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50 historic photos of Statehood Day in Hawaii

Aug. 15, 2019

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Here's what the front page of the Star-Bulletin looked like on Aug. 21, 1959. The front page and much of the edition was devoted to news of Hawaii's earning a spot on the American flag as the 50th star.
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The Honolulu Star-Bulletin Statehood edition on March 12, 1959.
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Honolulu Star-Bulletin photographer Albert Yamauchi captured this image of news carrier Chester Kahapea selling copies of the Honolulu Star-Bulletin on the day Hawaii became the 50th State. This photo epitomizes the joy and excitement of the day Hawaii became the last star on the U.S. flag.
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A colored front page of the March 12, 1959 edition of the Honolulu Star-Bulletin.
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U.S. Sen. Daniel Akaka on the floor of the Senate as he introduced the a resolution for the anniversary of Hawaii's Statehood in 2009.
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Rep. Elect Daniel Inouye of Hawaii, right, sits on the Capitol steps with William Miller, House doorkeeper, Aug. 10, 1959, Washington, D.C. Inouye, 34, arrived in Washington on Aug. 9. He plans to stay right here until Hawaii formally is admitted into statehood. Then he can take his place in Congress. The Statehood proclamation is expected this month.
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Chester Kahapea was 13 at the time Hawaii became a state and was made famous in a photo by Albert Yamauchi as the paperboy bearing the newspaper with the headline "Statehood." Here Kapahea is pictured with then head of circulation Al Fink, left, as he is presented with a framed copy of the New York Times bearing the same picture by an unidentified Times executive.
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In 1959, postal workers cancel stamps celebrating Hawaii's Statehood known as first day covers.
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The Statehood celebration on Iolani Palace grounds on March 12, 1959.
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Sen. Henry M. Jackson (D-Wash.) gets a Hawaiian lei placed around his neck on Capitol Hill on March 3, 1959, after the House passage of the Hawaii Statehood bill.
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Delores Martin, Hawaii's Democratic committee woman, hugs Rep. Ralph Rivers (D-Alaska) after the House passage of the Hawaii Statehood bill on March 12, 1959.
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On Aug. 11, 1969, a special Statehood flag flew from various state buildings in celebration of Hawaii's 10th anniversary on becoming a state.
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The Statehood bonfire burned merrily on the night of March 13, 1959, with wood contributed from many parts of the world.
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On Jan. 1, 1960, Hawaii's most exciting story of 1959 was Statehood Day. Crowds are shown watching street dancers in Kalihi as the new state celebrated.
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The Iolani Palace grounds on Statehood Day in 1959.
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Gov. Quinn left, smiles in appreciation as he gets an album of the maroon Hawaii Statehood airmail stamps from Honolulu postmaster George T. Hara in August 1959.
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Mayor Eileen Anderson clasps the hand Lucy Blaisdell, widow of mayor Neal Bliasdell, as they lead the way to Kawaiahao Church. With them are, from left, former Gov. William Quinn, Jean Ariyoshi and Gov. George Ariyoshi.
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Children hold flags on Statehood Day in 1984.
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Statehood Day commemoration at the state Capitol building.
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Four official figures at the signing of the state Constitution are shown here. Left to right are Wilfred C. Tsukiyama, lawyer and president of the Territorial Senate; Samuel Wilder King, retired naval officer and Honolulu businessman. He has been chairman of the state Constitutional Convention, which on July 22 finished its 79 working days of drafting the Constitution for the proposed new state; Hiram L. Fong, lawyer, speaker of the lower House of the Territorial Legislature, and member of the convention, and Joseph R. Farrington, newspaper publisher now serving his fourth term as Hawaii's delegate to Congress.
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Lawmakers pushing for Hawaii Statehood in 1949.
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Garbed in pale blue malos, the Men of Waimapuna perform chants and hulas of ancient Hawaii in the courtyard of the state Capitol in August 1979 for a two-hour musical show celebrating the 20th anniversary of Hawaii's Statehood.
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Joseph R. Farrington holds the U.S. flag which flew over the Capitol on the day that the Hawaii Statehood bill was passed by the House of Representatives. It was sent to her from the late Joseph W. Martin Jr., former Speaker of the House.
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Left out in the cold by a reshuffle of House committee rooms, Democratic Rep. Tadao Beppu, House Statehood Committee chairman, finally got an office in the armory Friday. But he has no typewriter for a clerk to use, and there's no place to put the records that are stacked on his desk. Here he fixes a 49-star flag to the wall. "But," he lamented, "we might get Statehood before my committee meets!"
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President of Dole Co., Gov. Quinn stands in front of a display of cut-out newspaper and magazine clippings that should convince anybody that the nation's press carried news aplenty about Hawaii's recent push for Statehood. Quinn, who headed a Statehood delegation to Washington, holds an additional collection of clippings that haven't yet been pasted up.
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President of Dole Co., William F. Quinn, left, visits the state Capitol and makes an informal call on Gov. George R. Ariyoshi. Quinn was Hawaii's first governor after Statehood.
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Hawaii visitors in the nation's Capitol staged a rally for Statehood with Delegate and Joseph Farrington as honored guests on July 18, 1947.
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Iolani Palace during Statehood celebration in 1959.
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Spectators celebrate Hawaii's Statehood on Iolani Palace grounds.
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Three visiting Congressman and members of the Hawaii Statehood Commission discussed Hawaii's drive at a luncheon meeting at the Royal Hawaiian Hotel. Left to right, seated, Liam Hill (R-Colo); Nancy Corbett of Oahu; Rep. Charles B. Hoeven (R-LA.); and Rep. Harold O. Lovre (R.S.D). Standing, left to right, are governor Long, Arthur D. Woolaway of Maui, Chairman Samuel W. King, and Delegate Joseph R. Farrington.
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On Feb. 26, 1954, Gov. Samuel W. King, left, and Delegate Joesph R. Farrington were on hand at the Washington Airport for the arrival of the huge Honor Roll bearing names of Hawaiians petitioning for Statehood.
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After news of the Statehood bill's passage arrived, crowds of people gathered at City Hall to listen to entertainment in the patio on March 13, 1959.
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These four Statehood commissioners and two legislators left for Washington, D.C., where they will join Gov. King in presenting Hawaii's case for Statehood before congressional committees.
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Alex Rose, Territorial highway maintenance superintendent, bosses the loading of Hawaii's Liberty Bell replica, which should ring to celebrate Statehood.
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"Wonder which one would best fit?' Brenda Mae John, 3, seems to be saying as she gazes with perplexity at one of many suggestions for the 50th State's new name.
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On July 2, 1984, Uncle Sam looks nervous. It was probably no more than embarrassment over being photographed in a silly pose, but to the Bishop Museum staff, it seems symbolic.
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Margaret Oshiro holds the Honolulu Star-Bulletin's historic red, white and blue edition on March 12, the day the state Statehood bill was passed.
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Bishop Museum anthropologist Roger Rose holds a 49th State licensee plate and a 50th State aloha shirt on July 2, 1984.
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Bishop Street in front of the Alexander Young Hotel, where 116,000 people signed a Statehood petition in 1954.
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Karina Leasuie gives away reprints of the Honolulu Star-Bulletin's Statehood front page during festivities in December 1984.
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A family celebrates Hawaii's Statehood in February 1959.
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Hawaii dancers helped celebrate the 10th anniversary of Statehood as thousands gathered at the state Capitol for a day of music and merriment.
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Hawaii Statehood celebration in March 1959.
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Hawaii Statehood celebration on April 13, 1959 in Washington, D.C. A dinner at Sheraton-Park Hotel, (l-r): Congress Delegate John A. Burns; Rep. D.S. Saund (D-Calif); Rep. James Haley (D-Fla); Rep. Al Ullman (D-Ore.), lighting the candle.
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Boy Scout Milton Motooka gets the word out for Hawaii's Statehood plebiscite to be held June 27, 1959.
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The Constitutional Convention on April 4, 1950. Hawaii's hopes for Statehood, as evidenced by a banner, dominates agenda as the first Constitutional Convention opens. (L-R): Oren E. Long, sec. of Hawaii; the Most Rev. James J. Sweeney; Gov. Ingram Stainback; former Gov. Joseph Poindexter; Delegate Joseph Farrington; Rear Adm. John E. Gingrich, CINCPAC chief of staff.
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At Statehood hearings in January 1959. Territorial Delegate Burns is flanked by Interior Secretary Fred Seaton, left, and Rep. Wayne Aspinall, acting chairman of the House Interior Committee.
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On Nov. 17, 2008, Sen. Daniel K. Akaka (D-Hawaii) and Congressman Neil Abercrombie (D-Hawaii) were treated to a special preview of Hawaii’s 50th Anniversary Statehood stamp from U.S. Postmaster General John Potter. The stamp, designed by renowned Hawaii artist and historian Herb Kawainui Kane, will be issued in summer 2009.
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A new Hawaii stamp was unveiled on Aug. 21, 2009. Gene Lachowski came all the way from Omaha to pick up the stamps.
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A courtesy image of the Statehood stamp commemorating the state's 50th anniversary. The painting shown on the stamp was drawn by artist Herb Kawainui Kane. The stamp will be issued and officially dedicated at a special event on Admission Day.
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