Video

A shared history: memorial to Japanese American WWII inmates at Fort Lincoln

A memorial in the Snow County Prison, now the United Tribes Technical College campus


Brian Bull

Brian Bull

September 6, 2025, Bismark, North Dakota

As xenophobia raged amid World War II, about 2,000 Japanese American men were incarcerated at Fort Lincoln in Bismarck, now the United Tribes Technical College campus. Satsuki Ina, whose father was among those imprisoned there, and UTTC leaders began a conversation about how to preserve this history. On Sept. 5, Japanese American and UTTC leaders dedicated the Snow Country Prison Japanese American Memorial on the campus grounds. "It was so moving that the Native American folks wanted to adopt the story as resonant of their own," Ina said. (Buffalo's Fire/Brian Bull)

We never committed a crime, except to have the face of the enemy.

ina
Satsuki Ina
The monument. (Sept. 6.) (Buffalo’s Fire Photo/Brian Bull)
The monument. (Sept. 6.) (Buffalo’s Fire Photo/Brian Bull)
A moment in the ceremony. (Sept. 6.) (Buffalo’s Fire Photo/Brian Bull)
A moment in the ceremony. (Sept. 6.) (Buffalo’s Fire Photo/Brian Bull)
Courtesy United Tribes Technical College Archive
Courtesy United Tribes Technical College Archive

Brian Bull

(Nez Perce Tribe)

Senior Reporter

Location: Eugene, Oregon
Awards: Edward R. Murrow 2025
See the journalist page
Brian Bull

Sharing Is Caring

This article is not included in our Story Share & Care selection.

The content may only be reproduced with permission from the Indigenous Media Freedom Alliance. Please see our content sharing guidelines.

© Buffalo's Fire. All rights reserved.

Respect The Fire

At Buffalo's Fire, we value constructive dialogue that builds an informed Indian Country. To keep this space healthy, moderators will remove:

  • Personal attacks, harassment, or hate speech
  • Spam, misinformation, or unsolicited promotion
  • Off-topic rants and excessive shouting (All Caps)

Let’s keep the fire burning with respect.