Thirteen buildings within Downtown Los Angeles’ core comprise the Little Tokyo Historic District.  The district was placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1986, and was designated a National Historic Landmark in 1995.  The landmark designation focuses on the historical development of the Japanese American Community and symbolizes the hardships and obstacles this ethnic group has successfully overcome in securing its place in American society.  These memories are highlighted by renowned artist Sheila Levrant de Bretteville’s transformation of the concrete sidewalks bordering this district into a symbolic and textural record of experiences that shaped the community through historical markers.  These markers were placed within the concrete sidewalks at 14 different historic sites with plaques of brass markers containing a narrative and an image of that particular historic site.  The markers are connected to each other thereby creating a self-led walking tour of  the Little Tokyo Historic District.  J&M installed various colored concrete walks as well as the metal words and symbols that were set within the concrete.