Hawaiian Sovereignty Movement: History and Key Groups
This paper traces the history of Hawaiian sovereignty from the islands' pre-colonial past through the forced signing of the 1887 Constitution, the 1893 overthrow of Queen Liliuokalani, and eventual annexation by the United States. It surveys the diverse political factions that make up the modern Hawaiian sovereignty movement, ranging from royalist restoration groups to grassroots nationalist organizations seeking reparations and decolonization. The paper also examines the 1993 Apology Resolution under President Clinton and the subsequent Supreme Court ruling in Hawaii v. Office of Hawaiian Affairs (2009), which limited the legal force of that apology. The author concludes that, without a unified movement and congressional willingness to address economic consequences, meaningful change remains unlikely in the near term.
- Background: Hawaii's Early History and Statehood: Settlement, Western contact, disease, and statehood
- Hawaii as a Historical Kingdom: Monarchy, forced constitution, annexation by U.S.
- The Hawaiian Sovereignty Movement: Origins, factions, and goals of sovereignty activism
- Major Hawaiian Sovereignty Organizations: Comparative overview of key sovereignty groups
- Legal Developments and the Prospects for Change: Apology Resolution and Supreme Court ruling
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What makes this paper effective
- Provides useful historical context, moving chronologically from first Western contact through annexation and statehood before addressing the sovereignty debate.
- Organizes a complex landscape of activist groups into a clear comparative table, making it easy to distinguish their platforms and current status.
- Grounds the discussion in concrete legal events — the 1993 Apology Resolution and the 2009 Supreme Court ruling — to show why political momentum has stalled.
Key academic technique demonstrated
The paper uses comparative framing effectively, drawing parallels between the Hawaiian sovereignty struggle and analogous movements (Southern secession, Native American nations, the American Indian paradigm) to situate its subject within broader patterns of colonial dispossession. This technique helps readers unfamiliar with Hawaiian history quickly grasp the stakes and dynamics at play.
Structure breakdown
The paper opens with geographic and demographic background, then moves into political history under the Hawaiian monarchy, before introducing the sovereignty movement and its various factions. A tabular overview of organizations anchors the middle section, and the paper closes by assessing legal precedent and prospects for future change. The argument flows logically from historical cause to contemporary effect.
Background: Hawaii's Early History and Statehood
The newest of the 50 states, Hawaii became an official State of the Union on August 21, 1959. It is the only U.S. state made up entirely of islands. A popular tourist destination, its location gives it a multicultural character that is both Asian and Western in feel. Hawaii is one of four U.S. states that were independent prior to joining the Union — the others being Vermont (1791), Texas (1845), and California (1846) (U.S. Code 7512. Findings).
Historically, Hawaii was likely settled by people of Polynesian descent around the 11th century. The first recorded Western contact came in 1778, when British Captain James Cook named the islands the Sandwich Islands in honor of his sponsor, the Earl of Sandwich. His log indicates that the native population called their island "Owyhee." Cook visited the islands twice but was forced to leave after an altercation. After he published the account of his voyage, the islands became a popular base for whalers and a destination for explorers, missionaries, and traders. These visitors, unfortunately, introduced diseases — including influenza, smallpox, measles, and syphilis — into the population. As in Mesoamerica, the result was a drastic decline in the native population (Migration and Disease).
References
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Coffman, T. The Island Edge of America: A Political History of Hawaii. Honolulu: University of Hawaii Press, 2003.
Dougherty, M. To Steal a Kingdom. Oahu: Island Style Press, 2000.
Fein, B. "Hawaii Divided Against Itself Cannot Stand." Hawaiian Congressional Record, 15–16 June 2005.
Hawaii, et al. v. Office of Hawaiian Affairs, et al. No. 07-1372. U.S. Supreme Court. 31 March 2009.
Liberty, J. and R. Hubbard. "The Rape of Paradise: The Second Century." Perceptions Magazine, March/April 1996.
Loomis, I. "The Akaka Bill." Maui Magazine, July–August 2009.
"Migration and Disease." Digital History, January 2010.
Okihiro, G. Island World: A History of Hawaii and the United States. Los Angeles: University of California Press, 2009.
Sai v. Hillary Rodham Clinton, et al. No. 1:10-CV-00899. U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia. 7 July 2007.
Sai, D. "Information and Overview." The Hawaiian Kingdom, 2010.
"U.S. Code 7512. Findings." Cornell University Law School, 5 January 2009.
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