+----------------------------+------------------+---+-------------------+
| National Park Service      | Manzanar         |   | PO Box 426        |
|                            |                  |   |                   |
| U.S. Department of the     | National         |   | 5001 Highway 395  |
| Interior                   | Historic Site    |   |                   |
|                            |                  |   | Independence, CA  |
|                            | Use the complete |   | 93526             |
|                            | site name here   |   |                   |
|                            | (e.g. Palo Alto  |   | 760 878-2194      |
|                            | Battlefield      |   | phone             |
|                            | Historic Site).  |   |                   |
|                            |                  |   | 760 878-2949 fax  |
+----------------------------+------------------+---+-------------------+

![](media/image1.png){width="0.5597222222222222in"
height="0.7201388888888889in"}

**Manzanar National Historic Site** News Release

  -----------------------------------------------------------------------
  Use a "short-hand" version of the site name here (e.g. Palo Alto
  Battlefield not Palo Alto Battlefield National Historical Site).

  -----------------------------------------------------------------------

For Immediate Release: February 1, 2008

Contact: Richard Potashin

Phone: 760 878-2194 ext. 2712

**FORMER INTERNEES SHIG YABU AND WILLIE ITO TO COMMEMORATE THE DAY OF
REMEMBRANCE WITH MANZANAR BOOKSIGNING AND STORYTELLING FEBRUARY 17 &
18**

Former internees Shig Yabu and Willie Ito will present their recently
published children's book, "*Hello Maggie"*at the Manzanar National
Historic Interpretive Center on Sunday, February 17 and Monday, February
18. The book is an account of Mr. Yabu's experience raising a wild
magpie while interned as a ten year old boy at the Heart Mountain War
Relocation Center in Wyoming. Mr. Ito, who illustrated the book, was
eight years old when his family was sent to the Topaz War Relocation
Center in central Utah. While in camp, Mr. Ito began developing cartoon
skills which led to a 45-year career as an animator working with Walt
Disney and Hanna-Barbera. Mr. Yabu and Mr. Ito's appearance also
commemorates February 19, the Day of Remembrance which is the
anniversary of the date in 1942 when President Franklin D. Roosevelt
signed Executive Order 9066, leading to the internment of more than
120,000 Japanese Americans.

Mr. Yabu and Mr. Ito will sign copies of "*Hello Maggie*" in the
Manzanar History Association bookstore. Beginning at 11:00 a.m. on
Sunday and Monday. At 1:00 p.m. both days Mr. Yabu will make a
presentation based on the book with Mr. Ito illustrating the characters
from the book. Informal children's reading circles will take place
Sunday and Monday with the gentlemen available to meet with visitors.
The program is free and open to the public. The Manzanar National
Historic Site Interpretive Center is located at 5001 Highway 395, six
miles south of Independence, California. For more information on the
program, please call 760-878-2194 or visit Manzanar National Historic
Site's website at www.nps.gov/manz.

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