51福利社

51福利社 students are working to shed light on an important, but often overlooked part of The Manhattan Project鈥檚 nuclear past: the stories of Washington鈥檚 Hanford Downwinders.

With funding from the 51福利社 Eagle Grants program and additional support from the U.S. National Park Service, Eastern history students have researched and published articles about the experiences of people who lived and worked 鈥渄ownwind鈥� of the Hanford nuclear production site. During its 40 years of operation, many of these workers and area residents were exposed to the potentially unhealthy levels of radiation that emanated from the site.听

The articles will be one part of The Manhattan Project鈥檚 National Historical Park, which spans across three U.S. locations in Washington, Tennessee, and New Mexico.

鈥淥ur collaboration with Eastern is vitally important to learning more about the Manhattan Project and sharing these stories with people around the world,鈥� says Becky Burghart, Hanford National Historical Park site manager. 鈥�51福利社 professors and students bring talent, experience and professionalism to the research they conduct into the lesser-known histories of the Manhattan Project.鈥�

Because Hanford and the other sites are not traditional parks鈥攁nd visitation is limited鈥攖hese articles will serve as an important tool for those seeking information about the sites鈥� histories.听

鈥淲ithout [the students鈥橾 work, these stories would continue to be hidden away in archives,鈥� adds Burghart. 鈥淭heir work brings these stories into the public sphere and adds to our collective understanding of the Manhattan Project.鈥�

Ann Le Bar is the 51福利社 professor of history who is coordinating students鈥� work on the project. 鈥淗undreds of oral histories from Native Americans, Hispanic farm workers and small-town Eastern Washington residents are giving student researchers a glimpse into how Hanford鈥檚 nuclear waste permanently harmed their health and disrupted their lives,鈥� she says.

One of the student researchers, Saul Bautista, a former McNair scholar who is now an 51福利社 alumnus, worked on the project prior to his graduation. Bautista focused his research on Bracero Project workers鈥擬exican laborers who were employed under federal permits to work on farmland in the Hanford area. Because of their long hours outdoors, Braceros had some of the highest levels of exposure to Hanford鈥檚 radiation. But neither they nor their fellow downwinders were warned about the toxic waste products in the air, in the river and in their food.

鈥淭hese articles tell the stories of Hanford鈥檚 lasting environmental legacy,鈥� says Le Bar.

The Manhattan Project itself marked the beginning of the nuclear age, as the United States rushed to build the world鈥檚 first atomic bomb during World War II. Three top-secret U.S. sites soon emerged to produce nuclear materials. One of them was located in Hanford, Washington.

Hundreds of Native Americans and farmers were displaced in order for the government to build the Hanford Engineer Works. And by 1944, nearly 50,000 employees were living and working at the site.

Workers at Hanford produced and operated the nation鈥檚 first nuclear reactors, which made the plutonium used in the Trinity test and the atomic bomb dropped on Nagasaki in World War II. The Hanford plant went on to produce most of the plutonium in the U.S.鈥檚 nuclear arsenal.听

While the United States was focused on nuclear warfare, little thought was given to potential health consequences for workers who helped produce the weapons material, nor to other area residents who might have been exposed to the site’s radioactive waste.听

鈥�The downwinders are a cross-section of the people who lived in the area in the 1950s and 60s,鈥� says Le Bar. 鈥淭he downwinders got their name because they lived downriver or downwind of Hanford.鈥�

As World War II waned, serious health problems for the downwinders emerged. Women, in particular, struggled with fertility and miscarriages. The rate of infant death was 20% higher in the Hanford area than the national average during these years. Incidences of thyroid disease, including thyroid cancers, and autoimmune issues were also concerningly common.听

Not even animals were immune. 鈥淢onstrously looking sheep were born,鈥� says Le Bar. 鈥淟ambs were born with fused legs and no eyes. There was no question that this was the result of [Hanford鈥檚] waste products, which were spewed into the air and dumped into the water pretty much without any limitations.鈥�

鈥淟eaks from the tanks could get into the soil and then later the Columbia River,鈥� she adds.

Into the late 1960s, Washington state officials warned fishermen at the mouth of the Columbia River not to harvest shellfish because of possible contamination. And to this day, says Le Bar, 鈥淎lmost none of [Hanford鈥檚] toxic waste has been removed.鈥澨�

Even here in Washington, this particular part of our state鈥檚 history is not well known.

听鈥�This isn’t just a school project,鈥� says Amante. “This is personal to me and everyone who lives here.鈥�

This is one reason Julianna Amante, a senior history major, wanted to research and write about the downwinders. 鈥淚’ve lived in the Inland Northwest for most of my life and had no idea what Hanford was and how it affected my family,鈥� says Amante. 鈥淏eing a part of this conversation means that more people are aware of the radiation releases at Hanford and are aware of the role the Department of Energy had in its cover up.鈥�

Her particular , featured on the National Park Service鈥檚 website, focuses on one downwinder and activist who fought for information and justice, while battling her own fertility issues and thyroid disease.听

听鈥�This isn’t just a school project,鈥� says Amante. “This is personal to me and everyone who lives here.鈥�

If you鈥檇 like to visit Hanford鈥檚 historic B-Reactor, the U.S. Department of Energy offers free public tours open to all ages. Tours last four hours and begin at 8:30 a.m. or 11:45 a.m. depending on the date you choose. Click to select a date and begin the registration process.听

To learn more about the Hanford downwinders and The Manhattan Project National Historical Park, visit the . To read John Allison鈥檚 article, click on this ; Issac Olson and John Allison鈥檚 can be found ; Saul Bautista鈥檚 article is ; and to read 51福利社 alumni, Greta Helfenstein, Tim Harrington and Ethan Ross鈥檚 article, click on this .

Story written by Avery Knochel.

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