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The Fred Korematsu Day of Civil Liberties and the Constitution is celebrated on January 30 in seven states (Arizona, California, Florida, Hawaii, Michigan, New Jersey and Virginia) and New York City to commemorate the birthday of Fred Korematsu, a Japanese-American civil rights activist best known for resisting the internment of Japanese Americans (see Korematsu v. US). It also recognizes American civil liberties and rights under the Constitution of the United States. It is the first day in U.S. history named after an Asian American.

History

Legislation establishing Fred Korematsu Day was first signed into law by Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger of California on September 23, 2010, after passing unanimously in both the State Assembly and Senate.

It was first officially commemorated in 2011 at the University of California, Berkeley. Educational materials were also distributed to school teachers for classroom use.

National Fred Korematsu Day

The U.S. Commission on Civil Rights recommended that a national Fred Korematsu Day be established as a national holiday in 2015.

In January 2023, the fight for a national Fred Korematsu Day continued with a resolution to establish a national Fred Korematsu Day of Civil Liberties and the Constitution introduced in the United States Congress led by Representatives Mark Takano and Jill Tokuda in the U.S. House and Senators Mazie Hirono and Tammy Duckworth in the Senate. A number of additional members of Congress made statements in support.

Additional recognition

Since passage in California, Fred Korematsu Day has also been recognized in additional jurisdictions.

The states of Hawaii (2013), Virginia (2015), Florida (2016), Arizona (2021), Michigan (2023) and New Jersey (2023), as well as New York City (2018), have recognized Fred Korematsu Day in perpetuity by legislation.

Fred Korematsu Day was also celebrated in Illinois in 2014, but it is not clear whether then-governor Pat Quinn's proclamation extended past the year. Georgia, Pennsylvania, and Utah have also submitted resolutions honoring the day, while South Carolina has submitted a bill to their legislature.

Other commemorations

Google recognized Fred Korematsu Day in 2017 with a Google Doodle by artist Sophie Diao, featuring a patriotic portrait of Korematsu wearing his Presidential Medal of Freedom, a scene of the internment camps to his back, surrounded by cherry blossoms, flowers that have come to be symbols of peace and friendship between the US and Japan.

See also

• Day of Remembrance (Japanese Americans)
• Bainbridge Island Japanese American Exclusion Memorial
• Empty Chair Memorial
• Go for Broke Monument
• Harada House
• Japanese American Memorial to Patriotism During World War II
• National Japanese American Veterans Memorial Court
• Sakura Square

References

1. "AB 1775 Assembly Bill". Archived from the original on November 24, 2010. Retrieved November 10, 2015.
2. Jan 2011, Ling Woo Liu / 26. "Celebrating Fred Korematsu Day". Discover Nikkei. Retrieved October 15, 2022.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
3. Ling Woo Liu (January 30, 2011). "California Marks the First Fred Korematsu Day". Time. Retrieved November 11, 2015.
4. Kevin Fagan (January 29, 2011). "Fred Korematsu Day a first for an Asian American". SF Gate. Retrieved November 11, 2015.
5. "Virginia to Celebrate Korematsu Day for First Time". NBC News. Retrieved October 15, 2022.
6. Letter from the US Commission on Civil Rights to President Barack Obama. February 2, 2015.
7. Reports, Rafu (January 31, 2023). "Reps. Takano, Tokuda, Sens. Hirono, Duckworth Introduce Legislative Package Honoring Korematsu on His Birthday". Rafu Shimpo. Retrieved March 26, 2023.
8. "CAPAC Members Commemorate Fred Korematsu Day 2023 | Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus (CAPAC)". capac-chu.house.gov. Retrieved March 26, 2023.
9. Robbins, Jennifer (January 30, 2013). "Gov. Abercrombie declares Fred Korematsu day in Hawaii". Hawaii News Now. Retrieved February 2, 2017.
10. Kai-Hwa Wang, Frances (January 27, 2016). "Virginia to Celebrate Korematsu Day for First Time". Retrieved February 2, 2017.
11. Senator Jack Latvala. "A resolution commemorating the life of Fred T. Korematsu, American civil rights hero, and recognizing January 30, 2016, and each January 30 thereafter, as "Fred T. Korematsu Day" in Florida". Florida Senate. Retrieved January 30, 2025.
12. "Arizona legislation fetes civil rights icon Fred Korematsu". AP NEWS. April 20, 2021. Retrieved September 30, 2021.
13. "Remembering Fred T. Korematsu's WWII Legacy". lsa.umich.edu. Retrieved January 30, 2025.
14. Edwards, Jay (January 30, 2023). "Gov. Murphy establishes January 30 as Fred Korematsu Day of Civil Liberties and the Constitution". WRNJ. Retrieved January 30, 2025.
15. "Inaugural NYC Celebration of Fred T. Korematsu Day". apa.nyu.edu. Retrieved January 25, 2022.
16. All Things Considered (January 30, 2014). "Honoring A Japanese-American Who Fought Against Internment Camps". NPR. Retrieved November 11, 2015.
17. Grimes, Ryan (January 29, 2016). "Karen Korematsu asks Michigan to honor her father's fight for civil liberties". Michigan Radio. Retrieved February 2, 2017.
18. "Fred Korematsu's 98th Birthday". Google Doodle. Retrieved January 30, 2017.

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