Flag Day, June 14, is traditionally set aside to honor the anniversary of the adoption of the official U.S. flag in 1777. From the Stars and Stripes earliest incarnations, it has flown at the Siege of Boston to boost morale for George Washington’s troops during the Revolutionary War and came to symbolize the Union during the American Civil War. And in a tradition that harks back to the Napoleonic Wars, the flag is draped on the caskets of military veterans as a final honor from the country they served and the folded flag is presented as a remembrance for their families. From the Liberty Bell to the Bald Eagle to the Statue of Liberty, no symbol of America, in its 27 iterations, is more ubiquitous than the American Flag whether flying over a backyard family July 4 barbeque or over monuments on the National Mall in Washington, D.C.

The 48-Star Flag Signing Project begun by Judge Johnny Gogo also honors Americans, the survivors, families, and descendants of the Japanese American Incarceration of World War II. The project brings original 48-star flags, in use during WWII, around the country and invites survivors of the Japanese American Incarceration to sign them. According to Judge Gogo, “It was a way to honor those still living among us and their hardships, sacrifice, and loyalty to the United States. They had respect for their country on one hand but were incarcerated without due process of law.” Judge Gogo started with one flag, planning to donate it for public display, but quickly found survivors around the country were interested in signing their name to a piece of living history.

The 48-Star Flag Signing Project not only honors the survivors, it also educates the public on history and civics. “It was through Fred Korematsu Day [of Civil Liberties and the Constitution] that I learned more about Japanese American experiences and incarceration without due process during WWII. It’s been an incredible learning journey for me as well,” said Judge Gogo. The Japanese American Incarceration denied many fundamental rights and civil liberties guaranteed in the U.S. Constitution to all Americans, such as the Fifth Amendment guarantee to due process, the Sixth Amendment promise of a speedy and public trial by an impartial jury, and the Fourteenth Amendment clause covering birthright citizenship and equal protections under the law.

“We also need to remember history. Oftentimes, we repeat the same mistakes. [With this project], we can capture these stories and honor these folks.” The Fred T. Korematsu Institute’s national traveling exhibit, “AM I AN AMERICAN OR AM I NOT?,” is named after the question Fred Korematsu asked when faced with criminal charges for violating the military orders to leave his home without due process after Executive Order 9066 during WWII. He joined 125,000 other Japanese Americans at incarceration camps often located in isolated spots around the country. About two-thirds of those incarcerated were American citizens, born and raised in the United States. When faced with being incarcerated for no other reason than his Japanese heritage, Fred Korematsu famously questioned his American citizenship, asking “Am I an American or am I not?”. The Project highlights the flag, memorializes the survivors both past and present, and preserves another important chapter of the American story for future generations. “It is incumbent upon us, our generation now, to observe our past so we can share it with future generations.”

The Korematsu Institute received one of the 48-Star Project Flags at their 40^th Anniversary celebration of the coram nobis civil rights cases in 2023, with plans to display it at a future date. The 48-Star Flag Signing Project is currently on its thirteenth flag. Beyond simple history, the project collects, preserves, and shares survivor’s names and underscores the importance of the universal rights and civil liberties guaranteed to citizens by the Constitution. Judge Gogo is committed to collecting the signatures of Japanese American Incarceration survivors who want to add their names to the project. “The flag forces people to ask questions. Hopefully, in asking those questions, they will learn why people put their names on one of these flags.”

You can learn more about the 48-Star Flag Project here: LINK

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https://discovernikkei.org/en/journal/2021/5/27/flag-signing-project/