Ralph L. Carr - Denver, CO - Sit-by-me Statues on Waymarking.com

This life-size, bronze, 'sit-by-me' statue of Ralph L. Carr, is found in the Colorado Judicial Learning Center at the Ralph L. Carr Judicial Center. Governor Carr is seated wearing a traditional western business suit from the 1940s. He appears to be speaking forcefully making a point with his clenched left fist. Carr was a champion for the Japanese-Americans during WWII when they were being illegally interred in camps in Colorado and throughout the American west.</p?

"While Carr's policies were aimed at dismantling the expensive bureaucracy of the New Deal, Carr still supported Roosevelt's foreign policy and favored American entrance into World War II after the Japanese bombed Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941. The war with Japan initiated a chain of events that bred discrimination and intolerance toward Japanese-Americans. In 1942 an estimated 120,000 Japanese-Americans were stripped of their property and possessions. These displaced citizens were resettled in land-locked states by the War Relocation Authority so that the supposed "yellow peril" could be contained. The question on many Coloradans' minds was not whether American citizens of Japanese decent should be stripped of their rights and put in internment camps, but where the camps should be. The overwhelming opinion of the populace was typified by a series of highway billboards proclaiming "Japs keep going.""

One of the few voices of reason during wartime was Governor Carr, who continued to treat the Japanese-Americans with respect and sought to help them keep their American citizenship. He sacrificed his political career to bravely confront the often dark side of human nature. "If you harm them, you must harm me. I was brought up in a small town where I knew the shame and dishonor of race hatred. I grew to despise it because it threatened the happiness of you and you and you." Carr's selfless devotion to all Americans, while destroying his hopes for a senate seat, did in the end become extolled as, "a small voice but a strong voice." (Read the entire article from the above link.) More information may be found here and here.

It took until 1996 for the Colorado General Assembly to honor Carr with a resolution in appreciation of his “efforts to protect Americans of Japanese descent during World War II.” In 1999 The Denver Post named Governor Carr Colorado’s “Person of the Century” for his humanity and decency.

This piece is located in an operational state court house, so weapons are prohibited. You will need to have your belongings X-rayed and pass through a metal detector to enter the facility. The hours are Monday through Friday, 8 am to 5 pm, closed holidays.