Korematsu v. United States: Is My Father's Case Still Relevant?

In 2018, the Supreme Court overruled its notorious World War II decision upholding the removal of Fred Korematsu and tens of thousands of other innocent Japanese Americans from the West Coast. Or so it said. It announced this in Trump v. Hawaii, a case upholding what the president called a “Muslim ban,” so some remain doubtful that the danger of the Korematsu decision has truly passed.

This year’s Murphy Distinguished Lecture features Dr. Karen Korematsu on the continued relevance of her father’s legendary fight for his constitutional rights during one of the most challenging moments in U.S. history. His remarkable story of courage, resilience, and commitment to civil rights for all will echo loudly in the law school’s rotunda at a time when constitutional rights and values are once again challenged.