Telling Our Stories: President Obama Designates Honouliuli National Monument in Hawai'i

“On behalf of our more than one million members and supporters across the country, the National Parks Conservation Association (NPCA) thanks President Obama for announcing his plans today to designate the Honouliuli National Monument as a new national park site.”

“As our country’s premiere storyteller and leader in historic preservation, the National Park Service helps millions of Americans and international visitors understand our country’s history – both our brightest moments and those like Honouliuli Gulch, with a troubled past for its role as a World War II internment camp. With today’s announcement of the Honouliuli National Monument, the National Park Service will at long last have the opportunity to protect the site’s resources as well as share its significance with local and international visitors.”

“NPCA has long-supported efforts to share this important piece of our American story within the National Park Service. Last summer, in response to the park service’s study of the site, thousands of NPCA supporters joined us in voicing support for preserving Honouliuli under National Park Service management. We are proud to see our support for this national park idea become reality.”

“As the National Park Service approaches its centennial celebration in 2016, designation of the Honouliuli National Monument takes our country’s ‘best idea’ a step closer to telling the full story of our shared history.”

Background: Located on the island of Oahu, the Honouliuli Internment Camp was one of five internment camps in Hawai’i used during World War II. The camp opened in 1943 and was the last, largest, and longest-used World War II confinement site in Hawaii. The Honouliuli Internment Camp was one of 10 camps where Japanese American citizens and resident Japanese aliens were interned during World War II. President Obama’s announcement was made on the 73rd anniversary of the signing of Executive Order 9066, which gave the secretary of War the power to “exclude” certain people from certain areas. This most heavily impacted Japanese Americans who were detained during World War II.

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About National Parks Conservation Association
Since 1919, the nonpartisan National Parks Conservation Association (NPCA) has been the leading voice in safeguarding our national parks. NPCA and its more than one million members and supporters work together to protect and preserve our nation’s natural, historical, and cultural heritage for future generations. For more information, visit www.npca.org.