A resolution designating January 30, 2025, as "Fred Korematsu Day of Civil Liberties and the Constitution".
This is a Senate resolution designating January 30, 2025 as “Fred Korematsu Day of Civil Liberties and the Constitution.” Introduced in the 119th Congress, the measure honors Fred Korematsu, a Japanese American civil liberties advocate who challenged the government’s internment of people of Japanese descent during World War II. The resolution recounts Korematsu’s life, Court history (noting Korematsu v. United States), the 1983 overturning of his conviction, and his later cautions about civil liberties in national security contexts. It aims to promote civic education about the Constitution and civil rights and to encourage reflection on leadership and vigilance during times of national insecurity. Importantly, as a resolution, it is symbolic and does not create new laws, policy mandates, or funding. The bill notes that several states have already designated January 30 as Fred Korematsu Day and formalizes a national observance in the Senate to recognize Korematsu’s legacy and to emphasize the enduring values of justice and equal protection under the law.
Key Points
- 1Designates January 30, 2025, as “Fred Korematsu Day of Civil Liberties and the Constitution.”
- 2Recognizes Korematsu’s life, his resistance to the forced removal and imprisonment of Japanese Americans during World War II, and the subsequent legal and historical reconsiderations of that period.
- 3Notes the background of Executive Order 9066, Korematsu v. United States, and the 1983 overturning of Korematsu’s conviction, as well as Korematsu’s views on civil liberties in later years.
- 4Emphasizes the importance of civic education about constitutional rights and the dangers to civil liberties during national security crises.
- 5Acknowledges that several states have already designated January 30 as Korematsu Day and places the Senate’s designation within that broader context.