Harrison Johnson has been obsessed with researching the 1941 attack on Pearl Harbor since he learned about it in the third grade. Now, the 10-year-old boy has a new project: raising $100,000 for the Pacific Historic Parks’ Pearl Harbor Memorial Fund. After setting up a donation website and getting some local businesses to host fundraising events for the cause, Harrison is more than halfway to his goal amount already. He wants to raise the rest by December 7, 2023, which marks the 82nd anniversary of the incident.
Seeing the existing Pearl Harbor National Memorial in Oahu was what gave Harrison the idea. His family’s trip to the monument from North Carolina was life-changing.
“We landed, spent the day at the memorial, and flew right back,” said Cheznee Johnson, Harrison’s mom, according to The News & Observer. “He was over the moon.â€
However, when Harrison returned from his incredible experience, none of his friends knew what he was talking about. This was heartbreaking, since the historic event was so close to his heart. He decided that he couldn’t let his generation forget about those who lost their lives during the attack – especially those who thus far haven’t been given the recognition they deserve.
“I made up my mind to raise $100,000 and fill the gap in kids’ knowledge about Pearl Harbor,” Harrison explained, as reported by Nice News. “I especially want to share the untold tales of heroes, particularly those of women and minorities like Japanese Americans and African Americans. Their stories deserve recognition, and they should be heard by everyone who visits the Pearl Harbor memorial in person and online. It’s important to highlight their contributions and bravery during such challenging times.”
The boy added, “Me and my friends are big fans of superheroes like Batman, Wonder Woman, and Black Panther. We love reading about their amazing adventures. But as much as we enjoy those stories, we know that they are not real. The real heroes are the men and women who sacrificed their lives to protect our freedom.”
Watch the video below to learn more about Harrison’s cause.
You can find the source of this story’s featured image here.
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