Minidoka Pilgrimage

Minidoka Pilgrimage

Former incarerees spent nearly 3 years incarcerated at Minidoka and other camps during World War II.  Today, the site continues to hold a mixture of memories and strong emotions – feelings of denial, distrust, shame. There is also keen sense of joy and recognition of the many ways that our community resisted and cared for each other. These actions are sacred. The Pilgrimage is attended by former incarcerees, their family members, friends, and allies. It offers an opportunity to safely revisit the land and the memories amidst family, friends, supporters, and National Park Service officials. Our intent is to honor the first generations of Japanese Americans who suffered most under institutionalized racist laws, to deliver the message of “Never Again,” and to pass on the legacy to anyone who will listen.

What is Minidoka?

In 1942, almost 13,000 people of Japanese ancestry, many of whom were American citizens, were removed from their homes and sent to a desolate incarceration camp”near Twin Falls, Idaho. Today, most of the 33,000 acres that once made up Minidoka has been taken over by farms.  However, in 2001, 73 acres along the North Side Canal, and near the entrance to Minidoka has been designated a National Monument. Minidoka Internment National Monument was established in 2001 as the 385th unit of the National Park System to commemorate the hardships and sacrifices of Japanese Americans interned there during World War II. Also known as the ‘Hunt Camp’, the Minidoka Relocation Center was a 33,000-acre site with over 600 buildings and a total population of about 13,000 incarcerees held from Washington, Oregon, and Alaska. In 1944, the incarcerees harvested 7,300,000 pounds of produce in the surrounding agricultural fields, making the camp completely self sustainable. It was in operation from August 1942 until October 1945.

Save the date! The 2026 Minidoka Pilgrimage will be July 9-12, 2026.

Call for presenters is now open here through April 6 on a rolling basis!