Google notes: Today is Fred Korematsu Day

Google's Doodle of the Asian/American hero Fred Korematsu.

By Louis Chan
ASAM NEWS

THE TIMING couldn’t be better.

Asian/American civil rights icon Fred Korematsu is being honored today with a Google Doodle.

Fred Korematsu upon receiving the
Presidential Medal of Honor.

Anyone who goes to Google.com will see a Doodle of Korematsu, on what would have been his 98th birthday.

The Oakland native refused to comply with President Roosevelt’s Executive Order to report with other Japanese Americans on the West Coast after the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor.

He was eventually arrested and convicted in federal court for violating a military order under Executive Order 9066. Korematsu’s case would become a test of the legality of the incarceration of Japanese Americans.

Many have compared today’s political climate for Muslims in the United States to that faced by Japanese/Americans during World War II. With President Trump’s executive order temporarily banning the immigration of those from seven predominantly Muslim countries, the Doodle takes on extra meaning.

The idea of a Doodle for Korematsu goes back to 2015 when a campaign was launched by 18 Million Rising. It’s been renewed every year since.

Korematsu’s conviction was upheld by both the appeals court and U.S. Supreme Court in 1944.

RELATED: More on Fred Korematsu

The conviction was finally vacated in 1983 by the Federal Court in San Francisco after evidence surfaced that the U.S. Government suppressed information that Japanese/Americans posed no military threat during World War II.

Everything came full circle in 1998 when President Bill Clinton awarded Korematsu the Presidential Medal of Freedom.

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Facebook's gaff and Google's Doodle observe the Philippines' Independence Day

Facebook's illustration - oops!

THE PHILIPPINES got a couple of high-tech acknowledgements on June 12, Philippine Independence Day. One deserves a "Thank You," but the other - uh - an "Oops?"

For the first time, Facebook recognized the significance of the day by featuring an illustration of the Philippines' flag  above its news feed. Unfortunately, the banner was upside down with the red half on top. As all flag aficionados know, that's a signal that the country is in trouble or at war. 

The fact that this mistake occurred a week after the Philippines held its presidential elections led some to question the social network's intentions. But Facebook was quick to apologize.

"This was unintentional, and we're sorry," Facebook told the Philippine Star. "We care deeply about the community in the Philippines and, in an attempt to connect people on Independence Day, we made a mistake."

Facebook was inspired Google's Doodle that changes frequently to recognize a significant day or event. This year, on June 12, Google featured a jeepney, a popular mode of transportation in the Philippines, with celebrating passengers.

Google's Doodle on June 12.

"You can see these types of buses all over Manila, which is the capital and the center of many of today's festivities," said Google. 

"As Filipinos rally around their new President, Vice President and senators, we hope today's Doodle inspires a sense of bayanihan — a sense of working together for a common cause. The brilliant colors of the Doodle and the hopeful faces reflect the bright future of this great nation and its people."

It is not the first time Google has recognized Philippine Independence Day. The internet company has created June 12 doodles for a number of years.

The fact that Google and Facebook, iconic corporations in our new age of instant communication and connections, even bothered to acknowledge the date is significant unto itself. Perhaps it is a nod to the Filipinos, who have embraced the new technology so much that the Philippines has had a larger presence on social media beyond its borders. 

Or - it could be an expression of appreciation for the thousands of employees who work in the Philippines call centers, which is helping transform Philippine society by helping solidify the presence of a real middle-class bridging the gap of the country's 1 percent and the great masses of people who live in poverty. 

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For more news about Asian/Americans & Pacific Islanders, read AsAm News.

Google honors Asian/American civil rights hero

Today's Google Doodle

IF YOU USED the Google search engine today, you might be wondering what today's Google doodle is all about.

Today’s Google doodle pays homage to human rights activist Yuri Kochiyama on what would have been her 95th birthday.

Raised in San Pedro, California, Kochiyama was imprisoned in a Japanese-American internment camp in Arkansas for two years during World War II when she was in her twenties. She would later move to Harlem and dedicate her life to fighting for the rights of African/Americans, Latinos and Asian/Americans.

There and through her work, she formed a close bond with Malcolm X. In a Life photo spread about Malcolm X's assassination, Kochiyama is shown cradling the civil rights icon's head (See below).

She's one of this country's unsung civil rights heroes that bridged the gap between the Asian/American and African/American communities, two communities that have been at odds recently over the fatal shooting of Akai Gurley by former NYPD police officer Peter Liang.

RELATED: Justice is not just a black-and-white issue

Kochiyama passed away in 2014.

From the Google Doodle blog:

Kochiyama left a legacy of advocacy: for peace, US political prisoners, nuclear disarmament, and reparations for Japanese Americans interned during the war. She was known for her tireless intensity and compassion, and remained committed to speaking out, consciousness-raising, and taking action until her death in 2014.

Google Doodle Blog

Unfortunately for my international readers, this doodle only shows up in the U.S., but you can still find out more about Yuri Kochiyama by using the link below

Learn more about this Asian/American heroine.

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For more news about Asian/Americans and Pacific Islanders, read AsAm News. which contributed to this report.