Professors Chander, Sunder Visit Davis School for Korematsu Day
Professors Anupam Chander and Madhavi Sunder, co-authors of the soon-to-be-published comic book Fred Korematsu: All-American Hero, visited Korematsu Elementary School in Davis on January 28 to help teach students about Korematsu, the Internment of Japanese Americans during World War II, and the civil rights issues involved. The visit, conducted as part of the school's observance of California's first-ever Fred Korematsu Day, drew media coverage including articles in the Davis Enterprise and the UC Davis website Spotlight as well as a crew from Capitol Television News Service, which supplies material for approximately 20 stations around the state.
Professors Chander and Sunder became interested in producing the comic as part of their involvement in the effort to name the new Davis elementary school after Korematsu. Realizing the need for more community awareness of the Internment, they authored a comic book as a means of educating young children about Korematsu, the plaintiff in the infamous U.S. Supreme Court decision that upheld the Internment. The book, with illustrations by artist Angelia Loi, will be distributed to school libraries after it is published in February.