Annexation to Statehood: Hawaiʻi 1898-1959
A Note from the Author: This article was written by someone learning about Hawaiian history with deep respect for the culture. While I've done my best to provide accurate information based on historical research and scholarship, please use this as a starting point for your own learning journey. For more nuanced and in-depth understanding, I encourage you to seek out books and resources authored by Native Hawaiian historians and cultural practitioners. Mahalo for your understanding!
The period between annexation in 1898 and statehood in 1959 was a time of profound transformation for Hawaiʻi. Once an independent kingdom, Hawaiʻi became a U.S. territory, experiencing dramatic demographic, economic, and cultural changes while Native Hawaiians struggled to preserve their identity and rights.
Annexation: 1898
On July 7, 1898, President McKinley signed the Newlands Resolution, annexing Hawaiʻi to the United States. Over 38,000 Native Hawaiians had signed petitions opposing annexation, but they were never allowed to vote on their nation's fate. Crown and government lands (1.8 million acres) were ceded to the U.S., and Hawaiian language was suppressed in schools.
The Plantation Economy
Sugar and pineapple plantations dominated Hawaiʻi's economy, controlled by the “Big Five” corporations. To work the plantations, laborers were recruited from China, Japan, Portugal, Puerto Rico, Korea, and the Philippines. By 1920, Native Hawaiians were less than 20% of the population in their own homeland.
Suppression of Hawaiian Culture
During the territorial period, Hawaiian language was banned from schools, children were punished for speaking it, hula was discouraged as “heathen,” and traditional practices were systematically suppressed. Native Hawaiians lost access to traditional lands as the ahupuaʻa system was completely dismantled.
World War II: A Turning Point
The attack on Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941 brought WWII to Hawaiʻi. Japanese American soldiers from Hawaiʻi formed the 442nd Regimental Combat Team, which became the most decorated unit in U.S. military history. Their service helped break down racial barriers and accelerated the push for statehood.
Statehood: 1959
In June 1959, Hawaiʻi residents voted 94% in favor of statehood. On August 21, 1959, President Eisenhower signed the proclamation making Hawaiʻi the 50th state. For Native Hawaiians, statehood was bittersweet — it brought political representation but seemed to finalize the loss of sovereignty, land, and self-determination.
Understanding this history is essential for understanding modern Hawaiʻi and the ongoing sovereignty movement.
E hoʻi i ka pono. (Return to righteousness.)
Know the History. Wear the Pride.
Hawaiʻi's story is one of resilience, beauty, and aloha ʻāina. Honor that legacy with pieces rooted in authentic Hawaiian culture and craftsmanship.
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This is part 7 of our Hawaiian History Series.
Read Part 1: Ancient Hawaiʻi - The Polynesian Voyagers
Read Part 2: The Ahupuaʻa System
Read Part 3: The Aliʻi - Hawaiian Royalty and Governance
Read Part 4: Kamehameha the Great - Unification of the Islands
Read Part 5: The Hawaiian Kingdom - Monarchy and Sovereignty
Read Part 6: Queen Liliʻuokalani and the Overthrow
Stay tuned for Part 8: The Hawaiian Renaissance and Sovereignty Movement