Reading the book Farewell to Manzanar as a kid left a mournful impression on me. If you aren't familiar with this place then you will be surprised to know that the U.S. had several such internment camps for Japanese Americans living on the west coast during World War 2.
We were all very moved walking through the exhibits, many of which were life sized. Imagine being told you had to leave your home, business, and school to relocate to a camp in the desert where you lived in a 20 x 25 room while all of your possessions back home were being sold for dirt cheap. And all because of yr ethnicity and unfounded racial fear. We walked through the museum in disbelief that this could have ever happened. 
The road up and away from Manzanar left us to ponder our thoughts as we made our way to Bishop for the night. The next day we will leave for 3 days of camping in the Sierra Nevada Mountains.
I knew about this, but recently read "The Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet" which broke my heart all over again. What a profound place to visit and take your kids.
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