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Past Exhibits |
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The opening exhibit, Sowing Dreams, Cultivating Lives: Nikkei Farmers in Pre-World War II Orange County, interprets the experiences of the Japanese American farmers who settled and lived in Orange County in the years leading up to their relocation and internment in the spring of 1942. Based on the collection of oral histories and photographs held at CSUF's Center for Oral and Public History, the exhibit covers immigration, family life, social organizations, and farming. This exhibit opened to the public on February 10, 2007.
The museum featured an original art work by New York artist Mike Saijo based on local photographs and writings in Echo from the pre-war period. The work measures seven feet tall by ten feet wide and reflects the sense of community spirit of the Japanese American farmers.
This exhibit owes much to the cooperation of several departments from across the California State University, Fullerton campus. From Visual Arts to Anthropology, from History to Biology, professors, staff, and students have contributed time, effort, and skills to design, develop, and create the exhibition concepts and structures. Moreover, the volunteers who devoted countless hours building creative displays, and the generosity of people in the community who provided advice, artifacts, and personal items, all contributed to the realization of this project.
Sowing Dreams, Cultivating Lives: Nikkei Farmers in Pre-World War II Orange County will journey with the early Japanese immigrants to California, and follows their stories as they established permanent communities in Orange County, by marrying, raising families, founding schools and social groups, farming, and above all, cultivating their new lives.
This exhibit is free and is open to the public every weekend on Saturday and Sunday from 12 noon to 4:00 p.m.
Future Exhibits
The second exhibit will focus on the pioneer families. A Determined
Lot: Orange County Pioneer Farmers will chart the paths taken
by the families who settled in the county and consider their
motivations and incentives as they farmed the land and created
innovations that changed the landscape.
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