JANM Mourns the Passing of Senator Alan K. Simpson

Editors please note: JANM’s Pavilion is closed for renovation; programs will continue on the JANM campus and at other locations at janm.org/OnTheGo. 

LOS ANGELES, CA – The Japanese American National Museum (JANM) mourns the passing of Senator Alan K. Simpson, who helped steer the passage of the Civil Liberties Act of 1988 through Congress and into law alongside his colleague and lifelong friend, the late Secretary Norman Y. Mineta. Mineta and Simpson met in 1943 as Boy Scouts at the Heart Mountain concentration camp where Mineta’s family was incarcerated during World War II. They renewed their friendship when Mineta became a member of Congress. Throughout that time, they remained steadfast friends and often attended events like the annual Heart Mountain Pilgrimage hosted by the Heart Mountain Wyoming Foundation (HMWF) together to talk about how their meeting as Boy Scouts was the beginning of a longtime treasured friendship that was marked by mutual respect, humor, and working across the aisle in Congress. In July 2024, HMWF opened the Mineta-Simpson Institute, a dedicated space for workshops and programming designed to foster empathy, courage, and cooperation in the next generation of leaders. Attached to HMWF’s Heart Mountain Interpretive Center, the new Institute includes an exhibit about its namesakes. 

“We are deeply saddened by Alan’s passing and extend our deepest condolences to his family, friends, and colleagues who had the special gift of friendship and time with him. Alan’s friendship with Norm, who led JANM’s Board of Trustees, and their work on the Civil Liberties Act of 1988 embodied the American ideals of equality, justice, and liberty for all. He was a true icon, and his contributions to Japanese American history will always be treasured,” said Ann Burroughs, JANM President and CEO.

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