Donated Software Helps Preserve Tales of Japanese Internment
Densho: The Japanese American Legacy Project preserves the stories of Japanese Americans interned during World War II. The purpose of recording these stories is to promote awareness of human rights and tolerance, particularly during times of conflict. With many of those who experienced internment reaching advanced ages, Densho's work is critical to making these stories available for future generations.
The organization preserves these important stories through video-recorded oral history interviews. When Densho undertook a digital strategy to convert and share its collection for wider distribution on the Internet, it turned to TechSoup and Microsoft. The TechSoup software donation program made it possible to receive Microsoft SQL Server, Visio, Visual Studio, ASP.NET, and Office. The Microsoft software was used to produce, process, and organize interviews; display materials on the web; and share materials for classroom use.
The hard work was recognized when CSPAN began broadcasting Densho's interviews, and the National Park Service awarded the group a grant totaling $376,000. Success has left Densho in a unique and enviable position relative to other heritage-related organizations at a 20 percent annual growth rate.
