2026 -- H 7404

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LC004294

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     STATE OF RHODE ISLAND

IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY

JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2026

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H O U S E   R E S O L U T I O N

COMMEMORATING JANUARY 30, 2026, AS "FRED KOREMATSU DAY OF CIVIL

LIBERTIES AND THE CONSTITUTION"

     Introduced By: Representatives Speakman, Shekarchi, Blazejewski, Chippendale,
Ajello, Shallcross Smith, Alzate, Boylan, McGaw, and Potter

     Date Introduced: January 29, 2026

     Referred To: House read and passed

     WHEREAS, Fred Toyosaburo Korematsu was born on January 30, 1919, in Oakland,

California, the son of Japanese immigrant parents, and was raised with a strong sense of civic

responsibility and belief in the promise of American democracy; and

     WHEREAS, Following the United States’ entry into World War II, President Franklin

Delano Roosevelt issued Executive Order 9066, authorizing the forced removal and detention of

people of Japanese descent from their homes, without individualized evidence or due process; and

     WHEREAS, At the age of twenty-three, Fred Korematsu refused to comply with this

order, asserting his constitutional rights as an American citizen, and was arrested and convicted,

ultimately challenging the legality of Executive Order 9066 before the United States Supreme

Court; and

     WHEREAS, Although the Supreme Court upheld his conviction in Korematsu v. United

States, later judicial and historical findings revealed that the government had suppressed evidence

demonstrating the absence of any legitimate security threat, and in 1983 a federal court vacated

Fred Korematsu’s conviction; and

     WHEREAS, Fred Korematsu devoted his life to public education and advocacy for civil

liberties, speaking out against racial discrimination and unjust government action, and was

awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 1998; and

     WHEREAS, The State of Rhode Island was founded on the radical principle that liberty

of conscience must be protected, a belief championed by Roger Williams, who stood against

orthodoxy and coercion in matters of belief, knowledge, and inquiry, and insisted that freedom

requires the courage to dissent from prevailing power; and

     WHEREAS, Just as Roger Williams defended freedom of conscience and the right to

question authority in the pursuit of truth, Fred Korematsu stood for constitutional liberty, due

process, and equality under the law at a moment when fear and government power threatened

those principles; and

     WHEREAS, Rhode Island’s enduring motto, “Hope,” reflects a commitment to learning

from history, protecting individual rights, and remaining vigilant in defense of civil liberties,

especially during times of crisis; and

     WHEREAS, Designating Fred Korematsu Day of Civil Liberties and the Constitution

provides an opportunity for civic education, reflection, and renewed dedication to the

constitutional values that sustain a free and democratic society; and

     WHEREAS, On January 30, 2026, a public educational program will be held in

observance of Fred Korematsu Day of Civil Liberties and the Constitution, hosted by Roger

Williams University’s Public Humanities & Arts Collaborative (The Co-Lab) in collaboration

with the Roger Williams University School of Law, Roger Williams University's Asian American

Alliance, Roger Williams University School of Law’s Asian Pacific American Law Student

Association, the AAPI History Museum, Japan–America Society and Black Ships Festival of

Rhode Island, Inc., and Communities of Hope Civic Media, bringing together students, educators,

legal professionals, and community members to reflect on the legacy of Fred Korematsu, the

protection of civil liberties, and the enduring responsibility to uphold constitutional principles

through education, dialogue, and civic engagement; now, therefore be it

     RESOLVED, That this House of Representatives of the State of Rhode Island hereby

recognizes January 30, 2026, as “Fred Korematsu Day of Civil Liberties and the Constitution”;

and be it further

     RESOLVED, That this House encourages all Rhode Islanders to reflect upon the lessons

of history and the enduring importance of standing up for constitutional rights, even when doing

so requires courage in the face of fear or opposition; and be it further

     RESOLVED, That the Secretary of State be and hereby is authorized and directed to

transmit duly certified copies of this resolution to Daniel J. McKee, Governor of the State of

Rhode Island and to Ioannis N. Miaoulis, President of Roger Williams University.

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