Meritorious Service Record

George William Norris was a U.S. Senator from Nebraska who exposed Japan’s brutal suppression of the March 1st Movement and supported Korea’s independence through the Korean Friends Association (Friends of Korea).
In July 1919, during the Senate ratification debate on the Treaty of Versailles, Norris criticized the treaty for condoning Japan’s imperialist aggression in Korea and China. As evidence, he presented photographs of Japanese atrocities, which had been sent to him by missionary Stephen A. Beck (S.A. Beck), as well as the report "The Korean Situation," published by the Foreign Relations Committee of the Federal Council of Churches of Christ in America. He then entered these documents into the congressional record, publicly condemning Japan’s violent suppression of the March 1st Movement.
In October 1919, Norris helped pass Senate Resolution No. 200, which expressed sympathy for the Korean people. He also referenced letters from Homer B. Hulbert and an article by Newell Martin, which exposed Japan’s persecution of Korean Christians.
In May 1920, Norris became Vice President of the Korean Friends Association. During the 1921 Washington Naval Conference, he submitted the Korean delegation’s petition to the U.S. Congress, advocating for Korea’s independence.
In 2015, the South Korean government posthumously awarded George William Norris the Order of Merit for National Foundation (National Medal) in recognition of his contributions to Korea’s independence.