OCTOBER 29, 1815

NATIVE HAWAIIAN HISTORIAN SCHOLAR SAMUEL MĀNAIAKALANI KAMAKAU BORN

Born in Mokulēia, Waialua, O’ahu, Samuel enrolled at Lahainaluna Seminary in 1833 and was inspired by Reverend Sheldon Dibble to collect and preserve Hawaiian culture and language.  Kamakau helped form the first Hawaiian historical society in 1841.  Known as the Royal Hawaiian Historical Society, members included King Kamehameha III.  From 1866 to 1871, Kamakau wrote newspaper articles about Hawaiian culture and history including the histories of Kamehameha I, the House of Kamehameha, and of Hawaiʻi.  Kamakau also served as a district judge in Wailuku, Maui and was a legislator for the Hawaiian Kingdom.  From 1851 to 1860 he represented Maui in the House of Representatives, and from 1870 to 1876 represented Oʻahu.  He died at his home in Honolulu on September 5, 1876.  In 2005, the Hawaii State Legislature passed H.R. No. 55, declaring October 29, 2005 “Samuel Manaiakalani Kamakau Day.”

Source:  Thomas G. Thrum, "Brief Sketch of the Life and Labors of S. M. Kamakau, Hawaiian Historian," Twenty-sixth Annual Report of the Hawaiian Historical Society for the Year 1917, Vol. 26. (Honolulu: Paradise of the Pacific Press, 1917). pp. 40–61.  Retrieved 7/17/2019, https://books.google.com/books?id=CesKAAAAIAAJ&dq=Brief%20Sketch&pg=RA2-PA40#v=onepage&q&f=false
Photo:  Author unknown.  Date:  1876 or before.  Public Domain in the US:  Pre-1/1/1925.  Public Domain elsewhere where copyright term is author’s life plus 70 years or less.