Handout 4A: EQUAL PROTECTION: RACE

Travel back in time to May of 1942. Pearl Harbor has been attacked and the United States is at war with Japan.

Mr. Korematsu is an American citizen of Japanese ancestry. He lives in a home in San Leandro, California. San Leandro has been designated as a "Military Area" to ensure its protection against invasion from Japan while at war with the U.S.

A military officer will appear at the front door of Korematsu's home. Korematsu will be presented with the Civilian Exclusion Order and told to leave his home at once and go to an "assembly center."

Korematsu refuses to leave his home and protests the order.

The officer again orders Korematsu to leave but this time tells Korematsu that as a person of Japanese origin, he presents a threat of espionage and sabotage.

Korematsu continues to protest and states that he is a loyal American citizen and it makes no difference that his ancestors were born in Japan.

The officer then ushers Korematsu to the assembly center.

At the assembly center, Korematsu complains that there must be something unconstitutional about confining him in this manner.