Introduction
This is an American story rich in sacrifice, perseverance and irony. Of the 120,000 Japanese interned in 1942 during World War II, approximately 42,000 were Issei or first generation Japanese. At Minidoka approximately 3,800 were Issei or approximately one third of the total population of 10,000.
 
Their average age was 56 years old in 1942 when they were forcibly removed from their homes and possessions, leaving responsible and productive lives in their local communities. As Japanese citizens they were American prisoners of war. Through out their years residing in America, they sacrificed personal dreams, persevered and lived a life of dignity under undignified circumstances for the sake of the children, "kodomo no tamini".
 
They came to America to find a better life and encountered prejudice racism and legal restrictions. By law Japanese immigration to the U.S. ceased, those who were in the U.S. could not become citizens and therefore could not vote. In some states laws prevented them from owning land and intermarrying.
 
Irony
Even though they were Japanese citizens imprisoned behind barbed wire at Minidoka, the Issei sent 1,000 of their sons and daughters who were US citizens off to War to fight for liberty in Europe and against their homeland, Japan. During their incarceration, they celebrated the births of grandchildren and mourned the deaths of: their children fighting in Europe, friends and relatives who died in Minidoka, and loved ones lost in the Tokyo firebombing and atom bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki.
 
Perseverance
It is a story about strength and determination and how their skill and labor transformed the Idaho desert into fertile fields of green .It is about how they rose above the bitterness of the injustices and saved the local Idaho crops at harvest time. It is about how they brought beauty to their prison surroundings through art, crafts and gardening.
 
Sacrifice
Their strength of character and faith in America kept hope alive for themselves, their children and grandchildren during the darkest hours of the war. As American prisoners of war, some even purchased US war bonds, worked in U.S. munitions factories, donated blood, and supported the American Red Cross drives to help America defeat Japan, their homeland.
 
Even though they were not permitted to enjoy the rights and privileges of US citizenship and even though they faced racial discrimination, the Issei were steadfast. They drew on that strength to help them re-establish their lives after the war and return in some cases to communities that were openly hostile. This monument honors their legacy of courage, optimism and faith in America.
 
May this monument also serve as a reminder that in a time of hysteria, Americans must remain strong and never permit this injustice to happen again.
 
Vision
The Issei Memorial at the Minidoka Internment National Monument tells an American story about 3,800 Issei or first generation Japanese immigrants who in 1942 were forcibly removed from their homes and possessions, leaving responsible and productive lives in their local communities. The Issei and their families became American prisoners of war in the Idaho desert for three or more years yet they were determined to contribute and support a country that held them captive and denied them citizenship during a time of war.
 
This memorial honors their courage, sacrifices and perseverance during their darkest hours. It stands as a triumph of the human spirit in a time of fear and chaos. It will be a place to pay homage to their legacy and a source of courage and inspiration to all who love freedom, justice and liberty. It will also be a place for future generations to stay connected in a personal way while simultaneously encouraging renewal and recommitment.