By Rachyl Soloai, Collections Manager, Heart Mountain Interpretative Center

What does it mean to be an American? American cultural identity often centers on patriotism, liberty, and democracy. For over two centuries, America has proudly represented these values, but what happens when American idealism is forgotten or discarded? The bombing of Pearl Harbor brought on a series of events in America that challenged the strong principles our nation was founded on. America began to answer the question, what does it mean to be American? Sadly, the answer fell short of the values established in our constitution.

The forced imprisonment of more than 125,000 Japanese Americans during World War II defied American practice and stained our collective history. Two thirds of the Japanese Americans imprisoned at the ten War Relocation Authority camps, like at Heart Mountain, were American citizens. These individuals were held against their will and in violation of their clearly defined inalienable rights. This part of our history serves as a stark reminder of the fragility of democracy in the face of fear and hysteria. 

As we approach America’s Semiquincentennial, the story of American identity at the Heart Mountain internment camp is being examined. “We the People: Exploring American Identity,” a special exhibit exploring the unique experiences of the Japanese Americans behind barbed wire, is now open at the Heart Mountain Interpretive Center through the end of 2026. Despite unjust confinement, incarcerees built vibrant lives, blending familiar American traditions with Japanese cultural practices. Through artifacts and testimony, the exhibit invites visitors to reconsider what it means to be American.

“We the People” features unique and profound artifacts that illustrate the American lives, feelings, and moments experienced by those incarcerated at Heart Mountain. The artifacts have been chosen with care to exemplify the significance of the deeply American experience lived by Japanese Americans at the Heart Mountain internment camp. The story of Heart Mountain is one of endurance through adversity; it is a story that is integral to the fabric of American Identity. 

For a sampling of artifacts, see the image gallery below.

Related articles

• A Brief History of Heart Mountain Relocation Center 
• Before Heart Mountain: Japanese in Early Wyoming 
• Wyoming and World War II 
• Nineteen Camps: World War II POWs in Wyoming 

Gallery of artifacts

Click on each image to enlarge and read the description.