Sam Mihara to speak on ‘Mass Imprisonment in America’

“Mass Imprisonment in America,” a free online presentation by Japanese American Sam Mihara, will take place Wednesday, Sept. 23, from 3-5 p.m. The free presentation is sponsored by the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute, OLLI, at Casper College.

“Mass Imprisonment in America” tells the story of Mihara’s family, who were forced to move from their home in San Francisco shortly after the bombing of Pearl Harbor. The family was sent to Heart Mountain Internment Camp located in Northern Wyoming. Heart Mountain was one of 10 internment camps in the United States that housed 120,000 Japanese families from the West Coast.

Mihara and his family spent three years in the camp living in a 20×20 square-foot room in a barrack. “This fascinating class is vividly highlighted with images taken by famed American photographer and photojournalist Dorothea Lange that illustrate the forced move of Japanese Americans and daily life in the camps,” said Jeaneece Schmidt, lifelong learning specialist. Mihara will also include photographs from his family collection.

Electronic device and internet access are required for the free presentation. According to Schmidt, a few on-campus viewing seats have been reserved for those without an electronic device or internet access who would like to view Mihara’s presentation.

To register for “Mass Imprisonment in America,” call 307-268-3401 or go to caspercollege.augusoft.net.