertained Oregonians and out-of-town guests for generations. Learn more at www.ohs.org.

About Holy Names Heritage Center:
Since their arrival in the Pacific Northwest in 1859, the Sisters of the Holy Names have striven to meet educational, social and spiritual needs in the communities where they live. The Holy Names mission of education and community partnership has shaped the vision for the Heritage Center. A multiuse building, the Center engages the public through research opportunities, educational programs, and facility rental. A welcoming place to gather, share and make memories, it celebrates the relationships the Sisters have forged, introducing visitors to this rich heritage and encouraging them to be a part of its future. Learn more at www.holynamesheritagecenter.org.

About Oregon Nikkei Legacy Center:
Oregon Nikkei Legacy Center, which opened in 1998, is a Japanese American museum and center that preserves and shares the history and culture of Japanese Americans in Oregon. A project of Oregon Nikkei Endowment, the Legacy Center creates and hosts exhibits, provides speakers for schools and community organizations, offers public programs, records videotaped oral histories, and preserves historic documents and artifacts. www.oregonnikkei.org