Book Review — Hawaii’s Story by Queen Lili’uokalani
The last queen of the Kingdom of Hawai’i, Lili’uokalani, narrates the horrifying account of her homeland being annexed
History is harsh and unpleasant. But, when we learn the objective facts of past conflicts and sins across the centuries, that empowers us to figure out a path forward. It gives us some important framework for what forms of restitution are achievable. And it contextualizes the present-day needs of oppressed populations.
This is why I purchased and read Hawaii’s Story, the 1898 autobiography of Queen Liliʻuokalani, the final Indigenous ruler of the Kingdom of Hawai’i. My initial desire to read her first-person account came after watching comedian W. Kamau Bell’s CNN documentary, “Hawaiian For Hawaiians,” which first aired in August of 2022 as part of Bell’s United Shades of America series.
WHY YOU SHOULD READ THIS BOOK
The straightforward answer: To learn about what actually happened in the Hawaiian Islands at the end of the Nineteenth Century. The U.S. federal government has a history of lying to its citizens — and the events leading up to the annexation of Hawai’i is one such example.
