We invite you to join the History Keepers Society, Densho’s community of monthly donors.

We are a community dedicated to the stewardship of our stories, the preservation of our histories, and the power of remembrance as an act of resilience.

For nearly 30 years, Densho has built the leading digital archive for Japanese American WWII incarceration history, created by and for our community. The History Keepers Society monthly giving program provides Densho with a stable and sustainable foundation, grounding the organization in communal support. Today, we steward a comprehensive database filled with irreplaceable family testimonies and primary source materials, while also adding new and diverse untold stories to the archives. We make this history accessible to preserve truth, deepen understanding, prevent similar injustices from recurring, and to ensure this history is remembered for generations to come.

Donation Link

Why Give Monthly?

Monthly giving is one of the most effective ways to sustain Densho’s work. Your recurring gift allows us to preserve stories, create free educational resources, and shape a more just future. Even small, monthly donations can make a real long-term impact. They provide reliable support that allows us to plan ahead, respond in real time, and continue expanding access to this history.

As a monthly donor, you will gain access to membership benefits, including opportunities to engage more deeply with Densho’s work and community through special updates, programs, and behind-the-scenes access.

Become a History Keeper today to sustain Densho’s work to keep our history alive and accessible for generations to come.

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Sign up and receive a special thank-you gift

Make a recurring donation between now and the end of 2026, and we’ll send you a special thank-you gift: a custom Densho 30th Anniversary wrist lanyard keychain. Represent Densho on your keys or bag, and carry a symbol of remembrance with you as a reminder of the history you are helping to preserve. Please allow 4-6 weeks for delivery.

 

History Keepers Society Membership Benefits

Memory Keeper (monthly gift of $5)

Even $5 a month adds up to long-term impact. Every donation helps us to digitize and preserve more family memories, photos, and other archival documents for our community.

  • Virtual Donor Wall: History Keepers will be recognized on our website.
  • History Keepers Quarterly: Opportunity to receive a special History Keepers email newsletter every three months with behind-the-scenes updates and impact reports. By donating monthly, you are automatically subscribing to this newsletter. You may opt out at any time.
  • Member of the Month eNews Feature: Opportunity to be featured in a general newsletter spotlight to share why you are passionate about preserving our history for future generations.

Heritage Keeper (monthly gift of $25)

$25 a month allows us to digitize and preserve a photograph or letter.

All of the above, plus:

  • Priority Registration for Densho Events: As a History Keeper, you will have access to priority registration for all Densho virtual and in-person public events, including special History Keeper events.
  • Ask-A-Historian: History Keepers have the opportunity to ask their most pressing historical questions to our expert historians on staff at Densho.

Legacy Keeper (monthly gift of $100 or more)

$100 a month helps fund transformative work, such as covering the cost of a teacher joining an educational workshop, or preserving a full diary journal. One year as a Legacy Keeper can make it possible to digitize and preserve a fully recorded, segmented, and transcribed oral history.

All of the above, plus:

  • Family History Archivist Consultation: Receive a free, 30-minute consultation with Densho staff archivists to dig deeper into your own family history research.