JANM Mourns the Passing of The Rafu Shimpo Photojournalist, Mario Gersholm Reyes

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 Mario Gersholm Reyes, a longtime photojournalist for The Rafu Shimpo. He documented the milestones, tragedies, and the victories of the Los Angeles Japanese American community for four decades. His work was celebrated in a recent pop-up exhibition at JANM called Obras de Luz (Works of Light): A 40-Year History of the Japanese American Community, which ran from December 6, 2024, through January 5, 2025. 

“His work as a photojournalist recorded the moments and people that make up life in Little Tokyo. From Nisei Week Parades and political protests to schoolchildren and sports stars, Mario captured the evolution of a beloved community, so it’s fitting that his photographs were exhibited at JANM. We will always remember him as the community’s photographer,” said JANM Board of Trustees Chair, William T Fujioka.

“Mario chronicled some of the community’s most important events, including the Manzanar and Tule Lake pilgrimages and the lives of historic figures such as Art Shibayama, Rose Ochi, Aiko Yoshinaga Herzig, Cedrick Shimo, Bill Nishimura, Frank Emi, and Yosh Kuromiya. His photographs are a lasting tribute to the breadth and depth of this community’s unique history,” said Vice President of Exhibitions and Art Director, Clement Hanami.

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