Treatment of Minorities during WWII AIM: How were minorities treated during World War II?

“There is nothing I’m afraid of like scared people.” Robert Frost

History of Anti-Asian Sentiment http://www. youtube. com/watch History of Anti-Asian Sentiment http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-4UPQ9-jw6M&feature=related Bugs Bunny depiction of Japanese

Japanese Americans

A. Japanese Internment After the Japanese bombing of Pearl Harbor, Japanese-Americans encountered strong hostility, prejudice, and discrimination. Over 100,000 Japanese Americans living on the West coast were rounded up and confined to internment camps located inland. Executive Order 9066, signed by Franklin D. Roosevelt on February 19, 1942, allowed authorized military commanders to designate "military areas" at their discretion.

B. Executive Order 9066 Now, therefore, by virtue of the authority vested in me as President of the United States, and Commander in Chief of the Army and Navy, I hereby authorize …to prescribe military areas in such places and of such extent as he or the appropriate Military Commander may determine, from which any or all persons may be excluded, and with respect to which, the right of any person to enter, remain in, or leave shall be subject to whatever restrictions the Secretary of War or the appropriate Military Commander may impose in his discretion. The Secretary of War is hereby authorized to provide for residents of any such area who are excluded therefrom, such transportation, food, shelter, and other accommodations as may be necessary, in the judgment of the Secretary of War or the said Military Commander, and until other arrangements are made, to accomplish the purpose of this order.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vlIOt54s9tk&feature=youtu.be

B. Korematsu v. United States Facts: Strong anti-Japanese feeling Convicted of knowingly remaining in a designated military area violating Executive order #9066 Issue: Did Exec #9066 violate his 14th amendment and 5th right to life, liberty, and property

4. Opinion: An entire race can be labeled “suspect classification” Gov’t allowed to deny Japanese constitutional rights Because only a number of Japanese were disloyal, the military may exclude people of Japanese ancestry from essential areas during wartime. National Security!

In 1988, Ronald Reagan signed the Civil Liberties Act of 1988, which provided redress of $20,000 for each surviving detainee

“I know I’m a Mexican, but I know that I was born and raised here and I consider myself strictly an American. And anybody asks me, what’s my nationality, I say, well I’m a Mexican, but I’m still an American. And I’ll fight for America.”

III. Mexicans 1. 300,000 served in military 2. 1942 agreement allowed “braceros” to enter for harvest season 3. Zoot Suit Riots – Los Angeles -1943 whites and Mexicans battled in the streets

IV. African Americans 1

A. Demands for Equality African Americans demand defense industries be integrated A. Philip Randolph, head of the Brotherhood of Sleeping Car Porters union, planned a 100,000 person march on Washington Roosevelt issued Executive Order 8802, authorizing Committee on Fair Employment Practices to investigate and prevent racial discrimination in employment. Double V Campaign, supported by NAACP, asserted African Americans’ demands for the rights and privileges enjoyed by all other Americans Congress of Racial Equality (CORE) was founded 9/10 Blacks lived below poverty line; those who worked made 39% of whites’ wages Wartime migration made the majority of African Americans city dwellers for first time in US history. a. racism intensified in North – race riots

B. Tuskeegee Airman – all black air force unit

V. Impact on Society Women: 6 million join workforce 1. WAC’s