May is considered Asian/Pacific American Heritage Month. We cannot honor Asian Americans without looking at one dark period of our city’s history involving the Santa Fe Japanese Internment Camp that was located in what is now Casa Solana.

It has been 80 years since President Franklin Roosevelt signed Executive Order 9066 requiring the internment of Japanese Americans primarily from the West coast, Hawaii, and Alaska. Men and sometimes entire families were told, “Only take what you can carry,” as they were rounded up, taken from their businesses, their churches, and homes. It has been 20 years since citizens of Santa Fe dedicated the Santa Fe Internment Camp and Historical Marker to shed light on this dark time in our city’s history.

To learn how this touched the lives of so many Japanese in our community, we invite you to watch the New Mexico PBS video: Remembering the Santa Fe Japanese Internment Camp,
July 7, 2011.

For more information on the history of the camp, see the Santa Fe New Mexican article, “80 years later, internment camp still an unknown part of Santa Fe history.”

FPC Special Commemorative Service

 

 

 

 

On May 22, 2022, we held a special commemorative service remembering the 4,555 Japanese men who were held in the camp. This special half-hour service was held at the Japanese Internment Camp Remembrance Site. As a part of the service, we touched the marker with origami cranes, which symbolize hope, healing, and peace. The cranes were later on display for the two following worship services. Watch the video of the commemorative service.

Display Honoring the Japanese interned in the camp

Our History and Archives Committee has created a display sharing the history of Santa Fe’s Japanese Internment Camp that is on display in the church lobby. Take some time to study this well-researched, well-crafted display.