New Jersey joins list of states honoring civil rights hero Fred Korematsu

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A true civil rights icon who refused to accept an injustice was honored today as New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy today signed a joint resolution (AJR98) designating January 30 of each year as Fred Korematsu Day of Civil Liberties and the Constitution in New Jersey.

The day of recognition honors the legacy of Fred Korematsu, an American civil rights activist of Japanese heritage who fought against the wrongful incarceration of Japanese Americans during World War II.

“In setting aside a day permanently recognizing the contributions of Fred Korematsu, we are recommitting ourselves to our nation’s ideal of protecting civil liberties,” said Murphy. “While we can never rectify the injustices woven into the fabric of our nation’s history, we can ensure that the stories of those who fought against injustice are never forgotten. History must be our guide for creating a better tomorrow. I am honored to sign this resolution and to put New Jersey firmly, and forever, on the side of Fred Korematsu and all who keep his legacy alive.”

“AAPI stories often go unknown, unrecognized, and can slip through the cracks of history into the forgotten. New Jersey is doing a great thing by honoring Fred Korematsu and his courageous activism for civil rights – not only to celebrate his service and perseverance, but for recognizing a true AAPI civil rights champion,” said New Jersey Congressmember Andy Kim.

“Fred always stood for what was right and offered his life and story to combat discriminatory policies and xenophobia in our country. May ‘Fred Korematsu Day of Civil Liberties and the Constitution’ be a lasting recognition of his impact and the many contributions of the AAPI community to our nation’s story,” Kim said.

New Jersey is the 11th state to establish Jan. 30 honoring Korematsu since New York first established the day in 2008.

“With the increasing need for mutual understanding among different communities, it is more important than ever to remember, recognize, and honor Fred Korematsu’s legacy of civil rights and liberties,” said Ambassador Mikio Mori, Consul General of Japan in New York. “His legacy continues to inspire people of all backgrounds and demonstrates the importance of speaking up to fight injustice. Let us remember and celebrate this day to learn from history and commit to never letting hatred and racism dictate our actions again.”

““This demonstrates how one person’s brave stance can change the lives of many others. Let us always remember and honor the memory of my father so that honor and justice will shine forever,” said Dr. Karen Korematsu, daughter of Fred Korematsu and Founder and Executive Director, Fred T. Korematsu Institute.

Fred T. Korematsu was an American civil rights activist. In 1942, at the age of 23, he refused to go to the government’s incarceration camps for Japanese Americans. After he was arrested and convicted of defying the government’s order, he appealed his case all the way to the United States Supreme Court. In 1944, a divided Supreme Court ruled against him, arguing that the incarceration was justified due to military necessity.

In 1983, with new evidence, a pro-bono legal team re-opened Korematsu’s 40-year-old case on the basis of government misconduct. On November 10, 1983, Korematsu’s conviction was overturned in a federal court in San Francisco. In 1998, he received the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the nation’s highest civilian honor, from President Bill Clinton. And in 2018, the Supreme Court formally repudiated its 1944 decision, which today is widely regarded as one of the most unjust decisions in the history of the Court.

GOVERNOR'S OFFICE

New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy declares Jan. 30 Fred Korematsu Day

Primary sponsors of the legislation include Senator Joseph Lagana, and Assemblymembers Raj Mukerji, Anthony Verrelli, and Brandon Umba.

“Today, Jan. 30, 2023, is a great day for State of NJ—it is a great day for HUMAN KIND!” said Takeshi Furumoto, internment camp survivor and human right activist. “To not only recognize the wrongs of the past, but by recognizing this through legislation, vows to not repeat it. As a survivor, by testifying and passing this bill, and getting unanimous vote of approval by the State Senate and Assembly, gives me a hope for future of America!”

“I grew up in Maywood and attended Hackensack High School several decades ago. But despite an otherwise excellent education, I was never taught about the internment camps where Japanese Americans like my mom, Fred Korematsu, and 120,000 others were detained. Fred Korematsu had the courage to stand up to the country that he loved and challenge it to be better.,"said Phil Tajitsu Nash, board co-president of the Asian American Legal Defense and Education Fund (AALDEF).

“We applaud New Jersey for recognizing Fred Korematsu Day. This recognition is about understanding how vitally important, but also how fragile our rights as Americans can be,” stated David Inoue, Executive Director for the Japanese American Citizens League. 

“At a time when there are threats to a woman’s right to health care and other states are proposing to reinstitute Alien Land Laws," Inoue continued, "it is important that we remember Fred Korematsu and the stand he took against the racist incarceration of Japanese Americans and that despite him fighting in the courts, the Supreme Court ultimately denied his rights as an American.”

EDITOR'S NOTE: For additional commentary, news and views from an AANHPI perspective, follow @DioknoEd on Twitter.

New Jersey will require public schools K-12 to teach AAPI history

New Jersey students will learn more about AAPI history and contributions to the U.S.

From the first Filipino to set foot in what is now California to Vice President Kamala Harris, students in New Jersey will be required to learn  Asian American history and culture after new laws were signed by Gov. Phil Murphy.

Murphy signed legislation Tuesday that will ensure that the contributions, history, and heritage of Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders (AAPI) are included in the New Jersey Student Learning Standards for Social Studies for students in kindergarten through Grade 12.

“The members of our Asian American/Pacific Islander community have contributed so much to our state and nation,” said Murphy. “By teaching students about the history and heritage of our AAPI community, we can ensure that the diversity of our state is reflected in our curriculum and create a more tolerant and knowledgeable future for New Jersey.”

S4021 will create an AAPI curriculum requirement for schools and S3764 will establish the Commission for Asian American Heritage within the Department of Education.

“By incorporating instruction on the history and contributions of Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders, New Jersey schools can provide a curriculum that reflects the diversity of our state,” said Dr. Angelica Allen-McMillan, Acting Commissioner of Education. “In addition, the establishment of the Commission on Asian American Heritage will serve as an invaluable resource to enhance classroom instruction throughout the state.”

New Jersey joins Illinois, which passed similar legislation last July, believing that learning abut Asian American history will reduce the racist attacks against Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders who are often viewed as perpetual foreigners and "others." 

Several other states -- Ohio, New York, Florida and Connecticut -- are considering similar mandates to include AAPI history in their public schools. California already passed a measure requiring high school students have a semester of ethnic studies that includes AAPI history in order to graduate.

Anti-Asian attacks have occurred throughout the U.S.'s history but have increased alarmingly since the pandemic began. Many believe that the anti-China rhetoric that was used by the Donald Trump administration helped unleash the racist beliefs held by ignorant white supremacists.

Since the pandemic began, thousands of anti-racist attacks have occurred throughout the nation, according to Stop AAPI Hate, a community-based organization that has been collecting reports of the racist incidents. 

The most recent incident was last Saturday when a man pushed an Asian American woman onto the New York subway tracks as a train was approaching. The victim, Michelle Go, 40, was killed and the suspect later turned himself in to police which is investigating the incident as a hate crime even though authorities say there is no evidence that Go was attacked because of her race.

NYPD data reports that anti-Asian attacks have increased 361% in 2021.

New Jersey is one of several states around the country mandating curriculum as a way to fight anti-Asian hate and increase cultural sensitivity. In July, Illinois became the first state to require schools to teach Asian American history.

More than 1 million people New Jersey resident identify as Asian, according to the 2020 census. The state's Asian American population grew faster in the past decade than any other large ethnic or racial group, increasing 44% since 2010, census figures show.

“All children deserve to know they belong. All children deserve to feel safe, said aid Dr. Kani Ilangovan of Make Us Visible NJ, one of the community groups advocating for the legislation. "This law will help ensure Asian Americans are represented in our great American story. ... With the rise of anti-Asian violence, education is the best antidote to hate.”

“In my classroom, I teach students that the American dream is an aspiration. For Asian Americans, aspiring to the American dream is difficult when our stories are lost or ignored,” said newly installed Assembly member Sadaf Jaffer, who teaches South Asian Studies at Princeton University.

“Knowledge is a powerful tool to heal our social fabric, and I’m proud of New Jersey for taking this important step to build a stronger and more inclusive future.”

EDITOR'S NOTE: For additional commentary, news and views from an AAPI perspective, follow me on Twitter @DioknoEd.

Jersey City Councilman Michael Yun felled by the coronavirus

JERSEY CITY COUNCILMAN MICHAEL YUN

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Jersey City Ward D Councilman Michael Yun, 65, has passed away due to complications from COVID-19 Coronavirus. 

Before Yun died, he experienced a week of fever and shortness of breath and on March 24 was admitted into the intensive care unit at Jersey City Medical Center, where the test came out positive for COVID-19, according to CNN.

Yun was the first Korean-born American to be elected to the Jersey City Council in 2013 and in 2017 won a re-election, so it is clear that this is a major loss not just for the Korean American and more broadly Asian American community but also for Jersey City.

Yun emigrated to the United States as a student in 1979 and had lived in Jersey City since 1981. He and his wife owned the Garden State News.

New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy tweeted his condolences.

"He was a respected leader and a good man. A terrific husband, father, and grandfather. We stand with Jersey City in mourning his loss, and we send our thoughts to his family."

Jersey City Mayor, Steve Fulop paid tribute to Yun in a tweet on Monday.

“We are beyond saddened by the passing of Councilman Michael Yun. He was a family man, a great businessman, and a tireless advocate for Jersey City throughout his nearly 3 decades of public service,” Fulop tweeted.

“More than that though, he was a great husband, father, and grandfather as he never missed a chance to share how proud he was of his family,” Fulop said.

“We will miss him and we will continue to aggressively fight against this pandemic, now in his honor,” Fulop added.