National Council of Asian Pacific Americans Commemorates Fred Korematsu Day

National Council of Asian Pacific Americans (NCAPA) released the following statement to celebrate civil rights hero Fred Korematsu:

"The Fred Korematsu Day of Civil Liberties and the Constitution comes at an important time. As we debate how to keep our country safe, too many politicians, policymakers, and others seem to have forgotten the lessons of our nation's past: they seek to discriminate on the basis of religion, ethnicity, or national origin, but the internment of 120,000 loyal Japanese Americans during World War II taught us that such prejudice undermines our freedom rather than preserve it," said National Director Christopher Kang. "In these times of growing anti-Muslim hate and violence, Americans must honor the legacy of Fred Korematsu and recommit ourselves to protecting our civil liberties and standing up to hate, xenophobia, and bigotry."

"As a Virginian, I am especially proud that today is, for the first time, Fred Korematsu Day of Civil Liberties and the Constitution in our state, and NCAPA thanks Delegate Mark Keam for his leadership in introducing and passing this important resolution."

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Based in Washington, D.C., the National Council of Asian Pacific Americans is a coalition of 35 national Asian Pacific American organizations that serves to represent the interests of Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander (AANHPI) communities and to provide a national voice for our communities’ concerns. Our communities are the fastest growing racial/ethnic group in the United States, currently making up approximately six percent of the population.