Decisions That Defined Us: Korematsu v. The United States

Korematsu was gravely wrong the day it was decided, has been overruled in the court of history, and—to be clear—“has no place in law under the Constitution.” —Trump v. Hawaii, slip op. at 38 (quoting 323 U.S., at 248 (Jackson, J., dissenting)) George Takei will play Fred Korematsu at a live staged reading of Korematsu v. The United States, co-presented by The LA Local and the Democracy Center. Jeff Liu will direct the production, with a script written by the Asian American Bar Association of New York (AABANY). Fred Korematsu was a welder from Oakland who, in 1942, refused to comply with Executive Order 9066, which authorized the forced removal of all persons deemed a threat to national security from the West Coast to America’s concentration camps–impacting more than 125,000 Japanese and Japanese Americans. Korematsu was arrested and jailed for refusing the order, then imprisoned for the duration of World War II. The US Supreme Court upheld his conviction in a 6-3 ruling, arguing his incarceration was justified by the extraordinary needs of wartime. In 1983, Judge Marilyn Hall Patel vacated Fred Korematsu’s conviction on the ground that the government had lied to the Supreme Court. As the United States marks 250 years of independence amid travel bans, detention centers, and fights over what students can read, the Korematsu case continues to inform who is allowed to belong in America and whose exclusion the law will tolerate — in spite of the Constitution’s guarantees of equal protection. Led by George Takei as Fred Korematsu, the cast features Tamlyn Tomita and more actors to be announced. Karen Korematsu, Fred’s daughter, will play herself, as will Coram Nobis legal team members Dale Minami and Lorianne Bannai. The reading will be followed by a panel discussion, moderated by Michele Siquieros, CEO of The LA Local. $20, $10 for LA Local and JANM Members Japanese American National Museum Korematsu was gravely wrong the day it was decided, has been overruled in the court of history, and—to be clear—“has no place in law under the Constitution.” —Trump v. Hawaii, slip op. at 38 (quoting 323 U.S., at 248 (Jackson, J., dissenting)) George Takei will play Fred Korematsu at a live staged reading of Korematsu v. The United States, co-presented by The LA Local and the Democracy Center. Jeff Liu will direct the production, with a script written by the Asian American Bar Association of New York (AABANY). Fred Korematsu was a welder from Oakland who, in 1942, refused to comply with Executive Order 9066, which authorized the forced removal of all persons deemed a threat to national security from the West Coast to America’s concentration camps–impacting more than 125,000 Japanese and Japanese Americans. Korematsu was arrested and jailed for refusing the order, then imprisoned for the duration of World War II. The US Supreme Court upheld his conviction in a 6-3 ruling, arguing his incarceration was justified by the extraordinary needs of wartime. In 1983, Judge Marilyn Hall Patel vacated Fred Korematsu’s conviction on the ground that the government had lied to the Supreme Court. As the United States marks 250 years of independence amid travel bans, detention centers, and fights over what students can read, the Korematsu case continues to inform who is allowed to belong in America and whose exclusion the law will tolerate — in spite of the Constitution’s guarantees of equal protection. Led by George Takei as Fred Korematsu, the cast features Tamlyn Tomita and more actors to be announced. Karen Korematsu, Fred’s daughter, will play herself, as will Coram Nobis legal team members Dale Minami and Lorianne Bannai. The reading will be followed by a panel discussion, moderated by Michele Siquieros, CEO of The LA Local. Support the understanding and appreciation of the Japanese American experience. Become a Member Make a Gift Begin typing to search the website. As you type, suggestions will appear below the search text-box. Use the up and down arrow keys to navigate suggestions, and press Enter to select. A transformed experience immerses you in the history, art, and culture of the Japanese American community. Our story is an American story that resonates today. We invite you to participate in shaping our shared future.