Queen Liliʻuokalani and the Overthrow of the Hawaiian Kingdom

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!

January 17, 1893, is one of the darkest days in Hawaiian history. On that day, Queen Liliʻuokalani, the last reigning monarch of the Hawaiian Kingdom, was overthrown by a group of American and European businessmen backed by U.S. military forces. This illegal act ended Hawaiian sovereignty and set in motion events that would lead to annexation and statehood.

Lydia Kamakaʻeha: Early Life

Born on September 2, 1838, in Honolulu, Lydia Liliʻu Loloku Walania Kamakaʻeha was a member of the aliʻi class. She was adopted in the traditional Hawaiian practice of hānai by High Chief Abner Pākī and his wife Konia, growing up alongside her hānai sister Bernice Pauahi (who would later found Kamehameha Schools).

Liliʻuokalani received an excellent education at the Royal School, where she studied:

• English language and literature
• Western music and composition
• Christian theology
• Hawaiian history and culture
• Governance and diplomacy

She became an accomplished musician and composer, creating over 150 songs including the beloved "Aloha ʻOe."

Path to the Throne

In 1862, Lydia married John Owen Dominis, an American who would later become Governor of Oʻahu. Though the marriage was often difficult, she remained devoted to her duties.

Her path to the throne came through her brother, King Kalākaua. When he died suddenly in San Francisco in 1891, Liliʻuokalani became queen at age 52. She inherited a kingdom in crisis:

• The monarchy had been weakened by the Bayonet Constitution of 1887
• Foreign business interests controlled the economy and much of the government
• Native Hawaiians had been largely disenfranchised
• Annexation sentiment was growing among American businessmen
• The kingdom was deeply in debt

Queen Liliʻuokalani's Vision

As queen, Liliʻuokalani had clear goals:

• Restore the monarchy's power: Overturn the Bayonet Constitution and return authority to the crown
• Restore voting rights: Give Native Hawaiians and Asian residents the right to vote
• Preserve Hawaiian sovereignty: Resist American annexation
• Promote Hawaiian culture: Support Hawaiian language, music, and traditions
• Serve her people: Govern with aloha for all residents of Hawaiʻi

Her motto was "Onipa'a" - "Be steadfast" or "Stand firm."

The New Constitution of 1893

In January 1893, Liliʻuokalani attempted to promulgate a new constitution that would:

• Restore power to the monarchy
• Extend voting rights to Native Hawaiians and Asian residents
• Reduce the influence of foreign business interests
• Strengthen Hawaiian sovereignty

This was her constitutional right as monarch. However, it threatened the power and profits of American businessmen who had benefited from the Bayonet Constitution.

The Committee of Safety

A group of 13 men - mostly American businessmen, lawyers, and sugar planters - formed the Committee of Safety (also called the Annexation Club). Led by Sanford B. Dole, Lorrin Thurston, and others, they decided to overthrow the monarchy.

Their stated reasons were to "protect American lives and property," but their real goal was annexation to the United States, which would:

• Eliminate tariffs on Hawaiian sugar
• Give them political control
• Secure American military interests in the Pacific
• Prevent the queen from restoring Hawaiian rights

The Overthrow: January 17, 1893

On January 16, 1893, U.S. Minister John L. Stevens ordered 162 U.S. Marines and sailors from the USS Boston to come ashore, ostensibly to protect American lives and property. They positioned themselves near ʻIolani Palace and government buildings.

On January 17, the Committee of Safety declared the monarchy overthrown and established a Provisional Government with Sanford Dole as president. They had no popular support and controlled no government buildings, but they had the backing of U.S. military forces.

Queen Liliʻuokalani faced an impossible choice: resist and risk bloodshed, or yield under protest. She chose to yield, but not surrender. Her official statement read:

"I, Liliʻuokalani... do hereby protest against any and all acts done against myself and the constitutional government of the Hawaiian Kingdom... I yield to the superior force of the United States of America, whose minister plenipotentiary, His Excellency John L. Stevens, has caused United States troops to be landed at Honolulu and declared that he would support the said provisional government. Now, to avoid any collision of armed forces and perhaps the loss of life, I do under this protest, and impelled by said force, yield my authority until such time as the Government of the United States shall, upon the facts being presented to it, undo the action of its representative and reinstate me in the authority which I claim as the constitutional sovereign of the Hawaiian Islands."

She yielded to the United States, not to the conspirators, believing that the U.S. government would right this wrong.

President Cleveland's Investigation

President Grover Cleveland, troubled by reports of the overthrow, sent former Congressman James Blount to investigate. The Blount Report concluded:

• The overthrow was illegal
• U.S. Minister Stevens had conspired with the conspirators
• U.S. military forces had been used improperly
• The Provisional Government had no popular support
• The queen should be restored to her throne

President Cleveland agreed, calling the overthrow "an act of war" and asking Congress to restore the monarchy. However, the Provisional Government refused to step down, and Congress, influenced by annexation supporters, declined to act.

The Republic of Hawaiʻi (1894-1898)

Unable to achieve annexation immediately, the conspirators established the Republic of Hawaiʻi in 1894, with Sanford Dole as president. This was not a democratic republic - it was an oligarchy controlled by the same men who had overthrown the queen.

The Republic's constitution:

• Restricted voting to property owners (mostly foreigners)
• Disenfranchised most Native Hawaiians
• Concentrated power in the hands of the elite
• Continued to seek annexation to the U.S.

The Counter-Revolution of 1895

In January 1895, Hawaiian royalists attempted to restore the monarchy by force. The uprising was quickly suppressed, and weapons were found buried in the garden of Liliʻuokalani's home.

Though she denied knowledge of the plot, Liliʻuokalani was arrested and imprisoned in ʻIolani Palace - her own former home. She was charged with treason and forced to sign a document of abdication to save the lives of her supporters who faced execution.

During her imprisonment, she composed music, quilted, and wrote. She was eventually released after eight months but remained under house arrest.

Liliʻuokalani's Fight for Justice

For the rest of her life, Liliʻuokalani fought for justice and her people:

• Traveled to Washington D.C.: Lobbied against annexation and for restoration
• Wrote her autobiography: "Hawaii's Story by Hawaii's Queen" (1898) told her side of the story
• Filed legal claims: Sought compensation for Crown Lands taken illegally
• Advocated for Hawaiians: Worked to preserve Hawaiian culture and support her people
• Composed music: Created songs that preserved Hawaiian language and spirit

Annexation (1898)

Despite Liliʻuokalani's efforts and a petition signed by over 38,000 Hawaiians (the vast majority of the Native Hawaiian population) opposing annexation, the United States annexed Hawaiʻi in 1898 during the Spanish-American War.

The annexation was accomplished through a joint resolution of Congress, not a treaty (which would have required a two-thirds Senate vote and couldn't pass). This questionable legal method bypassed both the U.S. Constitution and international law.

Liliʻuokalani and her supporters were not allowed to vote or have any say in this decision that changed their nation forever.

Later Years

Liliʻuokalani lived until 1917, spending her later years:

• Composing music (over 150 songs total)
• Supporting Hawaiian causes and charities
• Establishing the Liliʻuokalani Trust to help orphaned and destitute Hawaiian children (still operating today)
• Maintaining her dignity and grace despite injustice
• Never giving up hope for Hawaiian sovereignty

She died on November 11, 1917, at age 79. Thousands attended her funeral, mourning not just a queen but the loss of Hawaiian independence.

"Aloha ʻOe"

Liliʻuokalani's most famous composition, "Aloha ʻOe" (Farewell to Thee), has become one of the most recognized Hawaiian songs worldwide. Written in 1878, it's often interpreted as her farewell to her people and her kingdom, though she wrote it as a love song.

The song's enduring popularity keeps her memory and Hawaiian culture alive around the world.

The Apology Resolution (1993)

One hundred years after the overthrow, the United States Congress passed and President Bill Clinton signed the Apology Resolution (Public Law 103-150), which:

• Acknowledged the illegal overthrow of the Hawaiian Kingdom
• Apologized to Native Hawaiians
• Recognized that Native Hawaiians never relinquished their sovereignty
• Admitted the U.S. role in the overthrow

While symbolic, the resolution provided no restitution or restoration of sovereignty.

Legacy of Queen Liliʻuokalani

Queen Liliʻuokalani is remembered as:

• A symbol of Hawaiian sovereignty: Her resistance to annexation inspires the sovereignty movement
• A composer and artist: Her music preserves Hawaiian language and culture
• A leader of grace: She chose peace over violence, even when wronged
• A advocate for her people: She never stopped fighting for Hawaiian rights
• The last monarch: She represents the end of an era and what was lost

Her motto "Onipa'a" (Stand firm) has become a rallying cry for Hawaiian cultural preservation and sovereignty efforts.

Why This History Matters

Understanding the overthrow is essential because:

• It was illegal under both U.S. and international law
• It was done without the consent of the Hawaiian people
• It resulted in the loss of Hawaiian sovereignty and land
• Its effects continue to impact Native Hawaiians today
• It's a reminder of the importance of justice and self-determination

The overthrow wasn't inevitable or justified - it was a deliberate act by a small group seeking profit and power at the expense of an entire nation.

Honoring the Queen

Today, Queen Liliʻuokalani is honored through:

• Liliʻuokalani Gardens in Hilo
• Statues and memorials throughout Hawaiʻi
• The Liliʻuokalani Trust serving Hawaiian children
• Annual commemorations of the overthrow
• Her music sung around the world
• The sovereignty movement carrying forward her vision

Onipa'a - Stand firm in the face of injustice. Remember the queen who never surrendered her people's right to sovereignty.

This is part 6 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

Stay tuned for Part 7: Annexation to Statehood - 1898-1959