Photo: In 2010, the Governor of California signed the legislative bill establishing Fred Korematsu Day of Civil Liberties and the Constitution on January 30 in perpetuity. This is the first state-wide day in U.S. history named after an Asian American. Hawaii, Virginia and Florida subsequently issued legislative bills recognizing Fred Korematsu Day in perpetuity.
Curriculum Topic: Fred T. Korematsu
Lesson Plan Courtesy of: Lesson Plan Courtesy of Fred T. Korematsu Institute Teachers Guide; written by Eric Yamamoto, Dale Minami and May Lee Heye, published in Untold Civil Rights Stories: Asian Americans Speak Out for Justice, Asian Americans Advancing Justice – Los Angeles.
Lesson Plan Synopsis: Students will identify the rights of U.S.
citizens protected by the government and the Constitution, and discuss the delicate balance between civil liberties and security in times of crisis by analyzing the landmark Supreme Court case, Korematsu v. U.S. They will
examine Fred Korematsu’s story and the consequences of taking unpopular stances and the constitutional issues raised by his actions.
Students will also learn about Supreme Court cases Hirabayashi v. U.S.
and Yasui v. U.S. to understand these concepts.
Lesson plan will be available for download in January/February 2017.