The oft-repeated remark that Japanese American relocation was the greatest violation of civil rights in American history is manifestly ill informed. The violation of black rights during segregation was much greater. Relocation deprived Nikkei of some of their rights to participate in outside politics, but it did not deprive them entirely of their civil rights. In the relocation centers, the residents politicked incessantly and openly, either for or against other Nikkei factions, or the centers’ authorities, or ill-conceived outside initiatives. In 1942 the Native Sons sued to deprive “Japanese Americans and all Americans of non-white ancestry, except Negro Americans, of the franchise.” The national courts rejected the Sons’ case. The evacuees voted absentee in state and national elections in places, which helped them defeat Congressman Leland Ford, of LA, a long time Nikkei opponent. The evacuees were not disfranchised in state and national elections by relocation, but by apathy. But on matters of direct interest like center constitutions, the Nikkei were anything but apathetic. Even the Issei cast ballots on center matters.