Karen Korematsu, founder and director of the Fred T. Korematsu
Institute, will give a virtual presentation January 26.
Photo Credit:
courtesy photo
GVSU kicks off its Asian Pacific Islander Celebration with keynote
speaker Karen Korematsu, founder and director of the Fred T. Korematsu
Institute. The institute is named for her father, who defied the
government’s order to report to an assembly center for incarceration
during World War II.
The event will be held virtually on Wednesday, January 26, from 4-5
p.m. People who plan to attend should RSVP
to receive a Zoom link.
Korematsu’s name gained popularity from the case Korematsu v. United
States. Korematsu was represented by the American Civil Liberties
Union in an attempt to challenge the constitutionality of the
government’s order forcing people of Japanese ancestry to report to
assembly centers.
The Supreme Court in 1944 upheld the decision that Korematsu’s
imprisonment was, in fact, constitutional. In 1983, the case was
reopened with new evidence that the government’s legal team had
intentionally destroyed evidence from intelligence agencies reporting
that Japanese Americans posed no military threat to the U.S.
In 1998, President Bill Clinton presented Korematsu with the
Presidential Medal of Freedom for his courage and activism. His legacy
continues through his daughter’s work and through California’s annual
Fred Korematsu Day that occurs on January 30.
Opportunities to participate in Juneteenth, Pride Month and the Black Boys and Men Symposium strengthen our commitment to an inclusive, welcoming atmosphere through our active efforts to create a sense of belonging.