July 2, 1948
Congress passes the Japanese American Evacuation Claims Act.
The first national convention of the JACL was held in Denver in 1946, after the end of World War II. At the meeting, delegates approved action to seek monetary compensation from the U.S. government for losses of property that resulted from the forced removal of Japanese Americans during the war.
Also in 1946, two congressional bills were introduced to address this concern (S.R. 2127 and H.R. 6780). The House bill did not pass committee, but the Senate bill passed with minor changes. JACL lobbying efforts in the next session of Congress helped win approval of H.R. 3999. President Harry Truman signed the Japanese Evacuation Claims Act in 1948.
Evacuees were given 18 months to provide proof of their property losses and file a claim. A 1951 amendment to the original act speeded the process up and relaxed certain requirements. Nevertheless, there were major shortcomings to this bill. For example, losses sustained were set at 1942 prices and maximum settlement was set at $2,500. Losses that were greater had to wait for further action by Congress. Many claimants died while waiting for settlements, and there was no compensation for loss of wages, or for wages that might have been earned.
The last settlement was paid in 1965. Even though $37 million was paid out under the Evacuation Claims Act, the Federal Reserve Bank's own estimated loss of property suffered by the Japanese was $400 million. That would make the payments less than ten cents for every dollar lost.
