KOREMATSU V. UNITED STATES (1944) Blair Holton PLS 211 https://library.creativecow.net/menick_stephen/Honorable-Journey-Documentary/1 Fred T. Korematsu Son of Japanese immigrants Born in California T H E P L A I N T I F F http://face2face.si.edu/my_weblog/2012/02/portrait-of-fred-korematsu-unveiled-february-2-2012.html United States Government Military and Congress Military issued exclusion and Congress approved T H E D E F E N D A N T http://www.toledoblade.com/Politics/2008/10/12/Transcript-of-FDR-s-fireside-chat.html DETAILS OF THE CASE President Franklin D. Roosevelt signed Executive Order No. 9066 on Febr uar y 19, 1942 placed Japanese-American citizens on the West Coast in “assembly centers” May 3, 1942, the Civilian Exclusion Order No. 34 gave all Japanese persons in a certain part of Califor nia instr uctions to not change residence after May 3 in order to allow complete Japanese evacuation by May 9 Korematsu and Caucasian girlfriend sold all of their belongings, had plastic surger y, and attempted to move to Nevada Korematsu was arrested on May 30 Er nest Besig, the Executive Director of the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) of Norther n Califor nia paid Korematsu’s $5,000 bail DETAILS OF THE CASE CONTINUED Korematsu was immediately restrained and taken to the Tanforan Assembly center, a relocation center for Japanese-American citizens While at Tanforan, Korematsu challenged the exclusion order The San Francisco federal district court found Korematsu guilty of “violating military exclusion orders” and sentenced him to five years probation ACLU appealed but the appeals court affirmed the lower court decision Korematsu and his family were taken to the Japanese internment camp in Topaz, Utah After 18 months and his mothers death, he was released DETAILS OF THE CASE CONTINUED Upon release, Korematsu made his way towards Detroit and SCOTUS was receiving the appeal by ACLU Korematsu felt the gover nment was infringing upon the rights given by the Fourteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution in response to race issues after the American Civil War grants citizens rights and equal protection of laws http://larryrippeeandmollyreaart.blogspot.com/2012/02/executive-order-9066-internment-camp.html WHY SCOTUS HEARD CASE http://www.heardcitizen.com/a-constitution-minute-iv-2 Made the decision to hear Korematsu’s case because it dealt with civil liberties and the human rights given to American citizens by the United States Constitution Korematsu argued that his arrest was caused by racism and was not justifiable Defense stated his arrest was precautionary measures due to the antiJapanese feelings in MAJORITY DECISION Delivered by Supreme Court Justice Hugo Black on December 18, 1944 SCOTUS sided with the defendant 6-3 “all legal restrictions which curtail the civil rights of a single racial group are immediately suspect. That is not to say that all such restrictions are unconstitutional.” Mentions Kiyoshi Hirabayashi v. United States prove that racial discrimination was not a factor in the governments initial order or the courts decision Neither of the court decisions were unconstitutional MAJORITY DECISION CONTINUED “exclusion of those of Japanese origin was deemed necessary because of the presence of an unascertained number of disloyal members of the group, most of whom we have no doubt were loyal to this country.” Acknowledged the unfairness towards the loyal American people of Japanese descent, yet noted the necessity of the oppression “Korematsu was not excluded from the Military Area because of hostility to him or his race.” the ongoing war between the United States and Japan, fear of invasion resulting in security measures, military urgency, and simply because Congress decided they had the power to DISSENTING OPINION 3 dissenting opinions Justice Robert Jackson Least fervent Orders were unconstitutional and Korematsu should have been discharged Justice Frank Mur phy Most blunt deliverance, feels strongly about subject “goes over 'the very brink of constitutional power' and falls into the ugly abyss of racism.” All Americans are of foreign descent Justice Owen Roberts Exclusion is unconstitutional and should reverse the judgment of conviction All believed SCOTUS did not have the power to act against the Executive Order No. 9066 POLITICAL IMPACT This decision was so controversial because many Americans saw it as the Supreme Court supporting racist actions against Japanese-American citizens Verdict would not stand today because of society’s current feelings against any sort of prejudice Case proved the disastrous racism left in America after the Second World War One of the most important cases in American history because of its step towards the large Civil Rights Movement of the 1950s and 60s AFTER THE CASE In 1983, Korematsu and 24 pro-bono lawyers attempted to get the 1944 decision overturned Peter Irons found evidence that was disclosed from the original case FBI and Naval Intelligence found that Japanese-Americans were not security risks On November 10, 1983, Judge Marilyn Hall Patel overturned his conviction This overturn did not affect the Supreme Court ruling Decision still stands, would take a case of similar detail to challenge the original ruling Known that if the same issue was brought up today, it would not stand in court P I C T U R E S http://nhdhopemikaila.weebly.com