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Japanese American Pioneers in Box Elder County

Curating the Exhibit in the Brigham City Museum

Come hear our panelists discuss the creation of the exhibit “Uncovering the Journey: Japanese American Pioneers in Box Elder County”.

Panelists will discuss the stages and various aspects of the creation of the exhibit on the Japanese American Pioneers in Box Elder County. There will be time for Q&A from the audience.

Panelists:

Alyssa Kammerman is a professional Oral Historian with over seven years of experience preserving community history. To date, she has assisted multiple communities in recording and exhibiting their stories in institutions such as Hill Aerospace Museum, the Museums at Union Station, Weber State University Stewart Library Special Collections, and the Brigham City Museum of Art and History. Alyssa is an advocate for bringing under-represented stories into local museums. She is on the board of the Sema Hadithi African American Heritage and Culture Foundation and is an active member of the Oral History Association and the Utah Museums Association. She is currently working with the Brigham City Museum of Art and History as project manager on its first "Japanese American Pioneers in Box Elder County" project, collaborating with members of the Japanese American community to bring their story to life for this upcoming 2025 exhibition. Alyssa holds a BA in History from Weber State University and a certification in Caring for Museum Collections from the American Association of State and Local History.

Alana Blumenthal is a museum professional with over 15 years in the field.  Alana joined the Utah community in January of 2020 as Director of the Brigham City Museums.  Prior to that, Alana served in curatorial and management roles in Pennsylvania, Alaska, Virginia, Colorado, and New York City. Alana serves on the board of the Utah Museums Association, is a founding member of Sema Hadithi African American Heritage and Culture Foundation, and serves as a preservation and museum field services consultant for the Utah Division of Arts and Museums.  Alana holds a BA from Sarah Lawrence College and is currently enrolled as a degree candidate in the Master of Liberal Arts in Museum Studies program at Harvard University Extension School.  Alana’s passion is using historical collections to foster opportunities for community engagement.

Gerald Shigemi Nisogi is a Brigham City native and a Box Elder High School alumnus.  He is the son of Ichimatsu and Yae (Sato) Nisogi, long-time owners of the Golden Spike Café in Corinne.  His grandparents Masuji and Sumi Nisogi and Heinojo and Nofu Sato were all Issei (first generation Japanese immigrants) who settled to farm in Box Elder County in the 1910s.  Gerald served in the Utah National Guard from 1966-1963 and worked for 40 years in federal service at the Defense Depot Ogden and Hill Air Force Base.  Gerald is a member of the Advisory Panel for the “Uncovering the Journey: Japanese American Pioneers in Box Elder County” exhibit.  He provided hundreds of photographs and histories, alongside countless hours of his time to the success of the Museum’s project.  Gerald lives in Roy with Teri (Hori) Nisogi, his wife of 51 years.

Visit the Exhibit

The Exhibit: “Uncovering the Journey: Japanese American Pioneers in Box Elder County” is currently on display at the Brigham City Museum of Art & History (Exhibit Dates: February 15th - June 21st 2025).

Additional Event Information

 Registration: Registration for this event is not required, however, if you register you will receive an event reminder via e-mail, and if you opt-in to a text message, also a text reminder.

 Zoom: Can't make it in-person? Please register for the Zoom Webinar: https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_YWTQE2HXT0CHJ-2l0tXWSw

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