The Mighty Eighth - 19 February 1942
On February 19, 1942, president Franklin Roosevelt signed
executive order 9066 that required all people of Japanese
descent—US citizen or not—to be relocated from their homes and
moved into concentration camps. You belong to one of those
families. You are part of the greatest forced migration in
American history. You are now being mandated by the United
States Government to evacuate your home, sell all your assets,
and move to an unknown territory for an unstated period of time.
Executive Order No. 9066
The President
Executive Order
Authorizing the Secretary of War to Prescribe Military Areas
Whereas the successful prosecution of the war requires every
possible protection against espionage and against sabotage to
national-defense material, national-defense premises, and
national-defense utilities as defined in Section 4, Act of April
20, 1918, 40 Stat. 533, as amended by the Act of November 30,
1940, 54 Stat. 1220, and the Act of August 21, 1941, 55 Stat.
655 (U.S.C., Title 50, Sec. 104);
Now, therefore, by virtue of the authority vested in me as
President of the United States, and Commander in Chief of the
Army and Navy, I hereby authorize and direct the Secretary of
War, and the Military Commanders whom he may from time to time
designate, whenever he or any designated Commander deems such
action necessary or desirable, to prescribe military areas in
such places and of such extent as he or the appropriate Military
Commander may determine, from which any or all persons may be
excluded, and with respect to which, the right of any person to
enter, remain in, or leave shall be subject to whatever
restrictions the Secretary of War or the appropriate Military
Commander may impose in his discretion. The Secretary of War is
hereby authorized to provide for residents of any such area who
are excluded therefrom, such transportation, food, shelter, and
other accommodations as may be necessary, in the judgment of the
Secretary of War or the said Military Commander, and until other
arrangements are made, to accomplish the purpose of this order.
The designation of military areas in any region or locality
shall supersede designations of prohibited and restricted areas
by the Attorney General under the Proclamations of December 7
and 8, 1941, and shall supersede the responsibility and
authority of the Attorney General under the said Proclamations
in respect of such prohibited and restricted areas.
I hereby further authorize and direct the Secretary of War and
the said Military Commanders to take such other steps as he or
the appropriate Military Commander may deem advisable to enforce
compliance with the restrictions applicable to each Military
area hereinabove authorized to be designated, including the use
of Federal troops and other Federal Agencies, with authority to
accept assistance of state and local agencies.
I hereby further authorize and direct all Executive Departments,
independent establishments and other Federal Agencies, to assist
the Secretary of War or the said Military Commanders in carrying
out this Executive Order, including the furnishing of medical
aid, hospitalization, food, clothing, transportation, use of
land, shelter, and other supplies, equipment, utilities,
facilities, and services.
This order shall not be construed as modifying or limiting in
any way the authority heretofore granted under Executive Order
No. 8972, dated December 12, 1941, nor shall it be construed as
limiting or modifying the duty and responsibility of the Federal
Bureau of Investigation, with respect to the investigation of
alleged acts of sabotage or the duty and responsibility of the
Attorney General and the Department of Justice under the
Proclamations of December 7 and 8, 1941, prescribing regulations
for the conduct and control of alien enemies, except as such
duty and responsibility is superseded by the designation of
military areas hereunder.
Franklin D. Roosevelt
The White House,
February 19, 1942.
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