DAVIS —?A mural titled “Heroes Without Capes” was dedicated at Fred T. Korematsu Elementary School in Davis on Jan. 30, which was Fred Korematsu Day of Civil Liberties and the Constitution in California.
Jan. 30 would have been Korematsu’s 105thbirthday. The civil rights icon, who passed away in 2005 at the age of 86, is remembered for challenging the mass incarceration of Japanese Americans during World War II, taking his case all the way to the U.S. Supreme Court. The court ruled the camps constitutional in 1944, but Korematsu was vindicated decades later when his wartime conviction was overturned on the basis of new evidence.
A recipient of the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 1998, he has also been honored with the naming of the Fred T. Korematsu Campus of San Leandro High School, Fred T. Korematsu Discovery Academy in Oakland (his hometown), Fred T. Korematsu Middle School in El Cerrito, and Fred T. Korematsu Center for Law and Equality at Seattle University School of Law.
Since 2010, Fred Korematsu Day has been recognized in perpetuity in California, Hawaii, Virginia, Florida, New York City, Arizona, New Jersey, and Michigan. Other states have proclaimed Korematsu Day in specific years.
On the elementary school’s website, the Fred T. Korematsu Parent Teacher Organization gave the background of the mural: “Our mural began as an idea for the Class of 2021’s legacy project. A shout-out was made for anyone who would be willing to help create a ‘social justice’ mural with contributions from our 6th-grade class of 2021.
“Marina Sterner, local artist and fellow Korematsu parent, volunteered for the task. The Class of 2021, staff, and leadership students of that year all got a say in which social justice warriors/heroes would be incorporated in the mural on the backside of our F Wing building facing the blacktop and Mace Ranch Park.
“Once the list of heroes was decided, Marina created her concept. After district approval, Marina began the mural in May of 2021. Marina worked on the mural for the next few years, fitting it in on weekends and when she could. We are so grateful for all her hard work and dedication in getting the project started.
“When we realized some help was needed to complete the project, PTO hired local muralist and artist Toni Rizzo. In March 2023 Toni went to work on finishing the mural. She worked during school days so students got to watch her in action, ask her questions, and chat with her about what it’s like being an artist.
“Thank you to our muralists Marina Sterner and Toni Rizzo for their talent and hard work to create this incredible piece of art. Also, thank you to Ashley Burgdorf and our Korematsu PTO for facilitating and funding our mural. A BIG thank you to Kelly Moore Paints for donating ALL the paint to make this beautiful piece of art possible. A special thank you to the Davis Schools Art Foundation (DSAF) for their generous grant to help fund this inspiring legacy.
“This mural honors many social justice activists who work/worked to make our world a better place. We included a variety of heroes, both past and present, who share the common goal of making our world a more inclusive, safe, equitable, and kind place for all humans … We hope it motivates you to be a hero in your own life– someone who makes our world a better place for all.”
Rizzo also painted a portrait of Korematsu in the entryway of the school office with one of his famous quotes: “If you have the feeling that something is wrong, don’t be afraid to speak up.”
In addition to Korematsu, the 15 heroes depicted in the mural are:
? Rosa Parks, an activist in the civil rights movement best known for her pivotal role in the Montgomery bus boycott. Congress honored her as “the first lady of civil rights” and “the mother of the freedom movement.”
? Temple Grandin, a CSU professor of animal sciences and renowned animal behaviorist and autism activist.
? Martin Luther King, Jr., a leader of the modern American civil rights movement from December 1955 until his assassination on April 4, 1968. He worked toward racial equality in America and is widely regarded as America’s pre-eminent advocate of non-violent social change.
? Harvey Milk, a visionary civil and human rights leader who became one of the first openly gay elected officials in the U.S. when he won a seat on the San Francisco Board of Supervisors in 1977.
? Ruby Bridges, a civil rights icon, activist, author, and speaker. In 1960, when she was only six years old, she became one of the first Black children to integrate New Orleans’ all-white public school system. Greeted by an angry mob and escorted by federal marshals, she bravely crossed the threshold of this school and into history.
? Ruth Bader Ginsburg, a lawyer and jurist who served as an associate justice of the U.S. Supreme Court from 1993 until her death in 2020. She successfully fought against gender discrimination throughout her life.
? Greta Thunberg, a Swedish environmental activist who is known for challenging world leaders to take immediate action for climate change mitigation.
? Wilma Mankiller, a Native American activist, social worker, community developer and the first woman elected to serve as principal chief of the Cherokee Nation.
? Madonna Thunder Hawk, a Native American civil rights activist best known as a leader in the American Indian Movement and as an organizer against the Dakota Access Pipeline.
? Dolores Huerta, a labor leader and civil rights activist who, with Cesar Chavez, is a co-founder of the National Farmworkers Association, which later merged with the Agricultural Workers Organizing Committee to become the United Farm Workers.
? John Lewis, one of the “Big Six” leaders of the civil rights movement in the 1960s, He continued to fight for people’s rights from 1987, when he joined Congress, until his death in 2020.
? Harriet Tubman, an abolitionist and social activist. Born into chattel slavery, she escaped and subsequently made some 13 missions to rescue approximately 70 similarly enslaved people, including family and friends, using the network of anti-slavery activists and safe houses known as the Underground Railroad.
? Malala Yousafzai, a Pakistani female education activist. Awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 2014 when she was 17, she is the world’s youngest Nobel laureate and the second Pakistani and the first Pashtun to receive a Nobel Prize.
? Cesar Chavez, a civil rights and farm labor leader, a community organizer and social entrepreneur, a champion of militant non-violent social change, and a crusader for the environment and consumer rights.
??Iqbal Masih, a child laborer and activist who campaigned against abusive child labor in Pakistan. The dedication included a ribbon-cutting and the singing of the school song, “What Can One Little Person Do?” by Sally Rogers. Verses have been added to include Korematsu and the other heroes.