Fred Korematsu was an American civil rights activist who challenged the internment of Japanese Americans during World War II. Born on January 30, 1919, in Oakland, California, he was forcibly interned at the Topaz Internment Camp in Utah. His case, Korematsu v. United States, became a landmark in civil rights history, with his conviction being overturned and a posthumous pardon being awarded. He passed away on March 30, 2005.