In 1959, Hawaii became the 50th state in the United States. Previous attempts at Hawaiian statehood were met with opposition both by some in Hawaii and in Congress. The Hawaiian Admission Act occurred during the Civil Rights Movement when minorities were campaigning for greater rights. Writing in August 1959, the editors of WORLDVIEW Magazine saw this as a victory in the fight towards greater racial tolerance and hoped that Hawaii would set an example of racial harmony for the entire nation.
A classroom-friendly excerpt from the 1959 WORLDVIEW editorial can be found here. This activity works well in an American history class.The full article with more context concerning the Civil Rights movement can be found here.
WORLDVIEW Magazine ran from 1958-85 and featured articles by political philosophers, scholars, churchmen, statesmen, and writers from across the political spectrum.
Photo: Hawaiian Government Officials, 1959-1962. CREDIT: Hawaii State Archives.
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