Pho Minh Buddhist Temple – Arkansas Story Vault

At the end of the Vietnam War in 1975, Fort Chaffee was utilized as a primary staging ground for Vietnamese refugees fleeing their home country. While many refugees received sponsorship from across the country, other families stayed in the Fort Smith area to begin a new chapter of their life.

Carving out their new part of the world, many Buddhist communities spend years recultivating and reimaging their religious lives in the United States. This project, produced by Michael Fuhrman along with research assistant Mackenzie Mollner, is a series of interviews with members of the Pho Minh Buddhist Temple in Fort Smith. Michael spoke with members from multiple generations to document their stories of immigration, commitment to faith, and hopes for the future.

This initiative is a part of a larger project to fulfill Michael’s senior honors thesis. Under the direction of Honors College Dean Dr. Lynda Coon, this project, entitled “Building with Stories: Collecting Narratives and Understanding Cultural Realities for Vietnamese Buddhist Populations in Fort Smith, Arkansas,” seeks to expand research on religious pluralism in Arkansas and contextualize these growing communities in the state.

All interviews were conducted at the Pho Minh Buddhist Temple in Fort Smith, Arkansas, as part of the Fort Smith Pho Minh Buddhist Temple Arkansas Story Vault project at The David and Barbara Pryor Center for Arkansas Oral and Visual History in Fayetteville, Arkansas.

Interview with Christopher Ha,
director of the Noble Eight Lion Dance team

Interview with Dao Ha,
member of the Pho Minh Buddhist Temple

Interview with Loc Huynh and Ngan Phan,
members of the Pho Minh Buddhist Temple

Interview with Dominic Mai,
member of the Noble Eight Lion Dance team

Interview with Duc Nguyen,
member of the Pho Minh Buddhist Temple

Interview with Van Nguyen,
member of the Pho Minh Buddhist Temple

Interview with Julia and Lisa Thai,
members of the Pho Minh Buddhist Temple

Interview with Kevin Truong,
member of the Noble Eight Lion Dance team

Interview with Cam Yeung,
member of the Pho Minh Buddhist Temple

Interview with Jason Yeung,
member of the Noble Eight Lion Dance team

Altar at the Pho Minh Buddhist Temple in Fort Smith, Arkansas
Lion heads used by the Noble Eight Lion Dance team of Pho Minh Buddhist Temple in Fort Smith, Arkansas
Congregation at the current Pho Minh Buddhist Temple in Fort Smith, Arkansas
Behind the scenes for the celebration on Kinh Mung Phat Dan (or Buddha Day) at the current Pho Minh Buddhist Temple in Fort Smith, Arkansas
Exterior of the original Pho Minh Buddhist Temple in Fort Smith, Arkansas
Exterior of current Pho Minh Buddhist Temple in Fort Smith, Arkansas
Congregation in the chapel at the original Pho Minh Buddhist Temple in Fort Smith, Arkansas
Congregation in the chapel at the original Pho Minh Buddhist Temple in Fort Smith, Arkansas
Exterior of the original Pho Minh Buddhist Temple in Fort Smith, Arkansas
Altar of the current Pho Minh Buddhist Temple in Fort Smith, Arkansas
Congregation at the current Pho Minh Buddhist Temple in Fort Smith, Arkansas
Masks used by the Noble Eight Lion Dance team of Pho Minh Buddhist Temple in Fort Smith, Arkansas
Members at the current Pho Minh Buddhist Temple in Fort Smith, Arkansas

Michael Fuhrman

History / Psychology

Michael is a senior from Bryant, Arkansas. During his time at the University of Arkansas, he has worked in multiple oral history projects that focused on faith communities. This project is a major aspect of his honors senior thesis surveying religious pluralism in the state of Arkansas. Upon graduation in May 2022, he plans to attend Harvard Divinity School to continue pursuing the study of religion and public life.

Mackenzie Mollner

Economics / International Studies

Mackenzie is a sophomore from Fayetteville, Arkansas. Throughout her experiences in student government and international development at the University of Arkansas, she has become passionate about relationship building and storytelling. This project has allowed her to dive deeper into religious studies, while also developing valuable skills in research.