Fred Korematsu Day facts for kids

The Fred Korematsu Day of Civil Liberties and the Constitution is a special day celebrated on January 30. This day honors the birthday of Fred Korematsu, a brave Japanese-American who stood up for his rights. He is famous for challenging the internment of Japanese Americans during World War II. This day also reminds us about important civil liberties and rights that all Americans have under the Constitution of the United States. It is the first day in U.S. history named after an Asian American. Seven states and New York City celebrate this day.

How Fred Korematsu Day Started

The idea for Fred Korematsu Day began in California. On September 23, 2010, Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger signed a law to create this day. Both the State Assembly and Senate voted for it without anyone disagreeing.

The first official celebration happened in 2011 at the University of California, Berkeley. Schools also received special materials to teach students about Fred Korematsu and his fight for justice.

Working Towards a National Day

Some people believe Fred Korematsu Day should be a national holiday for everyone in the U.S. The U.S. Commission on Civil Rights suggested this in 2015.

In January 2023, efforts continued to make it a national day. Members of the United States Congress, including Representatives Mark Takano and Jill Tokuda, and Senators Mazie Hirono and Tammy Duckworth, introduced a plan to establish a national Fred Korematsu Day. Many other members of Congress supported this idea.

States and Cities That Celebrate

Since California started celebrating, more places have joined in.

The states of Hawaii (in 2013), Virginia (2015), Florida (2016), Arizona (2021), Michigan (2023), and New Jersey (2023) now officially recognize Fred Korematsu Day every year. New York City also started celebrating it in 2018.

Other states have shown support too. Illinois celebrated the day in 2014. Georgia, Pennsylvania, and Utah have also passed resolutions honoring the day.

Other Ways Fred Korematsu Was Honored

In 2017, Google honored Fred Korematsu Day with a special Google Doodle. This was an artwork by Sophie Diao. It showed a picture of Korematsu wearing his Presidential Medal of Freedom. In the background, there were images of the internment camps. The picture was surrounded by cherry blossoms, which are flowers that symbolize peace and friendship between the U.S. 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