JANM Mourns the Passing of Former President Jimmy Carter

LOS ANGELES, CA – The Japanese American National Museum mourns the passing of former President Jimmy Carter, a lifelong advocate for justice and human rights and an early ally in the movement for redress for Japanese Americans unjustly incarcerated during World War II. In 1980, President Carter signed a law establishing the Commission on Wartime Relocation and Internment of Civilians (CWRIC), which was instrumental in bringing the stories of Japanese American incarceration to light and ensuring that this painful chapter in American history was acknowledged and rectified. The CWRIC’s hearings and findings eventually led to the Civil Rights Act of 1988, under which the US issued an apology and financial redress for those incarcerated. 

President Carter also proclaimed the first Asian Pacific American Heritage Week in 1979, an important step toward recognizing the contributions of Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders to the fabric of this nation and setting the stage for the broader annual celebrations and recognition that continue to this day. Both the CWRIC legislation and the APA Heritage Week efforts were championed by the late Secretary Norman Y. Mineta, then US Representative and later JANM Board Chair. 

“We join the many voices honoring President Carter’s enduring legacy and his efforts to promote dignity and respect for all Americans throughout his life. His support of the efforts to acknowledge and address the historical wrongs of the incarceration are among his many lasting gifts to our nation," said Ann Burroughs, JANM President and CEO.

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