The Fred T. Korematsu Institute is hosting Our Democracy: Then and Now on Saturday, October 21, 2023, at the Marriott Marquis Hotel in San Francisco. This in-person dinner celebration commemorates a momentous decision in civil rights history, the 40th anniversary of the coram nobis cases.

In 1983, the coram nobis cases overturned the three federal convictions of Fred Korematsu, Gordon Hirabayashi, and Minoru Yasui. They dared to challenge President Roosevelt’s Executive Order 9066, which authorized the mass incarceration of Japanese Americans during World War II.

These landmark legal battles vindicated Japanese Americans incarcerated during World War II and set legal precedents that continue to be relevant to this day.

At a time when we see voter suppression laws on the books, the sacrificing of civil liberties for partisan policy, and the banning of books that will erode students' rights to an equitable education about our shared American history, we must stand up for what is right.

We are pleased to welcome members of the 1983 coram nobis teams, as well as former Acting Solicitor General of the United States and MSNBC TV contributor, Neal Katyal, who will be joining us as our keynote speaker and winner of the Fred Korematsu Social Justice Award. And our celebration will be hosted by local KTVU reporter and journalist, Jana Katsuyama.

 We hope to see you there!

If you are looking for sponsorship or partnership options, please contact our Development and Communications Director, Michelle Mitchell at [email protected].

Business formal or festive attire.