FORCES FROM U.S.S. BOSTON DEPLOYED IN HAWAII
Honolulu (JFK+50) On January 13, 1893, 162 United States sailors and marines from the USS Boston* land under "orders of neutrality" on Oahu by order of diplomat John L. Stevens** to stop Queen Liliuokalani*** from restoring absolute power to the monarchy and rights to native Hawaiians and Asians.
Five days later, a revolutionary 'Committee of Safety' organized by Sanford B. Dole**** staged a coup which resulted in the Hawaiian Islands being proclaimed a protectorate of the United States on February 1, 1893.
JFK+50 NOTE
The Hawaiian islands remained a territory of the United States for 60 years. Territorial status was beneficial to plantation owners who could legally hire cheap foreign labor under that status.
In 1959, President Eisenhower signed the Hawaii Admissions Act into law & Hawaii became the 50th state.
We had the pleasure of visiting Honolulu on a day and a half layover on our way to Sydney, Australia in June 1981. See pics below.
*USS Boston (1883-1946) protected cruiser of 184 officers & men, one of USN's first 4 steel ships.
**John Leavitt Stevens (1820-1895), born in Mt. Vernon, Maine founded the Republican Party of Maine & served as U.S. minister to the Hawaiian Kingdom 1889-1893. By the Morgan Report (1894) JLS was declared not guilty of inappropriate conduct in supporting Queen Lil's overthrow.
***Queen Liliuokalani (1838-1917) born in Honolulu & attended the Royal School was Hawaii's only queen regnant (reigning queen) & last sovereign monarch of the Hawaiian Kingdom. Queen Lil composed the beautiful Hawaiian song "Aloha Oe."
****Sanford Ballard Dole (1844-1926) was born in Hawaii & attended Williams College. SBD served as President of Hawaii 1894-1898.
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Hawaii Visit, June 1981
