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Fred Korematsu
Civil Rights Hero / Japanese Internment Resister
Civil rights hero who refused internment and later received Presidential Medal of Freedom
Overview
Fred Korematsu was a Japanese American who refused to report for internment in 1942 and was arrested for defying Executive Order 9066. His case reached the Supreme Court, which ruled against him in one of its most reviled decisions. Decades later, his conviction was vacated after evidence emerged that the government had suppressed evidence and lied to the Court. He received the Presidential Medal of Freedom and spent his later years advocating against post-9/11 discrimination.
Key Affiliations
Controversies & Concerns
DEFIANCE: In 1942, the 23-year-old Korematsu refused to report for internment. He had plastic surgery to alter his appearance and changed his name, hoping to avoid detection and stay with his Italian American girlfriend.
ARREST: Korematsu was arrested in San Leandro, California on May 30, 1942. He was convicted of violating military exclusion orders.
SUPREME COURT DEFEAT: In December 1944, the Supreme Court ruled 6-3 against Korematsu, accepting the government's claims of"military necessity."Justice Frank Murphy's dissent called the decision a"legalization of racism."
CORAM NOBIS: In 1983, lawyer Peter Irons discovered that the Justice Department had suppressed evidence undermining claims of military necessity. Korematsu's conviction was vacated in 1983 in a coram nobis proceeding.
GOVERNMENT LIES EXPOSED: The suppressed evidence showed the government knew Japanese Americans posed no security threat. The Solicitor General had lied to the Supreme Court.
PRESIDENTIAL MEDAL: In 1998, President Clinton awarded Korematsu the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the nation's highest civilian honor.
POST-9/11 ADVOCACY: After September 11, Korematsu spoke out against discrimination targeting Muslim Americans. He filed amicus briefs opposing Guantanamo detention policies.
LEGACY: Korematsu became a symbol of resistance to racial injustice."Fred Korematsu Day"is celebrated in several states on his birthday, January 30.
Related Investigations (1)
Known Associates & Connections
Franklin D. Roosevelt
President who signed EO 9066
Sources & Documentation
3 documented sources from official records, investigations, and reports
Personal Information
Education
Key Timeline
January 30, 1919
Born in Oakland, California
February 19, 1942
Roosevelt signs EO 9066
May 30, 1942
Arrested for refusing to report
September 1942
Convicted of violating exclusion order
December 18, 1944
Supreme Court rules against him
1983
Conviction vacated after government lies exposed
January 15, 1998
Receives Presidential Medal of Freedom
Post-9/11
Advocates against discrimination of Muslims
March 30, 2005
Dies in Larkspur, California
2011
California establishes"Fred Korematsu Day"