Kiyoshi Kuromiya (1943-2000) was an American civil rights activist, writer, and journalist who was a leading figure in the LGBTQ and HIV/AIDS movements. He was also an important activist in the movement for Japanese American redress and reparations.
Born in a concentration camp for Japanese Americans during World War II, Kuromiya was raised by his mother in Los Angeles after his father was imprisoned in a separate internment camp. As a young man, he became involved in the civil rights movement, working alongside activists such as Bayard Rustin and Martin Luther King Jr. Kuromiya helped to organize the Philadelphia branch of the Congress of Racial Equality (CORE) and worked on campaigns to desegregate public accommodations.
In the 1970s, Kuromiya became involved in the emerging gay rights movement, working with organizations such as the Gay Liberation Front and the Gay Activists Alliance. He also became an early and outspoken advocate for people with HIV/AIDS, helping to found the Critical Path AIDS Project in Philadelphia and the AIDS Coalition to Unleash Power (ACT UP) in New York City.
Kuromiya was known for his activism in the fight for Japanese American redress and reparations, working with organizations such as the National Coalition for Redress and Reparations and serving as president of the Philadelphia chapter of the Japanese American Citizens League. He was instrumental in the successful campaign to secure redress and reparations for Japanese Americans who were forcibly removed from their homes and incarcerated in concentration camps during World War II.
Throughout his life, Kuromiya was also a prolific writer and journalist, contributing to publications such as the Philadelphia Free Press, the Advocate, and the Washington Blade. He was the editor of the seminal anthology "Forbidden Stitch: An Asian American Women's Anthology" and was working on a memoir at the time of his death.
Kiyoshi Kuromiya's work as a civil rights activist, writer, and journalist had a profound impact on the LGBTQ and HIV/AIDS movements, as well as the fight for Japanese American redress and reparations. His legacy continues to inspire those working for social justice and equality today.