The 2012 San Jose Day of Remembrance commemorates the 70th anniversary of the signing of Executive Order 9066 which led to the forced incarceration of 120,000 people of Japanese descent, two-thirds of whom were American citizens. Each year, we gather to remember that great civil liberties tragedy from over 70 years ago and each one of us reflects on what that event means to us today.
The Day of Remembrance is an event that aims to bring different communities together in order to build trust, respect and understanding among all people and to renew our pledge to fight for equality, justice and peace.
The featured speakers will be Karen Korematsu, the daughter of civil liberties activist, Fred Korematsu, and cofounder of the Fred T. Korematsu Institute for Civil Rights and Education, and Zahra Billoo, Executive Director of the Council of American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) San Francisco Bay Area chapter.
The program includes other speakers from the community, a performance from internationally acclaimed San Jose Taiko, a candle lighting ceremony and remembrance, and the traditional candlelight procession through historic Japantown.
