A Boy of Heart Mountain is a poignant coming-of-age story about how one ten-year-old Japanese American boy named Shig tried to make sense out of being imprisoned for several years on the prairie. Forced from his home, his school, his friends, and his beloved dog, Shig and his family have to figure out how to get by in this strange and unfriendly place. 

This is a book that will be part of the Gallery Walk as well as an one of the options for students to read and add to their presentation.

When over 120,000 Japanese Americans were sent to ten different camps during World War II, what happened to people’s pets? The majority of people had to give their animals away. There were very few pets in camp because no one knew how long they were to stay in camp. Hello Maggie! is a true story about a scavenger magpie bird and a boy who missed his pets.

This is a book that will be part of the Gallery Walk as well as an one of the options for students to read and add to their presentation.

Heart Mountain was one of the ten internment camps that people of Japanese descent were forced into. It’s spring, 1943. Koko’s ill mother and older sister have survived their first harsh winter behind barbed wire. Spring offers renewed hope that her father will be joining them soon from Camp Santa Fe in New Mexico. When Koko learns she could greet his train as a Girl Scout, she signs up. 

This is a book that will be part of the Gallery Walk as well as an one of the options for students to read and add to their presentation.

From the profound, moving and throught-provoking textile art exhibit "The Fabric of Memory" comes a matte book that commemorates the exhibit, the Textile Artists of the Greater Yellowstone who created it and the Heart Mountain Interpretive Center that hosted it in the summer of 2016. 

Three voices. Three acts of defiance. One mass injustice.

The story of camp as you’ve never seen it before. Japanese Americans complied when evicted from their homes in World War II -- but many refused to submit to imprisonment in American concentration camps without a fight.

In this groundbreaking graphic novel, meet JIM AKUTSU, the inspiration for John Okada’s No-No Boy, who refuses to be drafted from the camp at Minidoka when classified as a non-citizen, an enemy alien; HIROSHI KASHIWAGI, who resists government pressure to sign a loyalty oath at Tule Lake, but yields to family pressure to renounce his U.S. citizenship; and MITSUYE ENDO, a reluctant recruit to a lawsuit contesting her imprisonment, who refuses a chance to leave the camp at Topaz so that her case could reach the U.S. Supreme Court.

Based upon painstaking research, We Hereby Refuse presents an original vision of America’s past with disturbing links to the American present. 

This book is about a boy from Montana, who's family moves across the world to Japan. He faces the challenges of moving, learning a new language and adapting to a new culture. Loosely based on his own experiences as a father living and teaching in Japan, Rod Gottula's book explores how people of mixed races or cultures are referred to as "half"―a term which fails to take into account the tremendous beauty and sophistication that accompanies those who "walk in two worlds." Double! Not Half. aims to increase the reader's understanding of cultural diversity and the benefits that come with it. This is a great book to use in a Gallery Walk as well as having students read independently to explore the "walk in two worlds" which as Native students, they do, daily.

This is a book that will be part of the Gallery Walk as well as an one of the options for students to read and add to their presentation.

Meticulously researched and informed by extensive interviews with Mineta himself, Enemy Child sheds light on a little-known subject of American history. Andrea Warren covers the history of early Asian immigration to the United States and provides historical context on the U.S. government's decision to imprison Japanese Americans alongside a deeply personal account of the sobering effects of that policy.

Enemy Child includes more than ninety photos, many provided by Norm himself, chronicling his family history and his life. Extensive backmatter includes an Afterword, bibliography, research notes, and multimedia recommendations for further information on this important topic.

Used in Gallery Walk 

The true story of the great Sioux warrior who, as a young boy, defies tradition and seeks a vision on his own in hopes of saving his people.

Crazy Horse is among the best known Native American heroes. Yet many people do not know his boyhood name was Curly, inspired by his curly hair.

Renowned Abenaki author Joseph Bruchac tells a gripping and compelling story of how the dedicated young boy, Curly, grows into the brave warrior Crazy Horse. Sioux artist S.D. Nelson, with paintings inspired by the ledger book style of the Plains Indians, evokes the drama and tragedy of an important figure in American history.

This is a book that will be part of the Gallery Walk as well as an one of the options for students to read and add to their presentation.

When Flying Cloud's father gives him a Gift Horse, marking the beginning of his journey to manhood, Flying Cloud names the horse Storm. The two become inseparable: they spend their days riding across the prairie, hunting deer, and roughhousing with the other boys and their horses. But as Flying Cloud becomes a man, his life takes a serious turn: He must now learn the ways of his people and what it means to be a Lakota warrior. So when enemies of the Lakota steal many of the tribe’s horses - including Storm - Flying Cloud must join the rescue party. Will he prove he has the courage to become a true Warrior?

This is a book that will be part of the Gallery Walk as well as an one of the options for students to read and add to their presentation.

Beautifully illustrated by award-winning author Paul Goble, The Woman Who Lived with Wolves features a collection of 26 traditional stories from different Native American tribes, including the Pawnee, Cheyenne, Blackfoot, and Lakota. These include The Gift of the Sacred Calf Pipe which demonstrate the deep spiritual values contained in Native American oral culture. Also included is a foreword by Vivian Arviso Deloria, the former Executive Director of Education for the Navajo Nation.

This is a book that will be part of the Gallery Walk as well as an one of the options for students to read and add to their presentation.

Beautifully illustrated by award-winning author Paul Goble, The Boy and His Mud Horses features a collection of 27 traditional stories from different Native American tribes, including the Pawnee, Cheyenne, Blackfoot, and Lakota. Also includes a foreword by Albert White Hat, Sr., a nationally respected Lakota leader and linguist. 

This is a book that will be part of the Gallery Walk as well as an one of the options for students to read and add to their presentation.

The Girl Who Loved Wild Horses shares the story of a young American Indian girl devoted to caring for her tribe's horses. Using vibrant storytelling and stunning illustrations, Paul Goble brings to life this tale of a girl who lives among the horses and eventually becomes one. Capturing the love of and harmony with nature that characterizes American Indian culture, this book is sure to delight readers of any age. 

This is a book that will be part of the Gallery Walk as well as an one of the options for students to read and add to their presentation.

64-page stapled pamphlet about Native Americans 

Used for Gallery Walk

Timeless collection of Blackfeet and northern Plains Indian creation legends constitute an invaluable record turn of the nineteenth century Native American life.

Used in the Gallery Walk

Told in lively and powerful verse by debut author Kevin Noble Maillard, Fry Bread is an evocative depiction of a modern Native American family, vibrantly illustrated by Pura Belpre Award winner and Caldecott Honoree Juana Martinez-Neal. 

This is a book that will be part of the Gallery Walk as well as an one of the options for students to read and add to their presentation.

Apple Starkington turned her back on her Native American heritage the moment she was called a racial slur for someone of white and Indian descent, not that she really even knew how to be an Indian in the first place. Too bad the white world doesn't accept her either. And so begins her quirky habits to gain acceptance.
Apple's name, chosen by her Indian mother on her deathbed, has a double meaning: treasured apple of my eye, but also the negative connotation a person who is red, or Indian, on the outside, but white on the inside.
Bouncing in the middle of two cultures, Apple meets her Indian relatives, shatters Indian stereotypes, and learns what it means to find her place in a world divided by color. This is a book that will be part of the Gallery Walk as well as an one of the options for students to read and add to their presentation.

If Aiyana hears one more traditional Lakota story, she'll scream! More interested in her social media presence than her Native American heritage, Aiyana is shocked when she suddenly finds herself in a magical world-with no cell coverage!

Pursued by the trickster Raven, Aiyana struggles to get back home, but is helped by friends and allies she meets along the way. Her dangerous journey through the Spirit World tests her fortitude and challenges her to embrace her Lakota heritage. But will it be enough to defeat the cruel and powerful Raven?

This is a book that will be part of the Gallery Walk as well as an one of the options for students to read and add to their presentation.

Often spoken at the end of a prayer, a well-known Sioux phrase affirms that “we are all related.” Similarly, the Sioux medicine man, Brave Buffalo, came to realize when he was still a boy that “the maker of all was Wakan Tanka (the Great Spirit), and . . . in order to honor him I must honor his works in nature.” The interconnectedness of all things, and the respect all things are due, are among the most prominent―and most welcome―themes in this collection of Indian voices on nature.

Within the book are carefully authenticated quotations from men and women of nearly fifty North American tribes. The illustrations include historical photographs of American Indians, as well as a wide selection of contemporary photographs showing the diversity of the North American natural world. Together, these quotations and photographs beautifully present something of nature's timeless message.

Used in the Gallery Walk

When Douglas Nelson first encountered the site of the Heart Mountain camp as a graduate student at the University of Wisconsin, virtually nothing remained of what had been home to 14,000 Japanese Americans during World War II. His deep research into the existing archives produced this groundbreaking and Pulitzer nominated book that was first released in 1976. Now updated with a foreword by Norman Mineta and Alan Simpson, written shortly before Norm's passing, this new edition includes a chapter on the history of the Heart Mountain Wyoming Foundation and dozens of new photographs. Read the book that inspired two generations of scholars about this chapter of American history.  

Use for Research

Rare indeed are glimpses into the mind and heart of a boy as he becomes a man, but even more intriguing about Stanley Hayami's story is that it is told in his own voice, penned as his sixteen-year-old life of innocence and idealism unfolded in an American concentration camp and ended, still in his teens as a new recruit, trying to help a buddy in one of the fiercest and last battles in Europe in World War II.

Joanne Oppenheim painstakingly reconstructs the experience of Stanley Hayami, a real-life teenager whose attention was focused on school, sports, and hope for the future, and who then joined the Army to fight for freedom for all. Oppenheim sensitively contextualizes Hayami's words with background comments.

Used for Research

Iva Ikuku Toguri (1916-2006) was an American citizen, born on the 4th of July. Her parents, first-generation Japanese Americans, embraced their new nation and raised Iva to think, talk, and act like a patriotic American. But, despite her allegiance to the United States, she was forced to spend most of her adult life denying that she was a traitor or that she was World War II's infamous Tokyo Rose.

Yasuhide Kawashima's account of Toguri's trials are deeply rooted in Japanese language sources, American legal archives, and the cultures of both nations. He identifies heroes and villains in both the United States and Japan and also highlights broader concerns: the internment of thousands of loyal Japanese Americans, the meaning of citizenship, the nation's commitment to the idea of fair trial, the impact of tabloid journalism, and the very concept of treason.

Iva was eventually pardoned in 1977 by President Gerald Ford—she was the first person in U.S. history to be pardoned for treason—and had her citizenship restored. Yet when she died in 2006, obituaries continued to identify her as Tokyo Rose. Kafkaesque in its telling, Kawashima's tale provides a harsh reminder that the law does not always render justice. 

Could be also a part of the Gallary Walk

The Racial Justice in America: AAPI Histories series explores moments and eras in America's history that have been ignored or misrepresented in education due to racial bias. Developed in conjunction with educator, advocate, and author Virginia Loh-Hagan to reach children of all races and encourage them to approach our history with open eyes and minds. Japanese American Incarceration explores the events in a comprehensive, honest, and age-appropriate way. Books include 21st Century Skills and Content, activities created by Loh-Hagan, table of contents, glossary, index, author biography, sidebars, educational matter, and activities. 

Used as a resource along with Supreme Court Cases

For generations, the Native American people have been a society of great mystery. The Assiniboine and Sioux Indians of the Fort Peck Reservation in northeastern Montana are no exception. Although

centuries old, their culture is only now being rediscovered and explored. The idea to reveal some of their fascinating story stemmed from the desire,

devotion, and dedication of a few individuals to embrace the opportunity to explore this wondrous race of people. In 1851 at Fort Laramie, Wyoming, the tribes of Montana and Dakota territories signed a treaty with the U.S. Government, which led to the

beginnings of many congressional hearings concerning Native American reservations. In 1886 at Fort Peck Agency, the Sioux and Assiniboine exerted their sovereign powers and agreed with the government to create the Fort Peck Indian Reservation. After much negotiation over the two million acres of land, U.S. Congress ratified the agreement in 1888. This colorful heritage and legacy of Fort Peck is commemorated by the 200 images in this photographic collection. Featured are scenes of tribal leaders, schoolchildren, families, and celebrations from the late 1880s to the 1920s. All of the images were provided by Native American families living on the Fort Peck Reservation, the Fort Peck Tribal Archives, and the Montana Historical Society. 

Used for Research

Osprey's examination of one of the most controversial battles of the American Indian Wars (1775-1918). The death of George Armstrong Custer, and over half of his 7th Cavalry Regiment in the valley of the Little Big Horn on 25 July 1876, has become the most celebrated battle of the Indian Wars. It was the greatest, and the last, victory of the Native Americans over the United States military. Disobeying orders, Custer followed a trail to a large encampment of Indians and, without determining the numbers he faced split his command into three groups and attacked. In the resulting chaos Custer and more than half the troops under his command were killed. 

Used for Research

“Land of Nakoda” is a vivid account of the history, legends, customs, crafts, and ceremonies of the Assiniboine Indians of the northern plains. First published in 1942, it was written and illustrated by tribal members who interviewed the Old Ones, the tribal elders, in their native language. Many of the stories predate Lewis and Clark and were passed down through a dynamic oral tradition. Using clear and precise writing, “Land of Nakoda” accurately describes tribal legends, daily life, lodging, food, courtship and marriage, children’s games, buffalo hunting, tools and weapons, religious ceremonies and secret societies, medicine men and spirits, and the coming of the white men. 

Used for Research

Montana Grit examines the lives of 10 Montanans who, each in their own way, fought for justice, not only for themselves but for the good of all. These unsung heroes stood against fear and injustice, and their stories remain inspirational today. 

Used for Research

A film based on the World War II diary and letters of Stanley Hayami. A young man's tale of promise and hope. .. 

A Flicker in Eternity is the coming-of-age tale of Stanley Hayami, a talented young teenager caught between his dream of becoming a writer/artist and his duty to his country. Based on Hayami's own diary, this documentary is the firsthand account of a 15-year-old thrust into the turmoil of World War II and is a poignant reminder of the indignity of incarceration and the tragedy of war. Through Stanley's endearing cartoons and witty observations, this film chronicles his life behind barbed wire and as a soldier in the 442nd Regimental Combat Team. It is based on his diary and letters, which are archived at the Japanese American National Museum, and Joanne Oppenheim's annotations from Stanley Hayami, Nisei Son.

Documentary to be played in Unit

In 1942, 14,000 were confined behind barbed wire, surrounded by armed guards in watchtowers, in desolate, cold Heart Mountain, Wyoming. ALL WE COULD CARRY is their story, told through the memories of twelve Japanese Americans, children and young adults at the time. For up to three and a half years, the prisoners persevered despite deprivation and uncertainty. Although families were fractured and dignity denied, it was also a place where couples fell in love, where babies were born, where lifelong bonds were forged.

Academy Award-winning filmmaker Steven Okazaki, whose own father was sent to Heart Mountain, captures this essential piece of history in a way that is both compelling and relatable: providing vivid accounts of daily life in the camps as well as the resilience of those imprisoned there.

Documentary to be played in Unit

Heart Mountain is a spectacular and beautiful backdrop to a story of triumph and tragedy. Seventy years ago, an internment camp filled with 10,000 Japanese Americans sat in the shadow of the mountain.

The Hirahara Photo Collection tells the story of Heart Mountain through pictures. Patti Hirahara's father and grandfather had a secret dark room under their barracks where they developed film. In the years they were imprisoned, they took thousands of photos of camp life. Each photo is an opportunity to see the daily struggles and how people worked so hard at making life livable.

Japanese American internment is one of the most profound chapters of American history. The film's mission is to keep history alive. The more who know, hopefully, will rise to defend future attacks on civil liberties and personal freedom.

Documentary to be played in Unit

Days of Waiting is a poignant documentary about an extraordinary woman, artist Estelle Ishigo, one of the few Caucasians to be interned with 110,000 Japanese Americans in 1942.

During her internment, Estelle recorded the rigors and deprivations of camp life with unusual insight, her sketches and watercolors forming a moving portrait of the lives of the internees, the struggle to keep their health, dignity and hope alive.

Running Time: 28 mins.

ACADEMY AWARD WINNER: Best Documentary Short Subject (1990)

Documentary to be played in Unit

This film explores the life of Hiroshi ‘Hiro’ Hoshizaki, a retired grandfather of six, who was imprisoned in a Japanese internment camp during his adolescence. As we follow Hiroshi on his own journey to confront the events and memories of his past, we learn of his experiences while imprisoned at the Heart Mountain Relocation Center and the traumatic repercussions this experience has had on him, and his family.

Documentary to be played in Unit

A film about injustice, redemption, and a burning desire for all people to be treated equally.

A son of immigrants and forced into a U.S. World War II concentration camp as a child, Norman Mineta became the first Asian American mayor of a major city (San Jose, California); leading to a distinguished 20-year career in Congress; the first Asian American Cabinet member, serving two U.S. Presidents, a Democrat and Republican.

He never forgot his roots or the shame and humiliation he and his family felt during WWII and led the way for an apology from the U.S. government and redress for Japanese Americans. On September 11, 2001, his leadership as U.S. Secretary of Transportation, would ensure that what happened to Japanese Americans during WWII did not happen to any other group based on ethnicity or religion.

Documentary to be played in Unit

In WWII a handful of young Americans refused to be drafted from an American concentration camp. They were ready to fight for their country, but not before the government restored their rights as citizens and released their families from camp. It was the largest organized resistance to incarceration, leading to the largest trial for draft resistance in U.S. history. 

57 min

Documentary to be played in Unit