Hawaii's Story by Hawaii's Queen Liliuokalani - Hardcover

Queen Liliuokalani, Queen

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 098872782X ISBN 13: 9780988727823

Publisher: Hui Hanai, 2013

Synopsis

Queen Lili‘uokalani, born as Lydia Lili‘u Loloku Walania Wewehi Kamaka‘eha, was the last reigning monarch of the kingdom of Hawai‘i. She ascended the throne in January of 1891, upon the death of her brother, King David Kalākaua. The Queen’s desire to restore traditional powers to the sovereign threatened the power of the group of prominent businessmen known as the Missionary Party. With the support of armed U.S. Marines, this group overthrew the Queen in January 1893. For years after her overthrow, the Queen sought redress in the Congress and courts of the United States, but her efforts failed. In July 1898, Hawai‘i was annexed as a territory to the United States of America.

As part of her efforts to stave off annexation, the Queen published Hawaii’s Story by Hawaii’s Queen Liliuokalani in early 1898. She worked closely with the American journalist Julius Palmer on the manuscript, and the book reflects her experiences and perspectives. This classic work is the only autobiography written by a Hawaiian monarch, and provides a glimpse of life in Honolulu during her lifetime.

The Queen describes her childhood, and shares her thoughts on Kamehameha IV and Queen Emma, Kamehameha V, the reign of Kalākaua, and her marriage to John O. Dominis in 1862. A key work on Hawaiian history, it is especially valuable for the Queen’s account of the increasingly ominous state of Hawaiian politics surrounding the overthrow of the monarchy, including her 1895 arrest, abdication, and trial on charges of having knowledge of treasonous activities against the newly formed government, the Republic of Hawaii.

The new edition of Hawaii’s Story by Hawaii’s Queen Liliuokalani, is based on the 1898 edition, enhanced with additional illustrations, and annotated by David W. Forbes. An introductory essay about the publishing history of the first edition includes portions of early drafts of the manuscript deemed too inflammatory to include by the publisher. A foreword by the trustees of the Queen Lili‘uokalani Trust underscores that the Queen’s legacy lives on, providing financial resources and social services for orphans and destitute Hawaiian children through the programs of the Queen Lili‘uokalani Children’s Centers.

About this title

From the Inside Flap:

Hawaii's Story by Hawaii's Queen is an account of those difficult years at the end of the nineteenth century when native Hawaiian historian David Malo's 1837 prophecy concerning "the small ones" being "gobbled up" came true for the Hawaiian Islands.

When this book was first published in 1898, it was an international plea for justice. Just as Admiral Thomas had restored Hawaiian sovereignty in 1843 following an illegal action by Lord Paulet, Queen Liliuokalani prayed that the American nation would similarly reestablish the Hawaiian throne. Queen Liliuokalani died on November 11, 1917, her poignant plea for justice unanswered. Almost 100 years later, her people still wait.

About the Author:

David W. Forbes is an internationally recognized historian and bibliographer specializing in aspects of the history of Hawai‘i. He is also the author of the four-volume Hawaiian National Bibliography 1780–1900 (University of Hawai`i Press and Hordern House).

About this edition

• Publisher: Hui Hanai
• Publication date: 2013
• ISBN 10: 098872782X
• ISBN 13: 9780988727823
• Binding: Hardcover
• Number of pages: 496