"My dad [Fred Korematsu] thought for sure by the time his case got to the Supreme Court that the Supreme Court would see it was unconstitutional, that's how much he believed in this country and in the Supreme Court." - Dr. Karen Korematsu, "What Does It Mean To Be An American?"
The similarities between the WWII Japanese American Incarceration and what we are seeing today are striking. To make things worse, there are active efforts to rewrite and even erase injustices from American history, book bans, and threats to educators’ job security for teaching the truth.
The Fred T. Korematsu Institute shares the story of the mass incarceration of Japanese Americans during WWII and Fred Korematsu's fight for civil liberties and the Constitutional rights of all Americans. The lessons of Fred Korematsu's courageous story have never been more relevant. And we have never felt more confident in our mission to educate and inspire audiences of all ages to follow his words and "stand up for what is right."
Our programs reach educators, students, and the general public nationwide:
• 7 states and counting now recognize Fred Korematsu Day of Civil Liberties and the Constitution, the first statewide day to honor an Asian American, every year on January 30
• Institutions in 30+ states have invited Fred's daughter, Dr. Karen Korematsu, to address audiences of all ages, from kindergartners to federal judges
• 10,000+ people have visited our traveling exhibition, "Am I An American or Am I Not?" in the first year and a half since its debut
• 15,000+ teachers and parents have received our education toolkits, reaching 1.5M+ elementary to college-level students
At a time when funding for nonprofits like ours is at risk, your tax-deductible investment in the Fred T. Korematsu Institute today is critical for helping us make an even bigger impact in 2026 and beyond!
Stand up for justice. Prevent history from being erased. Speak up for American democracy. Support the Korematsu Institute with a one-time or monthly tax-deductible gift, a stock donation, or through a donor-advised fund (DAF).
With your support, we can expand our reach and ensure that the lessons of Fred Korematsu’s story continue to be shared in classrooms and communities nationwide, inspiring more Americans to protect our civil liberties and democracy for current and future generations, precisely when we need it most.
