S1 • E18 Jul 1, 2020 12m
Queen Lili'uokalani (1838-1917), born in Honolulu and the daughter of a high chief and chieftess, was the first sovereign queen, and the last monarch of Hawai'i. She assumed the throne in 1891, following the sudden death of her brother King David Kalakaua, but her reign was short-lived. Lili'uokalani dedicated much of her reign to restoring native Hawaiian rights, but a group of American plantation and business owners, backed by the U.S. military, staged a coup to overthrow her in 1893. After a failed insurrection by her supporters in 1895, she was charged with treason and put under house arrest in her palace. When Hawai'i was annexed by the United States in 1898, Lili'uokalani declined the offer to watch the annexation ceremonies, as she could not bear to see the Hawaiian flag lowered and the Stars and Stripes put in its place. For the rest of her life, she fought to preserve native Hawaiian rights and traditions. A talented songwriter and musician, she composed over 150 songs in her lifetime, including one of the most well-known Hawaiian songs, Aloha 'Oe, as well as a national anthem of Hawai'i. She also helped raise funds for the Queen's Hospital, established a bank for women, a fund for the education of native Hawaiian girls, as well as The Queen Lili'uokalani Trust, to support Hawaiian orphans, which is still thriving today. Interviewees: Julia Flynn Siler, author of Lost Kingdom: Hawaii's Last Queen, the Sugar Kings, and America's Imperial Adventure; and native Hawaiian artist, activist, and educator Meleanna Meyer.
