Day 37 - Harada House, Riverside, California
📌APIA Every Day (37) - The Harada House, located on Lemon Street in Riverside, California, gained historical significance due to its association with a landmark civil rights court case involving Japanese immigrant Jukichi Harada. The case emerged from Harada's purchase of the house in 1915 for his American-born children, as California's Webb-Haney Act of 1913 prohibited "aliens ineligible for [U.S.] citizenship" from owning property. The case, The People of State of California vs. Jukichi Harada, attracted national and international attention due to its implications for the rights of American-born children of immigrants and the tense U.S.-Japan relations at the time.
The trial, lasting two years, concluded in 1918 with a ruling in favor of the Harada children. Judge Hugh Craig recognized that American-born children of aliens were entitled to constitutional guarantees, including land ownership. This verdict was a significant assertion of the 14th Amendment's protection of the citizenship rights of American-born individuals, regardless of their parents' nationality.
Despite the legal victory, the Harada family faced hardship during World War II, with members being interned in U.S. government relocation centers. The house, however, remained a symbol of civil rights and the struggles of immigrants. After the war, the Harada family continued to use the house to support displaced Japanese American families. The Harada House, now a National Historic Landmark, serves as a poignant reminder of civil rights challenges and the enduring significance of the 14th Amendment in American history.
LEARN MORE:
National Park Service: Harada House
University of California Riverside: The Harada House
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