JANM Decries Historical Erasure at Manzanar, Minidoka, and other National Parks

Editors please note: JANM’s Pavilion is closed for renovation; programs will continue on the JANM campus and at other locations at janm.org/OnTheGo. 

LOS ANGELES, CA – The Japanese American National Museum (JANM) denounces the signs at the Manzanar and Minidoka National Historic Sites, as well as at the national historic sites and parks, that encourage guests to report any information that is deemed critical of American history.

This new directive originates from the administration’s executive order, Restoring Truth and Sanity to American History, followed by a memorandum issued by the Secretary of the US Department of the Interior on May 20, 2025, and subsequent instructions from the National Park Service comptroller on June 9, 2025. These directives require park superintendents to identify and flag signs, exhibits, films, and other public-facing content that are deemed to disparage US history. Collectively, they form part of the administration’s broader, ongoing campaign to dismantle foundational principles of diversity and democracy, suppress historical narratives that challenge their preferred version of events, and erase the contributions of people of color, women, LGBTQIA+ individuals, and other marginalized communities from the American story.

“JANM is deeply disturbed by this new directive, especially at historical sites like Manzanar and Minidoka where Japanese Americans were unjustly incarcerated during World War II. The Museum reiterates that the widespread dismantling of federal agencies that support our work and the attempts at the wholesale erasure of history will not help us achieve a more just America. The implications stretch far beyond America’s historical sites and parks, which is why we must continue to challenge revisionist history and other threats to democracy immediately. As JANM has said before, history does not yield to censorship or political ideologies. It demands honest, transparent conversations and a commitment to having an evolving understanding of how the past shapes the present and the future. JANM will continue to embody our mission, ensure that history is told fully and truthfully, and carry the lessons of history forward,” said Ann Burroughs, JANM President and CEO.

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