Manhattan Project National Historical Park

On March 31, 1957, the Yakima Sunday Herald published the inspiring story of an immigrant worker named Tomas Cerna. In 1918, young Tomas Cerna and his wife “Phyllis” (Felicitas) Cerna came to the U.S. in the wake of the Mexican revolution. The Cerna family exemplifies how the children of…

On July 16, 1945, a loud, blinding explosion surprised New Mexicans around the Tularosa Basin. Trinity, the world’s first nuclear test, was top secret. Manhattan Project leaders did not inform people living nearby or downwind about the test or potential exposure to fallout.

This is the first article in a series about the life of wetyétmes tılaylá·kapıt (Chief William Burke). After growing up on the Umatilla Reservation, átway Chief Bill Burke went to college, served in the US Army in Alaska, and became a teacher. His relationship with Hanford began in the years…

Russell Jim was a ceremonial leader, traditional knowledge scholar, and one of the most influential Indigenous environmental advocates of the 20th and early 21st centuries. For over 37 years, Jim served as the Director of the Yakama Nation’s Environmental Restoration and Hazardous Waste Management…

In 1942, scientists at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) began exploring the physical properties of uranium, thorium, and beryllium. Scientists knew these elements would prove essential to nuclear energy and weapons; however, prior to World War II and the Manhattan Project, no one…

This lesson is part of a series teaching about the World War II home front. Oak Ridge, Tennessee is an American WWII Heritage City. It combines lesson themes from the three other lessons in the collection to summarize the city’s contributions and encourage connections to the overall US home front…

This lesson plan explores the impact of the atomic bomb on Oak Ridge, Tennessee, a major site of the Manhattan Project. It is part of a series about Oak Ridge, designated an American World War II Heritage City in 2022 by the Secretary of the Interior.

Listen to clips from an oral history interview with Frank Armijo as he shares memories growing up in Pasco, his joy and passion in the work that he accomplished at Hanford, and advice for youth. Frank Armijo’s parents were initially migrant farm workers from Texas who had met in Walla Walla. On…

Harry Daghlian was among the promising young scientists who came to work at Los Alamos as part of the Manhattan Project. Harotune Krikor Daghlian Jr. (1921-1945), known as Harry, was raised in Illinois, attended MIT, and had graduated from Purdue University. He had not yet earned his doctorate in…

Listen to clips from an oral history interview with Adán as he shares his experiences living with his family in Pasco, Washington for nearly a half of century. Embodying a lifelong commitment to giving back to his community, Adán excelled in education and eventually became an educator and…