It's Statehood Day today!
Here's the explanation from About.com:
"The third Friday in August is Statehood Day in Hawaii (formerly called Admission Day). It was 48 years ago, on August 21, 1959, that Hawaii became the 50th state in the Union." If you go to the link, you'll see that it is mired in some controversy.
I was 10 years old when Hawaii became the 50th state. I have a fuzzy memory of walking home from school and people being excited about it. I remember wondering if my life would change in any way.
Art remembers the day because he was doing a paper route and the newspaper was much bigger which necessitated him making extra trips to deliver all his papers as he walked from house to house.
When we moved to Illinois about 35 years ago, I remember people asking if we used American money in Hawaii. Did we live in grass shacks? What did we eat? Did everybody speak English?
I remember my Illinois principal happily telling me that he was interviewing a teacher from Hawaii. "She speaks regular English," he said. "Just like you." I wasn't absolutely sure how to take that statement.
I think most everybody knows Hawaii is the 50th state now, especially with the remake of the Hawaii 5-0 series.
I think it's interesting that Statehood Day is a holiday where all state, county and city offices are closed in Hawaii. We didn't celebrate Statehood Day in Illinois. I wonder if it's celebrated in any of the other states.
I guess I have mixed feelings about how Hawaii became the 50th state. The acquisition of the Hawaiian Islands by the U.S. has a darker history.
This is the Hawaiian flag.
"Hawaii was once an independent kingdom. The flag was designed at the request of King Kamehameha I. It has eight stripes of white, red and blue that represent the eight main islands. The flag of Great Britain is emblazoned in the upper left corner to honor Hawaii's friendship with the British."
If I were teaching in Hawaii, I guess I would use the day to talk about the entire history of how everything happened... the good, the bad and the present.
Here's the explanation from About.com:
"The third Friday in August is Statehood Day in Hawaii (formerly called Admission Day). It was 48 years ago, on August 21, 1959, that Hawaii became the 50th state in the Union." If you go to the link, you'll see that it is mired in some controversy.
I was 10 years old when Hawaii became the 50th state. I have a fuzzy memory of walking home from school and people being excited about it. I remember wondering if my life would change in any way.
Art remembers the day because he was doing a paper route and the newspaper was much bigger which necessitated him making extra trips to deliver all his papers as he walked from house to house.
When we moved to Illinois about 35 years ago, I remember people asking if we used American money in Hawaii. Did we live in grass shacks? What did we eat? Did everybody speak English?
I remember my Illinois principal happily telling me that he was interviewing a teacher from Hawaii. "She speaks regular English," he said. "Just like you." I wasn't absolutely sure how to take that statement.
I think most everybody knows Hawaii is the 50th state now, especially with the remake of the Hawaii 5-0 series.
I think it's interesting that Statehood Day is a holiday where all state, county and city offices are closed in Hawaii. We didn't celebrate Statehood Day in Illinois. I wonder if it's celebrated in any of the other states.
I guess I have mixed feelings about how Hawaii became the 50th state. The acquisition of the Hawaiian Islands by the U.S. has a darker history.
This is the Hawaiian flag.
"Hawaii was once an independent kingdom. The flag was designed at the request of King Kamehameha I. It has eight stripes of white, red and blue that represent the eight main islands. The flag of Great Britain is emblazoned in the upper left corner to honor Hawaii's friendship with the British."
If I were teaching in Hawaii, I guess I would use the day to talk about the entire history of how everything happened... the good, the bad and the present.
wow...that was some post...learnt alot about the histroy of hawaii... so now i remember which is the 50th state of the US... :)
ReplyDeleteAt Swift School, one of the Chicago Public Schools on the North Side, we were educated to practice "brotherhood."
ReplyDeleteI still remember how Ms. Paskind, our 8th grade teacher, told us that Hawaii would soon be a state. Smiling and beaming, she said "That'll teach those . . ." -- I can't recall her exact words but what she meant was racial bigots.
Happy Statehood Day, sista Kay!
wow I hope Americans on the mainland know a lot more about Hawaii these days! I wonder. I know there are still a lot of misconceptions about Canada.
ReplyDeleteMy gosh what a surprise...
ReplyDelete"48 years ago... Hawaii became the 50th state."
"I was 10 years old..."
You are near the age when lots of people are on Social Security.
Statehood is not celebrated in Ohio, but I think it should be.
I also think, Ohio and other states should bring back BLUE LAWS.
In 1959 I was 5 so it was a blur... I had no idea the flag looked like that... all the times I have been in Hawaii and have passed any government building, I have never noticed...What part of Illinois did u live in? My mom was born in Evanston and her mother's side lived in Chicago- Roger's Park area....
ReplyDeleteBTW, the miniskirt photo may be shown in Sept. when the organizer is posting all of the photos on that day... she has had a huge response... anyway if u want to see it let me know and i can email it to u
thankyou so much for telling is this,, I undestand for the mixed feelings completely,,
ReplyDeleteSeveral bloggers from Hawaii (and other places) have raised my consciousness about how Hawaii became a state. I remember it happening when I was young, but I didn't know how it happened. Glad to know you speak English and don't live in a grass shack. You didn't say, however, whether you wear a grass skirt or not. :-)
ReplyDeleteI was married to my EX in 1959. Remember when Hawaii was admitted to statehood. My former FIL was stationed there during WWII. It was still a remote paradise in those days.
ReplyDeleteI was ignorant of Hawaii before we were transferred there in 1967. I recall standing in line at the PX and asking the checkout clerk some questions. What you think we do, live in grass shacks? she said. Apparently, folks from the mainland were plenty ignorant about Hawaii. Beautiful state, loved it when I lived there and wish you all well.
Dianne
PS. Daniel Akaka was my Congressman, and Daniel Inoye was my Senator. I figure the later must be about 101 by now.
It's very important to know the whole history. Bill Clinton did well to apologize to the people of Hawaii. We, the Dutch people should apologize for the treatment of the Indonesian people, and to the former slaves in Suriname, and to .... many others.
ReplyDeleteThanks for your visit, Kay and for the beautiful quotation of the American native peoples. The Australian Aborigines have a similar saying.
Hawaii is the 50th state. Will Guam and Puerto Rico become states, also, I wonder.
ReplyDeleteWhen I visited Croatia in 1990, a Croatian asked me: "You live in Paradise. Why are you here?"
Yes, Hawaii no ka oi (Hawaii is the best).
I know I'm showing my ignorance here, but what the heck: Is "Hawaii 5-0" called that because Hawaii is the 50th state? I could never remember if Hawaii was the 49th or 50th. Now, finally, I'll remember!
ReplyDeleteTerrific and very interesting post, Kay! I remember the day Hawaii became a state quite well, I was 26 and living in Texas, teaching school. I am amazed at the questions you were asked about Hawaii when you moved to Illinois!! Unbelievable!! And, I guess there's always the good and the bad particularly where politics of any kind are concerned. Hope you have a beautiful weekend!
ReplyDeleteSylvia
I always like the fact that Hawaii became a state the same year I was born. But I'm 52, and you said that Hawaii's statehood was 48 years ago. Does that mean I can subtract four years from my age?
ReplyDeleteOverthrow of the Kingdom of Hawaii has always been controversial. My family just watched "Princess Kaiulani," which shows some of this and the Hawaiian perspective instead of the uniquely US historical perspective. But, really, there were few options at that time. If the US had not overthrown the monarchy and taken over the islands, hawaii would probably have been taken over by the Japanese Imperial expansion just prior to the war, just like the Philippines and some of the northwest hawaiian islands were. Hawaii was too valuable as a mid pacific depot. And if you think for a second that the Japanese would have treated the hawaiians better than the haoles did, you got another think coming. Some of the older Filipinos and older Chinese who can still remember the Japanese occupations are STILL mad.
ReplyDeletewalt
I remember when Hawaii became a state quite well. I guess there is controversy about how many of our states became a part of the country. Many here in this part of Colorado believe we still belong to Mexico.
ReplyDeleteDid not know about the American involvement in the coup. You are right about it being a dark time and think Bill Clinton did the right thing though really late.
ReplyDeleteI always thought it was just a tourist paradise till I met and worked with a Hawaiian girl. Kapi helped me get a more realistic picture. I do remember when you all became a state.
I'll add that the Union Jack on the flag (its canton) is probably due to British Admiral Thomas, who restored the sovereignty back to the island after another British warship had overthrown the gov't.
ReplyDeleteHow interesting! I've enjoyed learning more about the state! ♥
ReplyDeleteI just took the time to catch up on all your recent posts. I won't even try to comment on all of them. I jst wanted you to know I'm still paying attention.
ReplyDeleteGreat post Kay and an outstanding history lesson. Thank you!
ReplyDeleteYour point is valueble for me. Thanks!
ReplyDeleteMy blog:
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