One of the unsung heroes of World War II will finally get his due.
Minoru Yasui intentionally defied the curfew imposed on Japanese Americans during World War II in 1942 and then turned himself in to police. His hope was to challenge the constitutionality of the law, reports Oregon Live.
He ended up spending nine months in jail while the court heard his case. The U.S. Supreme Court upheld his conviction in 1943.
Yasui will receive his award posthumously. He died in 1986, the same year his conviction was finally overturned by a federal court.
Back in March, 19 members of Congress signed a letter to the White House asking President Obama to bestow the honor on Yasui.
The letter which was endorsed by several Asian American elected officials including Rep Mike Honda, Rep Judy Chu, Rep Mark Takano, Rep. Doris Matsui, Rep Ted Lieu and Rep Bobby Scott read in part, “Minoru Yasui’s commitment to justice went well beyond the Japanese American community. He also fought for the rights of Latinos, African Americans, Native Americans, youth, people with disabilities, seniors, international human rights agencies and many others. Yasui recognized the common struggle of all marginalized people and dedicated his life to advocating and achieving results on their behalf.”
The Presidential Medal of Freedom is the country’s highest civilian award.
