College to Dedicate Memorial for Japanese Americans Imprisoned in North Dakota

As first reported by the North Dakota Monitor, United Tribes Technical College will dedicate a new memorial September 5th honoring Japanese Americans imprisoned there during World War II. Nearly 2,000 Japanese Americans were held at Fort Lincoln, which later became the college campus. The Snow Country Prison Memorial gets its name from a haiku written by an imprisoned man whose daughter helped plan the site.

“The war is over but I’m still in a snow country prison,” the haiku reads.

The monument incorporates both Japanese and Native American design elements, as they share the experience of forced removal and oppression. The 1 PM ceremony in Bismarck will feature speakers, cultural performances, and a documentary screening.