Kurt Ikeda Receives Award for Outstanding Achievement

By Camille Daw, Fellow, Friends of Minidoka

Many of us know Kurt Ikeda, the current Director of Education and Interpretation at Minidoka National Historic Site. Shortly after Hanako Wakatsuki left Minidoka to pursue opportunities at Honouliuli, Kurt stepped in with big shoes to fill. And he has certainly succeeded. The former teacher currently oversees many programs and projects related to the forced removal and confinement of Japanese Americans during World War II at Minidoka concentration camp. Many of us who know Kurt, recognize that he exemplifies the work that he teaches to others; both as a National Park Service employee dressed in the “green and gray,” and as a mentor, educator, and exceptional citizen. 

On October 8, 2022, Friends of Minidoka gathered to celebrate Kurt’s award from the Idaho Humanities Council for Outstanding Achievement. Certainly a lifetime achievement, Kurt works effortlessly to educate on the lessons and legacies of Minidoka. Much of his work reaches outside the boundaries of the site through presentations, speeches, and partnerships with organizations such as the Idaho State Historical Society, the Japanese American Museum of Oregon, and Friends of Minidoka, among many others.

Kurt also serves as a remarkable mentor, alongside many others, as I work towards completing my M.A. project on Minidoka’s Administrative History. Though the two-and-a-half-hour commute often prevents me from visiting the site in person, Kurt has been an incredible resource of support. Especially as my family never experienced incarceration, I am frequently reminded through Kurt’s presentations with a quote from Dr. Frank Kitamoto, “This is not just a Japanese American story, but an American story with implications for the world.”

Congratulations to Kurt on his current successes as we look forward to celebrating the many achievements he has and will continue to accomplish. 

To learn more about Kurt’s journey to the National Park Service, please see this article he wrote for Yo! Magazine.