Rep. Huffman Announces Bill to Rename McKinleyville Courthouse to Honor Federal Judge Who Upheld Civil Liberties During WWII

October 21, 2019

Washington, D.C. – Today, Representative Jared Huffman (D-San Rafael) announced legislation to rename the federal courthouse in McKinleyville, CA, after the late Judge Louis E. Goodman, who served on the United States District Court for the Northern District of California. Judge Goodman was appointed by President Franklin Delano Roosevelt in 1942, served as Chief Judge from 1958 until his death in 1961, and was the first federal judge to rule against the injustice of segregation and incarceration of Japanese Americans during World War II.

“Judge Goodman had the integrity to defend the rights of all Americans from the bench at a time when few stood up to unconstitutional discrimination against Japanese Americans,” said Representative Huffman. “He did not waver from his duty to uphold the civil rights and liberties enshrined in the Constitution, despite significant professional and personal risk to himself. Renaming this federal courthouse in his honor is a fitting tribute to his courageous work to defend the Constitution, and will ensure that future generations learn from his important legacy.”

"During World War II, there were few who stood up in opposition to the incarceration of the Japanese American community,” said David Inoue, Executive Director of the Japanese American Citizens League. "Our civil rights allies, politicians, and even the Supreme Court turned their backs on the constitution. Judge Goodman was one of the few who stood strong on two separate cases."

This year marks three quarters of a century since Judge Goodman handed down the first of only two rulings in federal court during World War II upholding the civil rights and civil liberties of Japanese Americans. Judge Goodman ruled in United States vs. Masaaki Kuwabara that those American citizens of Japanese ancestry who were incarcerated could not be compelled to serve in the U.S. Armed Forces nor be found guilty of resisting the draft at the same time they were being denied the rights of citizenry. The historic ruling was one of many significant rulings distinguished Judge Goodman’s career. After this ruling, Judge Goodman would go on to play a major role in restoring the United States citizenship of thousands of Japanese Americans who had been pressed to renounce such citizenship while under duress and detained by armed guard.

This bill is cosponsored by Reps. Barbara Lee (CA-13), Juan Vargas (CA-51), Anna Eshoo (CA-18), Eric Swalwell (CA-15), Alan Lowenthal (CA-47), and Katie Porter (CA-45) and has been endorsed by the American Civil Liberties Union, the Japanese American Citizens League, the Tule Lake Committee and the Humboldt Historical Society.

 

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