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Presentation at Historic Fort Snelling to Examine Minnesota’s Secret Language School

The event will share the story of Japanese Americans at Fort Snelling during World War IIStay up to date about all things Minnesota History.

For immediate release

Dated: November 21, 2024

Contacts:

Contacts

Nick Jungheim, 651-259-3060, nick.jungheim@mnhs.org or Allison Ortiz, 651-259-3051, allison.ortiz@mnhs.org 

ST. PAUL, Minn (November 21, 2024) – Historic Fort Snelling invites guests to learn how a group of Japanese Americans served at the site during World War II. Part of Minnesota’s Secret Language School, the work of these men and women is considered to have shortened the war by years.

During World War II, the US military recruited imprisoned Japanese Americans from west coast concentration camps to be a part of the Military Intelligence Service Language School. This initiative trained soldiers as Japanese linguists, with participants serving while their family members remained incarcerated in many instances.

This event is part of Historic Fort Snelling’s Coffee Chat series, and will take place at 10:30 am and 1:30 pm on December 7. It will take place in the Plank Museum & Visitor Center, the same building that served as a barracks for some members of the Military Intelligence Service Language School. The cost is included in regular site admission.

More information is available at mnhs.org/fortsnelling.

About the Minnesota Historical Society
The Minnesota Historical Society is a non-profit educational and cultural institution established in 1849. MNHS collects, preserves, and tells the story of Minnesota’s past through museum exhibits, libraries and collections, historic sites, educational programs, and book publishing. Using the power of history to transform lives, MNHS preserves our past, shares our state’s stories, and connects people with history.