Date of Award
1-28-2025
Document Type
Thesis
Degree Name
Master of Arts (MA)
Department
History
First Advisor
Amber Alexander
Committee Members
Linda Van Ingen; Nathan Tye; Will Stoutamire
Keywords
African American;Disability;Japanese American;Prisoner of War;Public History;Women
Abstract
Public historians strive to create relevant interpretative history for diverse audiences by finding connections between local history and national narratives. This thesis demonstrates how local historians can make history relevant to the public in the form of a digital exhibit that uses the stories of a western Nebraska military installation’s World War II employees. The Sioux Ordnance Depot was an ammunition storage site in Sidney, Nebraska, from 1942 to 1967. For over 25 years, the Depot’s mission was to receive, issue, and store Army ammunition, ammunition components, and general supplies, but little is known about the Depot and its employees beyond the Cheyenne County borders. Over the course of its history, the Depot experienced a series of labor shortages, most notably during World War II. In order to meet the labor demands of the 1940s, the Depot leadership hired a diverse body of historically underrepresented peoples. Audiences can connect with the history of the Depot through the experiences of the highly-valued World War II employees. Women, African American soldiers, Italian and German prisoners of war, formerly incarcerated Japanese Americans, and people with physical disabilities contributed to the success of the Sioux Ordnance Depot during World War II. Examining the memories and experiences of these employees through the social categories of gender, race and ethnicity, and ability demonstrates the Depot’s connections to national World War II narratives, as well as ways for audiences to find relevance in the history displayed in the digital exhibit.
Recommended Citation
Painter, Tatiana, ""Highly Value Employees": Interpreting the World War II History of the Sioux Ordnance Depot" (2025). History Theses, Dissertations, and Student Creative Activity. 51.
https://openspaces.unk.edu/hist-etd/51