NAPABA Mourns Loss of Fred Korematsu
March 31, 2005FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
March 31, 2005
CONTACT: Grace Yoo
(202) 421-9039
NAPABA Mourns the Loss of Civil Rights Legend Fred Korematsu
Washington, DC – The National Asian Pacific American Bar Association is deeply saddened by the death of Fred Korematsu, the civil rights pioneer who challenged the United States government’s internment of Japanese Americans during World War II. Mr. Korematsu died yesterday of respiratory failure at the age of 86.
Mr. Korematsu’s courageous legal challenge against internment led the decades-long civil rights struggle that brought to justice the shameful wartime policies of the United States government.
Fred Korematsu was born in Oakland, CA in 1919 to Japanese immigrants. He attended California public schools and worked as a welder in the San Franciso shipyards. He was 23 when President Roosevelt issued Executive Order 9066, ordering the internment of 120,000 Japanese Americans across the country. His family was taken to the Tanforan internment camp, but he refused to give up his freedom. In May 1942, three months after the Executive Order, Mr. Korematsu was arrested and convicted of violating the presidential order. Mr. Korematsu was sent to an internment camp.
With the aid of the American Civil Liberties Union, Mr. Korematsu appealed his conviction. In 1944, the Supreme Court infamously ruled in Korematsu vs. United States that the internment was justified, and Mr. Korematsu’s conviction was upheld.
Four decades passed, but Mr. Korematsu had not given up the search for justice. In 1982, a team of Asian American attorneys helped him overturn his conviction.
This legal victory ushered in further legislative victories, including the Civil Liberties Act of 1988, which provided a Presidential apology and monetary reparations to Japanese American internees.
In 1998, Mr. Korematsu was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the highest civilian honor in the United States. During the medal ceremony, President Clinton stated, “In the long history of our country’s constant search for justice, some names of ordinary citizens stand for millions of souls – Plessy, Brown, Parks. To that distinguished list today we add the name of Fred Korematsu.”
Long-time NAPABA member Dale Minami, the attorney who helped overturn Mr. Korematsu’s conviction, commented, “Fred was our Rosa Parks. In 1942, he took an unpopular stand against racial discrimination despite great personal risk, imprisonment and social ostracism. And he returned to challenge his conviction again in 1983. His courage was monumental and the lessons of his strength will continue to inspire us to speak out against injustice. We will miss him greatly.”
NAPABA President Michael P. Chu remarked, “Fred Korematsu’s vision, leadership and determination to do what is right will always be remembered. Having had the distinct honor and privilege of meeting him, his manner and determination continue to inspire me to this day. Our community will miss him, and he will continue to be a symbol of hope and encouragement to Asian Pacific Americans and persons of color everywhere.”
Fred Korematsu continued to advocate for the rights of all Americans well into his eighties, including speaking out in recent years against the PATRIOT Act. NAPABA will remember his legacy and remain indebted to his courage that brought justice to us all.
NAPABA is the national voice of the Asian Pacific American legal profession, promoting justice, equity and opportunities for Asian Pacific Americans as well as all Americans. The membership comprises Asian Pacific American attorneys, judges, law professors, and law students. With a national network of 47 affiliates, NAPABA advocates for the legal needs and interests of the Asian Pacific American community and represents over 40,000 attorneys nationwide.
