They ended up at a camp in Wyoming. 46 years later Mineta, then a U.S. Representative, became the driving force behind the U.S. Civil Liberties Act signed by President Ronald Reagan in 1988. The legislation apologized for the injustices to Japanese Americans during World War II. Mineta added, "This country has made light years of progress beyond where it was in 1942."
The Japanese American Citizens League built the plaza on what was once a temporary prison for 4,800 Americans of Japanese ancestry.
Seattle artist Gerard Tsutakawa designed the "Fountain of Remembrance" and said, "I'm very honored to be a part of it."
Tsutakawa's parents, who met at an internment camp, were his inspiration. He said, "I think this is a celebration of all the incredible things that have happened since then and all the awareness and learning that's happened."
Secretary Mineta describes the memorial as a reminder of past mistakes and a beacon against future injustice.
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