Opposition to Hawaii’s admission into the United States was overcome on March 12, 1959 when Congress voted to make Hawaii the 50th state.
Voting for Statehood
The U.S. Senate vote became the last hurdle since President Dwight Eisenhower had already voiced his support for move from territory to statehood of Hawaii. In order to speed up the process, the Senate shelved its own measure and voted instead on the House version.
“With apposition hopelessly outnumbered, final passage of the bill to create a 50th state was expected by mid-afternoon,” according to UPI press reports.
The final senate vote was 74-15. Of the 15 senators opposed to Hawaiian statehood, 14 were Democrats.
The House of Representatives voted 328-89 for statehood.
The Vote Announced
Hawaii’s Territorial Governor William Quinn arrived in Washington too late to witness final Senate vote. When the vote was announced, Quinn called Hawaii, which signaled the beginning of a bonfire celebration. The bonfire on Sand Island in Honolulu Harbor was two-stories high.
“It was a moment the 575,000 residents of the last incorporated territory under the American Flag had awaited for more than 50 years,” UPI reported.
Following the vote, however, a celebration was held in the old Supreme Court chamber of the Capitol. There Quinn thanked senators for their votes for statehood.
“Hawaii has a destiny in the Pacific and a mission to accomplish. We are conscious of that mission and will do our utmost to carry it out,” Quinn said.
Hawaiian Statehood Announced in Media
Some newspapers made a big deal of the news. The San Mateo Times ran a two-line all-cap headline that read: HAWAII NOW NO. 50: ISLANDS WHOOP IT UP.
“The ‘aloha’ for the statehood long-awaited by the tropical Pacific islands came when the House gave final approval to the bill passed by the Senate 76-15 Wednesday night,” the newspaper reported.
Hawaii Celebrates
In Hawaii, Acting Governor Edward Johnson announced a two-day holiday when the news of the Congressional vote arrived. Schools were dismissed. Government offices were closed.
“Jubilant Hawaiian Islanders hailed Congressional approval of statehood for Hawaii today with a blaring salute of air raid sirens, boat whistles, auto horns and church bells,” UPI reported.
Air force jets also flew over Honolulu to celebrate the news. Mayor Neal Blaisdell went to Kawaiahao Congregational Church to offer prayers of thanks.
“The Hawaiian legislature heard the statehood news directly from the floor of the house of representatives in Washington. John A. Burns, Hawaii's representative, gave a blow-by-blow account of the house action over a direct telephone line hooked up to a loudspeaker on the legislature floor,” UPI reported.
Official Entrance Into the U.S. Statehood
After the March vote, an election had to be held for federal officials and other procedural things had to be taken care to move Hawaii from territorial status to statehood.
President Eisenhower unfurled a 50-star U.S. flag at the White House on August 21, 1959 to mark the entrance official entrance of Hawaii into the union. The 50-star flag didn’t become official until July 4, 1960.
Three Hawaiian Congressmen were also seated in August. Sen. Hiram Fong (Rep.) became the first Chinese-American to become a senator. His fellow senator was Democrat Oren Long. Hawaii’s first representative was Daniel Inouye (Dem.), who was also the first Japanese American elected to Congress.
