Two Buses Set Out: Japanese American Photography, History, and Memory

Taken from above, a sepia toned photograph shows two white buses surrounded by crowds of people saying their farewells, appearing to be on the verge of departure outside the Los Angeles Hompa Hongwanji Buddhist Temple at the corner of First Street and Central Avenue in Little Tokyo. For decades, this iconic photograph, housed in JANM’s collection, was believed to depict the forced removal of Japanese Americans from Little Tokyo in 1942. Recent research, however, reveals that the photograph shows something more complicated within Japanese American history. Why, then, did this photograph come to be understood as an image of the forced removal? What was actually happening in this scene? How do photographs shape our understanding of history and collective memory? And when new evidence changes what we know about a photograph, does it also change the way we understand the history it has come to represent? 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. This program is a partnership with the Yanai Initiative at UCLA and the Japanese American National Museum. $10, $5 for Seniors, Free for JANM Members and college students with ID Japanese American National Museum Taken from above, a sepia toned photograph shows two white buses surrounded by crowds of people saying their farewells, appearing to be on the verge of departure outside the Los Angeles Hompa Hongwanji Buddhist Temple at the corner of First Street and Central Avenue in Little Tokyo. For decades, this iconic photograph, housed in JANM’s collection, was believed to depict the forced removal of Japanese Americans from Little Tokyo in 1942. Recent research, however, reveals that the photograph shows something more complicated within Japanese American history. Why, then, did this photograph come to be understood as an image of the forced removal? What was actually happening in this scene? How do photographs shape our understanding of history and collective memory? And when new evidence changes what we know about a photograph, does it also change the way we understand the history it has come to represent? 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. This program is a partnership with the Yanai Initiative at UCLA and the Japanese American National Museum. Additional speakers to be announced. Support the understanding and appreciation of the Japanese American experience. Become a Member Make a Gift Begin typing to search the website. As you type, suggestions will appear below the search text-box. Use the up and down arrow keys to navigate suggestions, and press Enter to select. A transformed experience immerses you in the history, art, and culture of the Japanese American community. Our story is an American story that resonates today. We invite you to participate in shaping our shared future.