Gila River War Relocation Center

The Gila River War Relocation Center was a U.S. government facility in Arizona where around 17,000 Japanese Americans were forcibly relocated during World War II, following Executive Order 9066. Established in 1942, it was part of the broader internment program that detained Japanese Americans due to wartime fears and prejudice. The center used barracks-like structures to house families and individuals, and life there involved significant loss of freedom, community separation, and challenging living conditions. The site is now a historical reminder of a period marked by racial discrimination and policy violations of civil rights.