15.933 preservation of japanese american confinement sitesthe program provides for the preservation and interpretation of historic confinement sites where japanese americans were detained during world…

The National Park Service (NPS) awarded $503,362 to Densho through the Preservation of Japanese American Confinement Sites (CFDA 15.933) program on September 30, 2025, to support a cross-regional initiative documenting Japanese American resettlement communities in the Midwest and East Coast. The project will conduct up to twenty oral histories with aging survivors and their descendants, publish new and updated encyclopedia articles for each region, and digitize up to 20,000 historical items through community scanning days and archival consultations. All collected materials will be processed, indexed, and published in the Densho Digital Repository, Densho Encyclopedia, and other digital platforms for public access.

The initiative is scheduled for completion by summer 2027 and aims to preserve and share experiences of Japanese Americans who were detained during World War II. By partnering with regional organizations and hosting local scanning events, Densho will identify key oral history narrators and archival collections while building capacity within communities. The project benefits a diverse audience including nonprofit organizations, educational institutions, research scientists, policymakers, and the general public, contributing to the broader NPS mission of interpreting and preserving these critical historical confinement sites.

15.933 preservation of japanese american confinement sitesthe program provides for the preservation and interpretation of historic confinement sites where japanese americans were detained during world war II. Congress established the japanese american confinement sites (jacs) grant program (public law 109-441, 120 stat. 3288, and reauthorized via public law 117-328) to preserve and interpret incarceration sites where japanese americans were detained during world war II. The recipients new cross-regional initiative aims to preserve and share the stories of japanese american resettlement communities in the midwest and east coast. In collaboration with partners, the recipient will conduct oral histories, publish new encyclopedia articles, digitize up to 20,000 historical items, and host local scanning days to document the experiences of aging survivors and their descendants. The recipient will identify oral history narrators and archival collections, conduct up to twenty oral histories, and write new or updated encyclopedia articles for each region. Additionally, the recipient will collect, digitize, and index selected collections, planning site visits that may include community scanning days and archives consultations based on partner preferences. The new materials will be processed and published in the densho digital repository, densho encyclopedia, and other digital platforms. The project is expected to be completed and publicized by summer 2027. Beneficiaries include profit organizations, public nonprofitinstitutions organizations, private nonprofit institutions organizations, non-federal government entities, industry and public decision makers, research scientists, engineers, and the general public.