“I think it’s the first time I’ve received funds to display Korean immigration history to the public,” said Jang Tae-han, director of the Korean-American Research Institute, who is in charge of the tour of Pachappa Camp and Korean history in Riverside for the first time next year.
Dr. Jang recently received $850,000 from the Melon Foundation as a fund for the Pachappa Camp Tour. In addition to preparing and hosting the exhibition, the fund can also be used to support Korean community organizations that will provide exhibition venues.
Dr. Jang said, “The exhibition will be held after a year of preparation. Above all, I am happy to help the community grow by applying the funds received from the Melon Foundation to the Korean community organizations in charge of the exhibition.”
In addition to the San Francisco Korean Center that is scheduled for an exhibition between July and September next year, the Korean Community Center in Washington DC (October-December 2024), the Korean Community Center in New Jersey (January-March 2025), and the Chicago Cultural Center (April-June 2025) are also receiving funds.
The institute will also fund $50,000 for the establishment of the Dosan Ahn Chang-ho Memorial Hall promoted by the American Bankruptcy Memorial Association.
Dr. Jang said, “I hope the Korean community will be more interested in Korean history in each region with this tour exhibition,” and stressed, “I hope we can also find ways to use the exhibition site as a next-generation educational opportunity.”
Meanwhile, Dr. Jang said he will prepare to carry out a large project that combines research on Korean history as soon as the tour is over, adding, “I hope that the research on Korean history will proceed more deeply by drawing attention from the mainstream community.”
BY NICOLE CHANG [nicole.chang@koreadaily.com]
