Fred Korematsu Joins National Portrait Gallery

Fred Korematsu, who lost a court case to overturn the internment of Japanese-Americans during World War II but was vindicated by history, has been honored again by being added to the National Portrait Gallery.

Pictures of this East Bay hero will be added to an exhibition titled, "The Struggle for Justice." A blog entry from the Gallery written earlier this month says:

"Korematsu challenged the government’s right to detain American citizens under President Franklin Roosevelt’s Executive Order 9066, but lost his case in 1944. The legal protest was dormant until 1983, when Korematsu appealed to have the case reopened and was subsequently given a favorable judgment by the Supreme Court. Ultimately, thanks to Korematsu’s courageous and persistent stand, surviving victims of the internment were awarded $20,000 each."

A story in Hyphen, a magazine on Asian American interests and issues, details Korematsu's long struggle to win recognition and some degree of recompense for the internment, which was supported at the time by then-California governor and later Supreme Court Justice Earl Warren.

In his biography Warren said: "I have since deeply regretted the removal order and my own testimony advocating it."

San Leandro plays a minor role in Korematsu's story. He was arrested here on May 30, 1942 according to a story by the Asian American Bar Association. It referenced a contemporary newspaper headline as saying: "Jap spy arrested in San Leandro."

Readers interested in this period should also see the display of art by Japanese Americans confined at the Topaz Relocation Center. The free exhibition runs on weekends at the San Leandro Museum. For times, details and representative images click here.

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