WWII Japanese American Internment Museum

05/26/2026

John Nishio, Jerome Rohwer Committee Board Chair & CEO and Ross Harano, JRC Vice-Chair & CFO presented a check for $5,000 to the museum on Thursday.
The donor display is being created now and will be installed in the near future.

05/22/2026

The Obon Odori, dance to honor ancestors

05/22/2026

The Thirteenth Annual Pilgrimage of Japanese American Internees to Southeast Arkansas was Thursday. A group of 120 visitors traveled from across the country to gather in celebration of their families and their history. Twelve attendees actually lived in the Jerome or Rohwer (or both) camps, the oldest being 100.
The group first visited the relocation site and cemetery in Rohwer At noon they assembled at McGehee Municipal Building for lunch. Mayor Jeff Owyoung welcomed the visitors. Mike Smith, representing McGehee Industrial Foundation, thanked the group for their continued financial support of the museum, established in 2013. The museum board is creating a donor wall to be installed soon.
The Central Arkansas Taiko Drum Corp provided entertainment, followed by the entire group participating in an Obon Odori, a historic dance to honor their ancestors.
The group next visited the WWII Japanese American Museum & Interpretive Center, then traveled to the Denson (Jerome) site, before heading back to Little Rock for a weekend of activities.

05/22/2026

Yesterday, our 13th Pilgrimage since the museum’s opening, was so special. Especially the moment when a visitor found a photo of her father!

05/19/2026

Thursday, 1 pm
McGehee Municipal Building

05/01/2026

The magnolia trees are blooming!
❓❓Who is coming to the May 21 reunion❓❓
Our board is working hard on preparations for the museum DONOR BOARD. We continue to accept donations! PO Box 1263

04/24/2026

A look back, with gratitude for the opportunity to ensure this history.

The original Life Interrupted exhibit, “Against Their Will: The Japanese American Experience in World War II Arkansas,” is now on permanent display at the new World War II Japanese American ... Permanent Home for “Against Their Will” Exhibit

04/24/2026

This is wonderful. Enjoy.

During WWII, the U.S. government forcibly removed over 120,000 Japanese Americans from their homes on the West Coast. They were incarcerated in camps throughout the nation's interior, where many remained until the end of the war. While eight of the camps were in the remote reaches of the American We...

02/03/2026

May 21st • McGehee

02/02/2026

Pilgrimage (Reunion) of Japanese American friends
May 21, 2006