Korematsu continues her father's legacy during event

January 25, 2022 (Volume 45, Number 10)

portrait of Karen Korematsu, who stands next to a photograph on the wall of her father

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.

The January 26 event will be one of four events honoring Asian American & Pacific Islander Heritage Celebration, sponsored by the Office of Multicultural Affairs. Other events are listed below.

Asian New Year Festival: February 19, 6-8 p.m.
R.I.C.E. Conference: Realizing and Addressing Issues in our Culture and Education: March 19, 5-7 p.m.
Asian American Issues: April 6 at 6 p.m.