Fred Korematsu: A Civil Rights Hero

Toyosaburo "Fred" Korematsu

Brief Biography

Fred Korematsu was born in Oakland, California, as the third son of parents who ran a nursery business. Growing up, he faced a lot of discrimination as he was of Japanese descent. In high school, an officer who was recruiting members for the U.S. Army told him that they had been ordered not to recruit Japanese people when Korematsu showed interest in joining. Korematsu attempted to enlist in the U.S. National Guard and Coast Guard but could not join because of racial discrimination. Ultimately, after the attack on Pearl Harbor, President Roosevelt signed the Executive Order 9066 (1942) and it was required for him to go to the camps. In order to avoid going to the concentration camps, Korematsu received plastic surgery on the eyes to look less Japanese. He changed his name from Toyosaburo Korematsu to Clyde Sarah. Eventually, he was arrested.

Why a "Civil Rights Hero"?

Korematsu was arrested for violating the military orders of Executive Order 9066 and put on a five-year probation. He and his family were then sent to concentration camps in Topaz, Utah, where they lived for a while. After his family was released from the camp in Topaz, Korematsu appealed to the court that he was heavily discriminated and forced to move against the freedoms of the Constitution. However, during this trial, the court came to a 6 to 3 decision. It was ruled that the incarceration camps were "a military necessity" and the court justified the U.S. Army.

However, Korematsu never gave up.

He kept fighting for justice when in 1980, President Carter investigated the incarceration camps and was concluded that the camps were due to “race prejudice, war hysteria, and a failure of political leadership". Three years later, Korematsu's conviction was overturned, and the case was re-opened.

During the trial, Korematsu said,“According to the Supreme Court decision regarding my case, being an American citizen was not enough. They say you have to look like one, otherwise, they say you can’t tell a difference between a loyal and a disloyal American...As long as my record stands in federal court, any American citizen can be held in prison or concentration camps without a trial or a hearing...I would like to see the government admit that they were wrong and do something about it so this will never happen again to any American citizen of any race, creed or color". This 1983 ruling cleared his conviction.

Korematsu's Activism

After his conviction was cleared, Korematsu continued as an activist and spoke in many events. In 1988, he was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom from President Clinton. He spoke out after 9/11and kept giving inspirational speeches until his death in 2005.

http://www.korematsuinstitute.org/fred-t-korematsu-lifetime/

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fred_Korematsu#Legacy