Korematsu v. United States

CIVIL LIBERTIES ACT OF 1988

Enacted by the United States Congress
August 10, 1988


“The Congress recognizes that, as described in the Commission on Wartime Relocation and Internment of Civilians, a grave injustice was done to both citizens and permanent residents of Japanese ancestry by the evacuation, relocation, and internment of civilians during World War II.

As the Commission documents, these actions were carried out without adequate security reasons and without any acts of espionage or sabotage documented by the Commission, and were motivated largely by racial prejudice, wartime hysteria, and a failure of political leadership.


The excluded individuals of Japanese ancestry suffered enormous damages, both material and intangible, and there were incalculable losses in education and job training, all of which resulted in significant human suffering for which appropriate compensation has not been made.
For these fundamental violations of the basic civil liberties and constitutional rights of these individuals of Japanese ancestry, the Congress apologizes on behalf of the Nation.”

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


 

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Background Summary
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Diagram of How the Case Moved Through the Court System
Key Excerpts from the Majority Opinion
Key Excerpts from the Dissenting Opinion
Full Text of the Majority Opinion

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Activities
    The Case
Classifying Arguments

Primary Documents: Executive Order 9066

A Question of Loyalty
Presidential Powers in Wartime: Standard level activity
Presidential Powers in Wartime: AP level activity
Cartoon Analysis

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    After the Case
Did the Court Err in Korematsu
Cases in the War Against Terrorism
Fred Korematsu's Obituary


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Additional Resources
Densho: the Japanese American Legacy
Exploring the Japanese American Internment
Virtual Museum of San Francisco: Internment of the Japanese

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