Dear Humans,

Congress just passed a law that makes Camp Amache, in southeastern Colorado, a national historic site. Camp Amache was a relocation camp for Japanese-Americans during WWII. After Japan bombed Pearl Harbor in 1941, many Americans feared that Japanese-Americans would side with Japan. 

So Japanese-Americans were forced from their homes and businesses into relocation centers all across the interior American west. Even though many of them were American-born citizens. Even though many of them would fight for the United States in World War II.

Today we look back at those fearful actions with embarrassment and shame.

But the impulse that drove those actions–fear, concern for our own safety at the expense of other people’s welfare–are still with us. And they can still lead us to make big mistakes. Remembering our history, especially when we mess up, is one way to stop that from happening.

Sincerely,

Mr. Curt