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Abstract: The dramatic story of how the Japanese American community successfully lobbied Congress and the White House for legislation mandating financial compensation for those sent to detention camps in the wake of the attack on Pearl Harbor. The case not only tells the inside story of a decade-long lobbying campaign--including a carefully researched personal approach which changed Ronald Reagan's mind on the subject--but serves as a model of how bills really become laws. Aspects of this process explored in the narrative include internal legislative strategy, the role of the press, the role of grassroots organization, and the structure and nature of coalitions.
Learning Objective: In addition to calling on students to consider the various approaches available to the Japanese community, such as the choice between legislative initiative and court action, the case allows students to assume the role of a marginalized group dealing with the political and cultural mainstream.