The American Civil Liberties Union had formed during World War I, quickly establishing itself as the premier group dedicated to protecting constitutional rights and civil liberties in this country. At this same time, with the onset of World War II and for a period of over four years, the United States put its constitution to its most severe test in history, denying rights to 120,000 Japanese Americans on the basis of their race.
The response of the ACLU was complex and contradictory. The national branch, based in New York City, discouraged resistance to the government policies that denied basic constitutional rights to Japanese-American citizens. The Northern California branch, however, lived up to the legacy of the organization by not only challenging the internment of Japanese Americans but continuing to do so in direct violation of ACLU policies as had been established by the National Board. This presentation explores the response of the ACLU during wartime and assesses the discrepancy between its philosophy and actions.
Udai Malhotra, ’09 New York, NY
Majors: Sociology, History
Sponsor: Richard Thomas