Executive Order 9066
I happened to notice that something called Executive Order 9066 featured prominently in "this day in history." On February 19, 1942 (69 years ago today), President Franklin D. Roosevelt signed executive order 9066, which allowed the United States military to relocate Japanese-Americans to Japanese internment camps. On February 19, 1976 (35 years ago today), Executive Order 9066 was rescinded by President Gerald R. Ford's Proclamation 4417.
United States Executive Order 9066 was a United States presidential executive order signed and issued during World War II by U.S. President Roosevelt on February 19, 1942 authorizing the Secretary of War to prescribe certain areas as military zones. The order led to the internment of Japanese Americans or AJAs as they were called (Americans of Japanese Ancestry). Over 120,000 ethnic Japanese people were held in internment camps for the duration of the war. Of the Japanese interned, 62% were Nisei (American-born, second-generation Japanese American and therefore American citizens) or Sansei (third-generation Japanese American, also American citizens) and the rest were Issei (Japanese immigrants and resident aliens, first-generation Japanese American).
All persons with Japanese ancestry were ordered to be removed from the West Coast and southern Arizona. Future Supreme Court Chief Justice Earl Warren was Attorney-General of California at the time. He said, in the racist sentiment of the times, "When we are dealing with the Caucasian race we have methods that will test the loyalty of them. But when we deal with the Japanese, we are on an entirely different field."
In Hawaii, where there were 140,000 Americans of Japanese Ancestry (constituting 37% of the population), a saner approach was taken. Only selected individuals of heightened perceived risk were interned.
First lady Eleanor Roosevelt was opposed to Executive Order 9066. She spoke privately many times with her husband on the subject, but was unsuccessful in convincing him not to sign it.
Executive Order 9066 was rescinded by President Gerald Ford on February 19, 1976, 34 years after it was made. In 1980, President Jimmy Carter signed legislation to create the Commission on Wartime Relocation and Internment of Civilians (CWRIC), which conducted a study of Executive Order 9066. In December 1982, the CWRIC issued its findings in Personal Justice Denied, and concluded that the incarceration of Japanese Americans had not been justified by military necessity. The report determined that the decision to incarcerate was based on "race prejudice, war hysteria, and a failure of political leadership." The Commission recommended legislative remedies consisting of an official Government apology and redress payments of $20,000 to each of the survivors. A public education fund was set up to help ensure that this would not happen again.
On August 10, 1988, the Civil Liberties Act of 1988, based on the CWRIC recommendations, was signed into law by President Ronald Reagan. On November 21, 1989, President George H.W. Bush signed an appropriation bill authorizing payments to be paid out between 1990 and 1998. In 1990, surviving internees began to receive individual redress payments and a letter of apology.
United States Executive Order 9066 was a United States presidential executive order signed and issued during World War II by U.S. President Roosevelt on February 19, 1942 authorizing the Secretary of War to prescribe certain areas as military zones. The order led to the internment of Japanese Americans or AJAs as they were called (Americans of Japanese Ancestry). Over 120,000 ethnic Japanese people were held in internment camps for the duration of the war. Of the Japanese interned, 62% were Nisei (American-born, second-generation Japanese American and therefore American citizens) or Sansei (third-generation Japanese American, also American citizens) and the rest were Issei (Japanese immigrants and resident aliens, first-generation Japanese American).
All persons with Japanese ancestry were ordered to be removed from the West Coast and southern Arizona. Future Supreme Court Chief Justice Earl Warren was Attorney-General of California at the time. He said, in the racist sentiment of the times, "When we are dealing with the Caucasian race we have methods that will test the loyalty of them. But when we deal with the Japanese, we are on an entirely different field."
In Hawaii, where there were 140,000 Americans of Japanese Ancestry (constituting 37% of the population), a saner approach was taken. Only selected individuals of heightened perceived risk were interned.
First lady Eleanor Roosevelt was opposed to Executive Order 9066. She spoke privately many times with her husband on the subject, but was unsuccessful in convincing him not to sign it.
Executive Order 9066 was rescinded by President Gerald Ford on February 19, 1976, 34 years after it was made. In 1980, President Jimmy Carter signed legislation to create the Commission on Wartime Relocation and Internment of Civilians (CWRIC), which conducted a study of Executive Order 9066. In December 1982, the CWRIC issued its findings in Personal Justice Denied, and concluded that the incarceration of Japanese Americans had not been justified by military necessity. The report determined that the decision to incarcerate was based on "race prejudice, war hysteria, and a failure of political leadership." The Commission recommended legislative remedies consisting of an official Government apology and redress payments of $20,000 to each of the survivors. A public education fund was set up to help ensure that this would not happen again.
On August 10, 1988, the Civil Liberties Act of 1988, based on the CWRIC recommendations, was signed into law by President Ronald Reagan. On November 21, 1989, President George H.W. Bush signed an appropriation bill authorizing payments to be paid out between 1990 and 1998. In 1990, surviving internees began to receive individual redress payments and a letter of apology.