the Oyama family's historic fight against the alien land laws in California - and the fight that continues in Florida today

I just read an article on the Pacific Citizen website about the Oyama family whose case went all the way to the Supreme Court. Their success set a critical precedent for later Alien Land Law cases and the eventual lifting of racial restrictions in California in 1952.

Incredibly, the story is still very relevant! Florida still actually has an alien land law on its books. A Florida senator has been trying to get rid of it for six years now, but has not had much support in his efforts. He finally has gotten a resolution on the upcoming ballot, but unfortunately, he's not very optimistic. Opponents are confusing it with illegal alien and terrorist issues, and the overturning of the law would be largely symbolic because it's not enforceable anyway.

Read the article on the Pacific Citizen:

Ordinary Family, Extraordinary Legacy
Sixty years ago, California took away their land. By suing and winning, Kajiro and Fred Oyama started the fight for equal rights that is still being waged today in Florida.

By Lynda Lin, Assistant Editor
Published October 3, 2008