JOURNEY of CONSCIENCE
Visiting the WWII Japanese American Internment Camps
Poston: Pilgrimage I
This April, I had the privilege of visiting Poston during the Poston Pilgrimage. The Pilgrimage is organized by the families of people who had been imprisoned in Poston. The organizers come from Los Angeles, Fresno, and Sacramento; people come to the Pilgrimage from all over America. This year, the outdoor part of the Pilgrimage started on the Camp site at the Poston Memorial Monument.
Check out the Google Maps link below… When you do that, you’ll see an interactive, aerial image of Poston, AZ, focused on the area of Poston Camp I. It is the farthest north of the three Camps at Poston. If you move the map around, you’ll see the site of the Poston Memorial Monument (on Mojave Road). Slightly north-west, you’ll see the two acre site of the Poston historical work (on Poston Road).
Poston on Google Maps (Zoom in and out to get the full context)
The following pictures show people gathering at the Monument on April 7, 2018.
Official photographers preparing for the ceremony of the day… Family members who dedicated commemorative bricks were about to come up to visit.
Marlene Shigekawa, Project Manager of the Poston Community Alliance, welcomes the pilgrims.
A tribal land use official telling how the tribes and the families of the former internees worked together to build the monument.
Listening to Miss Indian Arizona extend a welcome.
The Tribal Chairman talks about the solidarity of the Indians and the Japanese Americans.
Then, the people went up to the monument, passing by the Monument’s Kiosk…
Pilgrims on the move…
Next up, Poston: Pilgrimage II. We’ll look at the site where the Poston Community Alliance and the Colorado River Indian Tribes are working together to create a visitors center and historical site.
Thanks for joining me on the journey.
Grace and peace to you,
Art
JOURNEY of CONSCIENCE 
Very helpful information. I loved the cooperation of the tribes and the JA’s. Thank you for sharing. Roy >
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Their cooperation is an inspiring story…
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