Kiyoshi (Gordon) Hirabayashi
In 1942, Kiyoshi (Gordon) Hirabayashi, defied the curfews set in place by the U.S. military in restricted areas, as well as refused to board the bus for relocation under the Civilian Exclusion Act (Executive Order 9066). He was arrested and spent more than two years in prison. In 1997, a federal court repealed the sentence against Hirabayashi and ruled that he was wrongly convicted for resisting internment and curfews that were placed on the thousands of Japanese Americans.
When the relocation began,
Hirabayashi's parents, four brothers
and sisters were compliant with the
military orders, but he was not. Though
Hirabayashi's mother begged and
pleaded with him, he refused to go. He
contemplated following U.S. orders but
"This order for the mass evacuation of all persons of Japanese descent denies them the right to live. I consider it my duty to maintain the democratic standards for which this nation lives. Therefore, I must refuse this order of evacuation."
since he had already defied curfew because of his disagreement with the
U.S. government's military rationale. He was prepared to relocate but he
reasoned that if he could not cooperate with something as small as a
curfew, he would not be able to cooperate with a life changing experience
in the internment camps.
Gordan Hirabayashi's bravery has made him a hero among the Japanese American community. He was one of the only three Japanese Americans to violate the government's exclusion order. The University of Washington, Hirabayashi's alma mater, released a special report--
"— Hirabayashi was convicted [in 1942] and sentenced to 90 days in prison (plus time already served). Getting there, however, wasn't as easy as it sounds. He was assigned to a minimum security prison in Arizona, but there was no money to transport him. 'I asked, Why don't I go on my own?' recalls Hirabayashi. The courts agreed to that, and wrote a letter in case he was questioned along the way. 'I hitchhiked but didn't realize how hard it would be due to severe gas rationing. It took me more than two weeks to get there, sleeping in ditches along the way and with friends where I had some. Finally, around Las Vegas, I gave up and bought a bus ticket.' "
— "When Hirabayashi arrived at the prison — two weeks late — the staff could not find his papers. They tried to send him home, but Hirabayashi balked at the idea, believing that it could lead to more trouble in the future. 'They told me to go out for a nice dinner and a movie while they looked for the papers,' recalls Hirabayashi. 'So I did. By the time I returned, they'd found the papers.' "
— "Did the reversal [of his conviction] change Hirabayashi's view of the United States? Most definitely, he says. 'There was a time when I felt that the Constitution failed me,' he explains. 'But with the reversal in the courts and in public statements from the government, I feel that our country has proven that the Constitution is worth upholding. The U.S. government admitted it made a mistake. A country that can do that is a strong country. I have more faith and allegiance to the Constitution than I ever had before.' "
Gordon Hirabayashi passed away in January 2012, but his name will never be forgotten. He has made a mark in history by challenging the U.S. Constitution. Listen to his story HERE.