Political Quotes

“July 9, 2016, marked the 95th anniversary of the enactment of the Hawaiian Homes Commission Act, legislation that has changed the lives of thousands of native Hawaiians in the State of Hawaii. This legislation was made possible by the vision of Prince Jonah Kuhio Kalanianaole. After the annexation of Hawaii, Prince Kuhio continued to serve his people as Hawaii's second delegate in Congress. When Prince Kuhio took office in 1902, he was determined to improve the lives of native Hawaiians. Although he served as a nonvoting delegate, he championed the Hawaiian Homes Commission Act to create a trust of nearly 200,000 acres of land that previously belonged to the monarchs of the Hawaiian Kingdom. By setting aside this land, Congress intended to ensure the livelihood of native Hawaiians, whose population had been reduced from as many as, according to some estimates, 800,000 prior to 1778 to a little over 20,000 by 1920. In a letter that Prince Kuhio circulated to the Senate in 1920, he shared the results of an extensive investigation and survey that noted the exceedingly high mortality rate of native Hawaiians. The survey justified the need to return native Hawaiians to the land, to reconnect with their sense of place, and elevate their well-being by providing stable housing and opportunities to improve their livelihood.…”