SYMPOSIUM 2026 | Japanese American National Museum (JANM) and Yanai Initiative at UCLA Co-Present Two Buses Set Out: Japanese American Photography, History, and Memory on Saturday, November 7, 11:00 AM – 5:00 PM
The Japanese American National Museum (JANM) and the Yanai Initiative at UCLA co-present a symposium Two Buses Set Out: Japanese American Photography, History, and Memory on Saturday, November 7, 2026, 11:00 AM – 5:00 PM
An historic photograph by Jack Iwata depicting two white buses and a crowd of people saying goodbyes outside the Los Angeles Hompa Hongwanji Buddhist Temple has long stood as an icon of the forced removal of Japanese Americans from Little Tokyo in 1942.
The site it depicts later became the original location of the Japanese American National Museum (JANM), which now holds the photo in its collection. This symposium titled Two Buses Set Out: Japanese American Photography, History, and Memory will explore new research on this landmark image and its place within Japanese American history.
This day-long symposium brings together scholars and experts in public history and photography to present a new interpretation of this iconic image, examine how its earlier interpretation took shape, and explore the complex relationship between photography, history, and memory.
Through this discussion, the symposium invites us to consider how photographs acquire historical meaning, how that meaning is transmitted over time, and how new interpretations can reshape our understanding of the past.
TICKETS $10, $5 for Seniors, Free for JANM Members and college students with ID
Two Buses Set Out: Japanese American Photography, History, and Memory
Saturday, November 07, 2026
11:00 AM – 5:00 PM PST
Japanese American National Museum
Democracy Center
100 North Central Avenue
Los Angeles, CA 90012