What is it about?
Some experiences in places stick with us. These places, which I call memory anchors, are locations in which a formative portion of a person’s life story is rooted. They provide us with a set of values, a guide for interacting with others, and a foundation for our identity. For some senior citizens who grew up in Scottsbluff, NE, the Eagle Café has worked as a memory anchor as they learned how the traditions and practices of Japanese Americans enhanced their understanding of the world around them. The lessons these individuals learned contributed to their self-described lifelong commitments to expanding their horizons, welcoming others, and forming bonds within and across communities.
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Photo by Nils Stahl on Unsplash
Why is it important?
This article helps us recognize the value of remembered places and the benefits of interacting with others unlike us.
Perspectives
In researching and writing this article, I learned more about my family's history, the history of my hometown, and the power that places have to shape our lives--even decades after we last visited them.
Roger Aden
Ohio University
Read the Original
This page is a summary of: Memory Anchors in the Great Plains: The Case of the Eagle Café, Great Plains Quarterly, September 2022, Project Muse,
DOI: 10.1353/gpq.2022.0045.
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