September Professional Development: Billings, Crow Agency and Missoula
Of special interest to: 7th-12th grade teachers in the western part of the state
Workshop on Japanese Internment in Missoula
Join the Heart Mountain Wyoming Foundation on September 26, 2026, at the University of Montana, for "Exiled to the Rockies: Japanese American Incarceration during World War II".
The day long program brings Japanese American Incarceration History to new audiences by targeting change-makers throughout the country: namely, 7th-12th grade educators who will spread our materials to their students, and professionals-in-training who will serve a wide and diverse audience throughout their careers.
The program will feature Dr. Susan Kamei, Shirley Higuchi and Paul Richter.
- Dr. Kamei is managing director of the University of Southern California’s Spatial Sciences Institute and a descendant of Heart Mountain incarcerees. Her book When Can I Go Back to America: Voices of Japanese American Incarceration During World War II is praised for its riveting and meticulously researched historical narrative of this tragic episode in our nation’s history.
- Shirley Higuchi is the daughter of two Heart Mountain incarcerees. She has had a long career as a lawyer in DC becoming the first Asian American president in the 154 years of the Bar Association of the District of Columbia. She serves as the Chair of the Heart Mountain Wyoming Foundation Board. Her book Setsuko’s Secret: Heart Mountain and the Legacy of the Japanese American Incarceration was published by the University of Wisconsin Press.
- Paul Richter is an award-winning author who has over four decades of experience as a diplomatic correspondent. His book, The Distance Between Our Names: The Untold History of America’s War on Japanese Immigrants, is a gripping historical account of the harrowing struggles of Japanese immigrants in the US during the years leading to World War II.
Here are the details:
- Link to apply.
- Location: The Mansfield Center at the University of Montana
- Cost: Free
- Stipend: $100 for all attendees
- Renewal Units: 7
- Questions: Contact Sybil Kawano, Education and Workshop Manager
Montana History Conference (and Educator Workshop) in Billings
It's time for the 53rd Annual Montana History Conference! At Culture Keepers, Catalysts, and Cowboys: Exploring Billings and Eastern Montana, MTHS will host three days of workshops, tours, and lecture/panel sessions all aimed at bringing new and old topics on Billings and Eastern Montana history to light. Online registration is now open!
Register for the entire conference or individual tours and workshops. Earn Professional Development Units for the sessions you attend, up to 20 PDUs.
- 9:00 A.M.–1:00 P.M. • Educators Workshop ($35 per person; lunch included)
Guiding Student Research In this three-hour workshop, current and
former classroom teachers will share strategies and hands-on activities for
having students search for, select, analyze, and contextualize primary sources
while researching Montana places and events. - 1:30 P.M.–4:00 P.M. Electric Bike Tour: From Rimrocks to Railroads: Cycling Through Billings History Cycle (Bike rental, helmet, and waiver required; $50 per person.)
Friday highlights:
- Concurrent sessions with presentations on historic photographers, the history of 4-H, the Not in Our Town movement, firearms, early exploration, and more.
- Luncheon keynote by renowned Indian wars scholar Paul Hedren on "Sitting Bulls War."
- Banquet Keynote: "The Photographic Storytelling of Evelyn Cameron" with first person interpreter Mary Jane Bradbury
Saturday highlights
- Concurrent sessions with presentations on biographic warrior art, Chinese tunnels, music and dance history, and more.
- Luncheon keynote by Crow Tribal Historic Preservation Officer Aaron Brien, "The Battle at Arrow Creek: Best Practices in Researching and Retelling
Tribal Histories."
Costs:
- Educator workshop: $35
- Full conference registration (not including the workshop): $295
- Friday only registration: $175
- Saturday only registration: $125
- Tours: Free-$50
Learn more and find link to register.
The New Deal: Cultural Legacy and Democracy
Working together with the Little Big Horn College and the Western Heritage Center, Ruth Ferris and Kathi Hoyt are offering two two-day workshops focused on New Deal programs in Montana. These workshops provide humanities-based instruction for tribal educators, librarians, museum professionals, community members, educators, and preservice teachers.
Attendees will explore how New Deal arts and cultural initiatives strengthened democracy by amplifying diverse voices, preserving community stories, and fostering civic engagement.
The first workshop will be held Sept. 12th & 13th at the Western Heritage Center in Billings. The second workshop will be held Oct. 24th & 25th at the Little Bighorn College in Crow Agency.
These workshops are free and participants are welcome to sign up for one or both. Educational opportunities and place-based learning will differ between the two workshops. This workshop is sponsored in part by the Library of Congress Teaching with Primary Sources Great Plains Region, coordinated by the National Council for History Education and is part of the Lewis-Houghton Initiative which supports history, civics, and democracy learning using music and creative arts-based materials from the Library’s digital collections.
