New act passed by state legislature designates September as Hawaiian History Month

The Association of Hawaiian Civic Clubs celebrates the signing of Act 167, designating September as Hawaiian History Month in the State of Hawaiʻi.

The measure honors the enduring legacy of Queen Liliʻuokalani and recognizes the many contributions of the Native Hawaiian community to Hawaiʻi’s past, present and future, according to a press release from the Association of Hawaiian Civic Clubs.

“This recognition is long overdue,” said Dre Kalili, President of the Native Hawaiian grassroots organization. “Introducing and advocating for legislation like this is exactly what Prince Kūhiō envisioned when he founded the Hawaiian Civic Club movement in 1918.

“Our organization was created to elevate the voices of Native Hawaiians in government, education and society. Securing Hawaiian History Month is not just a symbolic act. It’s the continuation of a kuleana we’ve carried for more than a century.”

The legislation reflects decades of community-driven education, cultural observances and advocacy efforts long championed by the Hawaiʻi Ponoʻī Coalition, which was established in 2007 to educate residents and visitors on Hawaiʻi’s true history and the culture that makes these islands unique.

The coalition, of which the Association of Hawaiian Civic Clubs is a founding member, launched the annual ʻOnipaʻa Celebration at ʻIolani Palace in September 2007 to honor Queen Liliʻuokalani and spark public engagement through history, culture and the arts.

O‘ahu Sen. Jarrett Keohokalole was the lead sponsor of the Senate bill for the act.

“By designating September as Hawaiian History Month, the State affirms our collective responsibility to tell the full story of Hawaiʻi — rooted in Native Hawaiian leadership, resilience, and cultural excellence,” Keohokalole said.

In 2019, delegates to the Association of Hawaiian Civic Clubs’ 60th Annual Convention on Maui voted to pass Resolution No. 2019-44, calling on the State to officially designate September as Hawaiian History Month. That call to action, aligned with the Hawaiʻi Ponoʻī Coalition’s long-standing work, culminated this legislative session with overwhelming support.

With this new designation, organizations, educators and cultural practitioners will have more opportunities to expand Hawaiian history education and public awareness and to inspire civic participation rooted in aloha ʻāina.

To learn more about the Association of Hawaiian Civic Clubs or to join a club, visit wwwaohcc.org.