76th Anniversary of 1st forced removal of Japanese Americans

The Bainbridge Island Japanese American Community (BIJAC) – in partnership with the Bainbridge Island Japanese American Exclusion Memorial Association, the Bainbridge Island Museum of Art (BIMA), the Bainbridge Island Historical Museum and the National Park Service – invites all to experience a series of free events to honor the first – and all – of 120,000 Japanese Americans to be forcibly exiled from the West Coast during World War II, and to reflect upon the unique legacy of a community that stood by their Japanese American friends and neighbors and welcomed them home.

10 a.m. – 1:00 p.m.: 76TH ANNIVERSARY COMMEMORATION at the Bainbridge Island Japanese American Exclusion Memorial, 4192 Eagle Harbor Drive. Groundbreaking ceremony for the new Exclusion Departure Deck will start promptly at 11 a.m. �
National Park Service representatives will be on-site to present and answer questions about their new outdoor interpretive exhibits, recently installed at the memorial site.

Parking is extremely limited and carpooling is strongly encouraged. Reserved media parking is available on a space available first-come, first-served basis.

10 a.m. – 4 p.m.: FREE ADMISSION TO THE AWARD-WINNING BAINBRIDGE ISLAND HISTORICAL MUSEUM, including the permanent exhibit “Kodomo No Tame Ni – For the sake of the children” covering the first 100 years of history and legacy of the Bainbridge Island Japanese American community. 215 Ericksen Ave. N.E.

7 p.m.: “THE PINE AND THE CHERRY: JAPANESE AMERICANS IN WASHINGTON” at the Bainbridge Island Museum of Art (BIMA), 550 Winslow Way East, corner of Winslow Way and Highway 305.

In partnership with Humanities WA, BIMA, BIJAC and LibraryU, a very special presentation by artist, author and member of one of Seattle’s most important families – Mayumi Tsutakawa – who will share “The Pine and the Cherry: Japanese Americans in Washington.” Her presentation tells the story of how our state’s Japanese Americans faced the injustice of exclusion and incarceration, and how families who lost everything, including the Tsutakawas, rebuilt their lives and their livelihoods.

Due to limited seating, reservations are strongly recommended. Free tickets for the presentation can be reserved here: https://www.biartmuseum.org/calendar/the-pine-and-the-cherry/

For more information, please visit the BIMA website at http://www.biartmuseum.org/ Questions may be directed to Kristin Tollefson, BIMA Education Director, at http://kristin@biartmuseum.org or 206.451.4004.

More community information and event details can be found atwww.bijaema.org, www.bijac.org,