Dr. Naoko Wake testifies on SB-18, Korematsu Day in perpetuity

March 20, 2023 - Nicole Golden

On March 2, the Civil Rights, Judiciary, and Public Safety Committee of the Michigan Senate voted to pass SB-18, establishing Fred Korematsu Day of Civil Liberties and the Constitution in perpetuity. Dr. Naoko Wake, APA studies program director and professor in the history department, testified on Feb 16 in favor of the bill. Aside from Michigan, several other states including Arizona, California, Florida, Hawaii, New Jersey, and Virginia have Korematsu Day of Civil Liberties and the Constitution in perpetuity.

Korematsu Day recognizes Dr. Fred Korematsu, a Japanese American citizen who was wrongfully detained at an internment camp after President Franklin D. Roosevelt issued an executive order to incarcerate more than 120,000 Japanese Americans.

On SB-18, Dr. Wake said, “It is not only an Asian American issue; it is also an important lesson in US history, and US history of international relations. My students take delight in learning about Korematsu’s story because it teaches them a way to grasp their nation’s past and present.”

Listen to Wake’s testimony here: Michigan Senate (castus.tv).

Below, Karen Korematsu (left) the daughter of Fred Korematsu stands beside Dr. Naoko Wake (right).