Hawaiian History

The Kingdom of Hawaii was recognized in the nineteenth century as a sovereign and independent country. 162 United States marines from Boston backed by businessmen illegally overthrew the Queen, Lilioukalani, and the constitutional monarchy of Hawaii. The Queen Lilioukalani yielded to the superior force, confident that the United States government would put an end to this and restore her to her throne. She surrendered her throne on January 17, 1893, along with the police station house, and the barracks with the Queen's Royal Guards.

President Cleveland at that time went against the act and called for the restoration of the Hawaiian monarchy. President Cleveland decided he would do everything in his power to reinstate the queen in the name of justice, for the exchange of her granting amnesty to those who had overthrown her government. But in 1898, the new President McKinley supported the overthrow and pushed through a joint resolution of annexation, rather than the required treaty of restoration. On Aug. 12, 1898, the Kingdom of Hawai`i was formally transferred to the United States at the `Iolani Palace. The Hawaiian flag and song, "Hawai'i Pono Ð''I," was lowered and replaced with the American flag, and song, "The Star Spangled Banner." Sovereign Hawaii was no more and independence was lost. After 1900, in violation of international law and the United States Constitution, Hawaii was the property of the U.S.

In 1993, President Clinton and the U.S. Congress officially apologized for the participation in the overthrow of the monarchy, acknowledging the annexation, and the right to self-determination and sovereignty of Native Hawaiians by sending a federal apology.

Today the Hawaiian sovereignty movement continues to strive, is highly active, and many challenge the cause about what Hawaiian sovereignty actually stands for. Political leaders in the U.S. recognize that it is just a matter of time before