--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I was an American citizen, and I had as…" description: "\"I was an American citizen, and I had as many rights as anyone else.\" — Fred Korematsu" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/45d/fred-korematsu-22771_american_i-was-an-american-citizen-and-i-had-as-m_1159231.jpg" --- # I was an American citizen, and I had as many rights as… ![“I was an American citizen, and I had as many rights as anyone else.” quote by Fred Korematsu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/45d/fred-korematsu-22771_american_i-was-an-american-citizen-and-i-had-as-m_1159231.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/45d/fred-korematsu-22771_american_i-was-an-american-citizen-and-i-had-as-m_1159231.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/45d/fred-korematsu-22771_american_i-was-an-american-citizen-and-i-had-as-m_1159231.jpg) > “I was an American citizen, and I had as many rights as anyone else.” [Fred Korematsu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fred-korematsu/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Being an American citizen guarantees equal rights for all. **In simple terms:** Citizenship means equal rights. Key Takeaway Uphold and defend equal rights. Themes rights citizenship equality Mood determined hopeful Type political inspirational When to use this quote - legal battles - social justice - policy advocacy - education Key Concepts law civil rights Questions to Reflect On - How can you support equal rights today? - What does citizenship mean beyond legal status? A Different Perspective Rights are often contested in practice. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [American citizen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/american-citizen/) [Citizen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/citizen/) [Rights](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/rights/) ## Related quotes > [“In time of war, it is not enough to say, ‘I am a citizen and I have rights.’ One must also say, ‘I am…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kermit-roosevelt-iii/in-time-of-war-it-is-not-enough-to-say-i-am-a-citizen-and-i-have/) [Kermit Roosevelt III](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kermit-roosevelt-iii/) > [I think Col. North is first a U.S. citizen and he has the same rights as you yourself do, sir.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fawn-hall/i-think-col-north-is-first-a-u-s-citizen-and-he-has-the-same-rights/) [Fawn Hall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fawn-hall/) > [The typical American citizen is the business man. The typical business man is a bad citizen; he is busy. If he is a 'big…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lincoln-steffens/the-typical-american-citizen-is-the-business-man-the-typical-business/) [Lincoln Steffens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lincoln-steffens/) > [It was a really big deal to become an American citizen the right way. You have to work really hard, and it is such…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/camila-alves/it-was-a-really-big-deal-to-become-an-american-citizen-the-right-way/) [Camila Alves](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/camila-alves/) > [I'm a writer. In Latin America, they say I'm a Latin-American writer because I also write in Spanish and my books are translated, but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/isabel-allende/i-m-a-writer-in-latin-america-they-say-i-m-a-latin-american-writer/) [Isabel Allende](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/isabel-allende/) > [Finally and long overdue, your people, oppressed and disgraced by hatred and maliciousness, have achieved justice: now you enjoy full citizen's rights, but you'll…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/franz-grillparzer/finally-and-long-overdue-your-people-oppressed-and-disgraced-by/) [Franz Grillparzer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/franz-grillparzer/) > [Conservatives cannot deny that our Founders intended the judiciary as an equal and independent branch of government purposed to ensure the protection of every…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-hoover/conservatives-cannot-deny-that-our-founders-intended-the-judiciary-as/) [Margaret Hoover](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-hoover/) > [I'm not an American citizen.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-browder/i-m-not-an-american-citizen/) [Bill Browder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-browder/) > [If money, education, and honesty will not bring to me as much privilege, as much equality as they bring to any American citizen, then…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-hope/if-money-education-and-honesty-will-not-bring-to-me-as-much-privilege/) [John Hope](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-hope/) > [I no longer identify myself as Japanese or American but a 'citizen of the universe.'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ruth-asawa/i-no-longer-identify-myself-as-japanese-or-american-but-a-citizen-of/) [Ruth Asawa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ruth-asawa/) > [The first duty of an American citizen, then, is that he shall work in politics.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/theodore-roosevelt/the-first-duty-of-an-american-citizen-then-is-that-he-shall-work-in/) [Theodore Roosevelt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/theodore-roosevelt/) > [It takes more than just walking across the border to become an American citizen. It's what's in our souls.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/duncan-d-hunter/it-takes-more-than-just-walking-across-the-border-to-become-an/) [Duncan D. Hunter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/duncan-d-hunter/) > [I did become American citizen in order to vote. I lived in this country for a very long time and I finally reached the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lynn-redgrave/i-did-become-american-citizen-in-order-to-vote-i-lived-in-this/) [Lynn Redgrave](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lynn-redgrave/) > [If you call yourself an American that means that you have embraced the constitution, because that is what an American is. A citizen of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-ritter/if-you-call-yourself-an-american-that-means-that-you-have-embraced/) [Scott Ritter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-ritter/) > [I'm a proud American - becoming a citizen in 1988 was one of the most profoundly moving occasions in my life; I'm a former…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-verghese/i-m-a-proud-american-becoming-a-citizen-in-1988-was-one-of-the-most/) [Abraham Verghese](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-verghese/) ## More by Fred Korematsu > [I was born in the U.S. This is my country.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fred-korematsu/i-was-born-in-the-u-s-this-is-my-country/) [Fred Korematsu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fred-korematsu/) > [As long as my record stands in federal court, any American citizen can be held in prison or concentration camps without trial or hearing.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fred-korematsu/as-long-as-my-record-stands-in-federal-court-any-american-citizen-can/) [Fred Korematsu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fred-korematsu/) > [No one should ever be locked away simply because they share the same race, ethnicity, or religion as a spy or terrorist. If that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fred-korematsu/no-one-should-ever-be-locked-away-simply-because-they-share-the-same/) [Fred Korematsu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fred-korematsu/) > [If you have the feeling that something is wrong, don't be afraid to speak up](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fred-korematsu/if-you-have-the-feeling-that-something-is-wrong-don-t-be-afraid-to/) [Fred Korematsu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fred-korematsu/) > [I didn't think that the government would go as far as to include American citizens to be interned without a hearing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fred-korematsu/i-didn-t-think-that-the-government-would-go-as-far-as-to-include/) [Fred Korematsu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fred-korematsu/) > [I lost everything when they put us in prison. I was an enemy alien, a man without a country.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fred-korematsu/i-lost-everything-when-they-put-us-in-prison-i-was-an-enemy-alien-a/) [Fred Korematsu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fred-korematsu/) > [I was very upset because I did not have a fair trial to prove my loyalty to this country.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fred-korematsu/i-was-very-upset-because-i-did-not-have-a-fair-trial-to-prove-my/) [Fred Korematsu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fred-korematsu/) > [I don't even know how it is to have a home. I feel like an orphan or something.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fred-korematsu/i-don-t-even-know-how-it-is-to-have-a-home-i-feel-like-an-orphan-or/) [Fred Korematsu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fred-korematsu/) > [I was the third son, and the family tradition was my dad always favored the oldest child.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fred-korematsu/i-was-the-third-son-and-the-family-tradition-was-my-dad-always/) [Fred Korematsu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fred-korematsu/) > [I was really upset because I was branded as an enemy alien when I'm an American.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fred-korematsu/i-was-really-upset-because-i-was-branded-as-an-enemy-alien-when-i-m/) [Fred Korematsu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fred-korematsu/) > [I was just living my life, and that's what I wanted to do.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fred-korematsu/i-was-just-living-my-life-and-that-s-what-i-wanted-to-do/) [Fred Korematsu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fred-korematsu/) > [One person can make a difference, even if it takes forty years.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fred-korematsu/one-person-can-make-a-difference-even-if-it-takes-forty-years/) [Fred Korematsu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fred-korematsu/) > [As a citizen of the United States, I am ready, willing, and able to bear arms for this country.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fred-korematsu/as-a-citizen-of-the-united-states-i-am-ready-willing-and-able-to-bear/) [Fred Korematsu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fred-korematsu/) > [It may take time to prove you're right, but you have to stick to it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fred-korematsu/it-may-take-time-to-prove-you-re-right-but-you-have-to-stick-to-it/) [Fred Korematsu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fred-korematsu/) > [During the curfew, whoever went out, the people were watching you. Any Japanese home, there was some person figuring he's a good American citizen…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fred-korematsu/during-the-curfew-whoever-went-out-the-people-were-watching-you-any/) [Fred Korematsu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fred-korematsu/) [Explore all 27 Fred Korematsu quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fred-korematsu/) ## More American quotes > [I wasn't attracted to American cinema, but I fell in love with Los Angeles the minute I arrived.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/agnes-varda/i-wasn-t-attracted-to-american-cinema-but-i-fell-in-love-with-los/) [Agnes Varda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/agnes-varda/) > [William Maxwell's my favorite North American writer, I think. And an Irish writer who used to write for 'The New Yorker' called Maeve Brennan,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-munro/william-maxwell-s-my-favorite-north-american-writer-i-think-and-an/) [Alice Munro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-munro/) > [I have fallen in love with American names, the sharp names that never get fat.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-vincent-benet/i-have-fallen-in-love-with-american-names-the-sharp-names-that-never/) [Stephen Vincent Benet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-vincent-benet/) > [I really like a lot of American country stuff, so my music has that influence, but I don't like to be set within a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jade-bird/i-really-like-a-lot-of-american-country-stuff-so-my-music-has-that/) [Jade Bird](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jade-bird/) > [I certainly don't think that the heirs of the American Revolution were a particularly noble class.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/h-w-brands/i-certainly-don-t-think-that-the-heirs-of-the-american-revolution/) [H. W. Brands](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/h-w-brands/) > [Congress passed the American Rescue Plan Act in a tremendous investment to support millions of workers without a paycheck and behind on bills.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jake-auchincloss/congress-passed-the-american-rescue-plan-act-in-a-tremendous/) [Jake Auchincloss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jake-auchincloss/) > [Small businesses are the backbone of the American economy and employ almost half of the working population. Yet because of their size, they rarely…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-lipinski/small-businesses-are-the-backbone-of-the-american-economy-and-employ/) [Dan Lipinski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-lipinski/) > [Although I write in English, and despite the fact that I'm from America, I consider myself an Armenian writer. The words I use are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-saroyan/although-i-write-in-english-and-despite-the-fact-that-i-m-from/) [William Saroyan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-saroyan/) > [When we first sold the Wallace and Gromit shorts to America, people suggested we get rid of the strange British accents and put clear…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-park/when-we-first-sold-the-wallace-and-gromit-shorts-to-america-people/) [Nick Park](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-park/) > [Firefighters and rescue workers are American superheroes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kerry-kennedy/firefighters-and-rescue-workers-are-american-superheroes/) [Kerry Kennedy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kerry-kennedy/) > [France has not only built a bureaucratic barrier against American culture, it has constructed a notorious intellectual case against it as well. The French…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tyler-cowen/france-has-not-only-built-a-bureaucratic-barrier-against-american/) [Tyler Cowen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tyler-cowen/) > [New York and San Francisco are distinctly different. San Francisco is driving the American media, not New York. You have young, microwaved millionaires and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jason-whitlock/new-york-and-san-francisco-are-distinctly-different-san-francisco-is/) [Jason Whitlock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jason-whitlock/) > [Well look, CIA is an agency that has to collect intelligence, do operations. We have to take risks and it's important that we take…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leon-panetta/well-look-cia-is-an-agency-that-has-to-collect-intelligence-do/) [Leon Panetta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leon-panetta/) > [Food as a hobby used to be an elite pastime, and it has become something that is totally ordinary for people of every background.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dana-goodyear/food-as-a-hobby-used-to-be-an-elite-pastime-and-it-has-become/) [Dana Goodyear](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dana-goodyear/) > [It's important for American soldiers to be culturally sensitive when deployed in foreign countries. But it's just as important for the U.S. never to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-bauer/it-s-important-for-american-soldiers-to-be-culturally-sensitive-when/) [Gary Bauer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-bauer/) Browse all 7,717 American quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I was an American citizen, and I had as many rights as anyone else.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Fred Korematsu" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fred-korematsu/i-was-an-american-citizen-and-i-had-as-many-rights-as-anyone-else/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "American" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fred-korematsu/i-was-an-american-citizen-and-i-had-as-many-rights-as-anyone-else/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/45d/fred-korematsu-22771_american_i-was-an-american-citizen-and-i-had-as-m_1159231.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/45d/fred-korematsu-22771_american_i-was-an-american-citizen-and-i-had-as-m_1159231.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/45d/fred-korematsu-22771_american_i-was-an-american-citizen-and-i-had-as-m_1159231.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“I was an American citizen, and I had as many rights as anyone else.” — Fred Korematsu", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Fred Korematsu", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fred-korematsu/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "I was an American citizen, and...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fred-korematsu/i-was-an-american-citizen-and-i-had-as-many-rights-as-anyone-else/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fred-korematsu/i-was-an-american-citizen-and-i-had-as-many-rights-as-anyone-else/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```