The  WWII Japanese American Internment Museum Project co-chairs are  Jeff Owyoung  (email:  jeffowyoung@sbcglobal.net ) and Melissa Gober (email:  melissa_gober@yahoo.com ).  If you have questions or information, please contact Jeff or Melissa.

Museum Interior Layout (click to open)

The WWII Japanese American Internment Museum Project Committee is seeking donations  and information for this project:

• knowledge / history (written and oral)
• artifacts, memorabilia
• funding (gifts, grants, donations) Donations can be mailed to the McGehee Chamber of Commerce, PO Box 521, McGehee AR 71654 – please designate donation for WWII Japanese American Internment Museum Project

Current status of the project: 

 02/09/11:  The McGehee Industrial Foundation’s WWII Japanese Internment Museum Project has been nominated for the “Bootstrap” Award presented by the Arkansas Heritage Commission annually to an individual, organization, or community that has achieved significant success “on a shoestring,” having limited means to work with, either in resources or finances.  The award will be presented February 18 at an awards banquet in Forest City.

01/13/11: Museum Committee Meeting held January 13, 2011. Link to article in McGehee-Times News summarizing meeting:  http://themcgeheetimes.com/articles/2011/02/02/news/doc4d37368d6650b761743695.txt

01/06/2011 -  The project is moving forward with plans for completion by the end of 2011.  The design for the museum’s interior layout was finalized recently.

09/14/10 - On September 14, 2010, representatives from the Industrial Foundation met with Beth Wiedower, Director of the Arkansas Rural Heritage Development Initiative, Dr. Ruth Hawkins, Director of the Arkansas Heritage SITES program from Arkansas State University and representatives from the 106 Group from Minneapolis, Minnesota (www.106group.com) to discuss the plans for the WWII Japanese American Internment Museum located in McGehee.  Arkansas State University has received a Grant to prepare an interpretative program and the Industrial Foundation and WWII Japanese American Internment Museum Committee plan to work with the Arkansas State University group and their consultant (The 106 Group) to coordinate interpretative work for the Rohwer Site and the WWII Japanese American Internment Museum.  The group had a very productive two-hour informational and brain-storming meeting sharing ideas and determining priorities.  

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