Tag Archives: Fred T. Korematsu

blog, diversity, news, politics, race

You didn’t miss it…Fred T. Korematsu Day officially is on Wednesday, Jan 30

Korematsu, who passed away in 2010, would have been 94 on Jan. 30.  And the state of Hawaii is set to celebrate his birthday  in style as the 3rd state to honor Korematsu with an official day.

Karen Korematsu called it her life mission to have every state proclaim an FTK day commemorating freedom, diversity and civil liberties until it’s recognized nationally.

I saw Karen on Sunday at the San Francisco celebration for her father. It was special because it brought together a diverse group of Asian American heroes.

It was like an Asian American Hall of Fame for Civil Rights. Three years after the intial FTK Day, the Korematsu Institute wisely chose to spread the love.

Read my post on the Asian American Legal Defense and Education Fund blog.

 

blog, diversity, news, politics, race

So you missed Fred T. Korematsu Day in California on Sunday? And you had the day off too. Here’s why all Americans should care: Have you been korematsued?

Who’s Fred T.Korematsu? If you know who Rosa Parks is, you should know Fred.

I’m coining a phrase to rival the Greek King Pyrrhus, who when prevailing after the Romans in 279 BC is said to have uttered, “Another such victory and we are surely undone.” Or something like that, my tape recorder wasn’t working that well in 279 BC.

So Pyrrhus had his victory. And so did Fred. I call it being “korematsued.”

As you may know, Fred is the man who stood up to the U.S. government’s internment order of Japanese Americans during WWII. He fought the order and had his conviction was overturned.  A victory? Not 100 percent. 

He was korematsued. And that’s why we all need to care about him and his story to this day.

Find out more by reading my Amok column at  www.aaldef.org/blog