Ralph Carr (1887-1950)

Ralph was born on December 11, 1887, in Rosita, Colorado, to a family of Scots-Irish miners. Ralph understood what it was like to be poor, having grown up in various mining camps. He graduated from Cripple Creek High School in 1905. Ralph then attended the University of Colorado for his undergraduate and law degrees. After graduating in 1912, he began his work as an attorney, specializing in irrigation and interstate river law. Ralph then opened a law firm in Antonito, Colorado, where there was a large Hispanic community.

Ralph married Gretchen Fowler in 1913, and the couple adopted two children named Robert and Cynthia. The family moved to Denver when Ralph was appointed as Assistant Attorney General for the District of Colorado. In 1937, while Ralph was serving as the United States Attorney for Colorado, Gretchen passed away and Ralph continued to raise his children. Eleven years after Gretchen died, Ralph went on to marry Eleanor Fairhall. Ralph's son, Robert Carr, went on to follow in his father's footsteps, becoming an attorney who also stood up for what he believed in.

In 1941, the United States formally entered WWII after the Japanese launched a surprise attack on the American base at Pearl Harbor. On February 16, 1942, President Roosevelt enacted Executive Order 9066, which allowed the removal and relocation of Americans of German, Italian and Japanese descent. Due to the war, there was fear that Americans of German, Italian and Japanese descent could be helping the enemy during WWII. In Colorado, Camp Amache was built in the southeast corner of Granada, Colorado in Prowers County. It had a peak population of 7,567 people who were relocated there during the war. Many Japanese businesses were also raided by the FBI during the war period, as they feared that the Japanese Americans were helping the Japanese emperor.

Governor Carr publicly stated that he opposed the racial prejudice against Japanese Americans during WWII. Japanese Americans were relocated to Camp Amache only because they were racially Japanese. Governor Carr stated that all Japanese Americans were welcome to come to Colorado, while other states refused to relocate any Japanese Americans. Governor Carr called for Americans to understand the Japanese Americans instead of fearing them. While Governor Carr was denouncing the relocation of Japanese Americans to internment camps, his opponents claimed that Governor Carr was only opposing the actions to gain Japanese American votes in Colorado. Ralph’s public opposition to the imprisonment of Japanese Americans led to the downfall of his political career. Ralph ran to become a senator for Colorado, but lost the race in 1942.

Internment Camp - a prison or detention center used for civilians

Litigation - resolving a disagreement in the court system

Freight - goods that are carried in large quantities often by train, ships or planes

Gubernatorial - relating to the role of state governor

Origins - where something started or developed

Pearl Harbor - The Japanese military launched a surprise attack on the American base at Pearl Harbor in the U.S. territory of Hawaii on December 7, 1941. This event ultimately led to the United States declaring war on Japan and entering into WWII.

Executive Order 9066 – the “evacuation” of people of Japanese descent (but also German and Italians) from the West Coast to forced camps further inland following the attack on Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, by Japan. The majority of Japanese Americans in Hawaii were not sent to internment camps, although Japanese Americans made up 40% of Hawaii’s population.

Prejudice - opinions that are based on a person’s gender, race or religion instead of experience with the person

Espionage - to spy on someone, usually for political reasons

Denounce - to publicly declare that something is wrong