Fred Korematsu Day of Civil Liberties and the Constitution (https://korematsuinstitute.org) on Tuesday, January 30, 2024 honors the legacy of civil rights activist Fred T. Korematsu and his fight for racial equity, social justice, and human rights for all.
Fred Korematsu was an American civil rights activist of Japanese descent. He gained national recognition for his stand against the internment of Japanese Americans during World War II. After the attack on Pearl Harbor in 1941, President Franklin Roosevelt signed Executive Order 9066, authorizing the forced removal and incarceration of over 120,000 Japanese Americans, most of whom were U.S. citizens or legal permanent residents. Korematsu defied the order to leave his home in Oakland, California, and was subsequently arrested and convicted for evading internment. He appealed his case all the way to the U.S. Supreme Court. In a landmark decision, Korematsu v. United States (1944), the Supreme Court upheld his conviction in a 6-3 vote, declaring that the incarceration was justified due to military necessity.
In New Jersey, the Fred Korematsu Day is celebrated at the Barrymore Film Center. See below for more information.
- Title: Fred Korematsu Day of Civil Liberties and the Constitution
- Date: Tuesday, January 30, 2024
- Time: 6:00pm-
- Place: Barrymore Film Center (153 Main St, Fort Lee, NJ 07024)
- URL: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSf7HX-qv-Vkji5A3gje6wfV5MOa6dLDS-wqZhVE4IJv4_mOfQ/viewform?usp=sf_link
