WASHINGTON – Rep. Mark Takano (D-Riverside) and Sen. Mazie K. Hirono (D-Hawaii) on Feb. 2 introduced bicameral legislation to award Fred Korematsu the Congressional Gold Medal in recognition of his legacy of fighting against the illegal incarceration of Japanese Americans during World War II and for being a staunch defender of civil rights.
“Fred Korematsu was a fierce advocate for justice, a civil rights icon, and a defender of the rights of all people,” said Takano. “In the face of injustice and while human rights atrocities were being carried out by our very own government, he stood up for the 120,000 Japanese Americans who were interned during World War II. During that time and all these years later, he was and will always be an inspiration to every person fighting to make America a more inclusive, just, and equal place under the law.
“In the 117th Congress, it is my honor to reintroduce the Fred Korematsu Congressional Gold Medal Act with Sen. Mazie Hirono to recognize his efforts and award him the Congressional Gold Medal for his contributions.”
“A courageous leader who stood up for the rights of Japanese Americans illegally incarcerated during World War II, Fred Korematsu spent his life fighting for justice and equality,” said Hirono. “But Fred’s legacy goes beyond the internment, serving as an important reminder that we must be vigilant in protecting the constitutional and civil rights of all people.
“As minority communities in this country face a surge of inequality and discrimination unleashed by former President Trump and his divisive administration, Fred’s message that we all have a responsibility to stand up for what’s right still rings true. Awarding the Congressional Gold Medal, Congress’ highest civilian honor, to Fred Korematsu is a fitting tribute to his contributions to our nation.”
“Fred Korematsu fought for justice in the face of adversity and dedicated his life to fighting for civil rights and racial equality for all Americans,” said Dr. Karen Korematsu, founder and executive director of the Fred T. Korematsu Institute and daughter of Fred Korematsu. “My father crisscrossed this country teaching about the inhumanity and violation of due process of law that he and all Japanese Americans endured during WWII. His work was to ensure the lessons of history would not to be experienced by another marginalized group and encouraged all, ‘Don’t be afraid to speak up.’
“I want to thank Sen. Mazie Hirono and Rep. Mark Takano for their introduction of the Fred Korematsu Congressional Gold Medal Act. Through this bill, it is a reminder that we must stop repeating history and like my father, continue to champion our civil liberties and the Constitution by remembering his message, “Stand up for what is right.’”
Takano and Hirono first introduced legislation to award Fred Korematsu the Congressional Gold Medal in 2019.
Hirono has also led the effort to recognize Jan. 30 as “Fred Korematsu Day of Civil Liberties and the Constitution” for his opposition to the illegal incarceration of Japanese Americans during World War II and work to advance civil rights.
In 2017, Sens. Hirono and Tammy Duckworth (D-Ill.) introduced the Korematsu-Takai Civil Liberties Protection Act to ensure that no individual is imprisoned or detained based upon a protected characteristic such as race, ethnicity, religion, gender, gender identity or sexual orientation. This legislation was also named in honor of the late Rep. Mark Takai (D-Hawaii).
In 1942, at the age of 23, Korematsu was arrested and convicted for refusing to enter the internment camps for Japanese Americans. After his arrest, he appealed his case all the way to the Supreme Court, which upheld his conviction based on military necessity. After 40 years, on Nov. 10, 1983, Korematsu’s criminal conviction was vacated in a federal court in San Francisco.
Korematsu remained a civil rights advocate throughout his life and received the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the nation’s highest civilian honor, from President Bill Clinton in 1998. He passed away on March 30, 2005 at the age of 86.