Japanese American Fred Korematsu (1919–2005), a Nisei, made American legal history in 1942. With the help of the American Civil Liberties Union, he fought against his government-mandated internment in a camp.
Discussing courageous citizenship
A discussion on July 20, “Being a Courageous Citizen” was met with an engaged audience and dynamic discussion regarding Gordon Hirabayshi and the history of exclusion. The evening complimented what the audience will see in “Hold These Truths” at the ACT Theatre as the discussion touched on Gordon’s resistance and his motives for doing so, […]
A Chinaman’s chance: The immigrant’s journey — Eric Liu on race, immigration, and citizenship
By Minal Singh Northwest Asian Weekly On Jan. 14, University of Washington School of Law held a question and answer session with Eric Liu, founder of Citizen University, interviewed by Robert Chang, director of the Korematsu Center. The interview between these two law professors engaged on the topic of race, immigration, and citizenship.
Judicial election’s far reaching implications for API voters
By Travis Quezon Northwest Asian Weekly A period of 41 years had passed before a U.S. District Court Judge in California overturned the conviction of Fred Korematsu, an Oakland shipyard foreman of Japanese ancestry who dared to challenge the constitutionality of Executive Order 9066. The 1942 order authorized the removal of more than 120,000 people […]
CAPAA report highlights issues of Washington AAPIs
A comprehensive report released in May by the Commission on Asian Pacific American Affairs examined issues facing the Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) community.
Commentary: A worry for the 21st century: the presence of racial bias within the jury room
In each of these circumstances, pivotal cases eventually changed the face of the legal system and helped to remedy injustice. This, however, was only the beginning of the fight against discrimination.
SU law center named for civil rights leader
When Fred Korematsu, a Japanese American welder, dared to challenge the constitutionality of his internment in 1942, his objections