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| Democratic Party of Hawaii | |
|---|---|
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| Party Chairman | Brian Schatz [1] |
| Senate Leader | Colleen Hanabusa |
| Founded | April 30, 1900 |
| Headquarters | Honolulu, Hawaii |
| Political ideology | American Liberalism Progressivism Laborism Center-left |
| National affiliation | Democratic Party |
| Color(s) | Blue |
| Web Site | HawaiiDemocrats.org |
The Democratic Party of Hawaii is an arm of the Democratic Party of the United States. Based in Honolulu, Hawaii, the party is a central organization established for the promotion of the party platform as it is drafted in convention every other year. It is also charged with registering voters and delivering voter turnout through four major county organizations for Hawaii, Kauaʻi, Maui and the City & County of Honolulu. The Hawaii Democratic Party maintainted control of the State government in Hawaii for over forty years, from 1962 to 2002.
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Early years
The Democratic Party of Hawaiʻi was formed in the wake of a plague quarantine in Honolulu, on the afternoon of April 30, 1900 by men who supported the queen and the monarchy. The meeting was held by John H. Wilson, son of Marshal of the Kingdom Charles B. Wilson. He brought together John S. McGrew, a doctor and supporter of Kalākaua; Charles J. McCarthy, a saloon owner and former Honolulu Rifle; David Kawānanakoa, prince of the House of Kawānanakoa; and Delbert Metzger, an engineer from Kaua'i; they established the Democratic Party of Hawaii. The intention of the party was to promote Jeffersonian philosophy and oppose the former Missionary Party that had turned into the Hawaii Republican Party. The first convention of the Democratic Party of Hawaii was held May 16th that year and was attended by 500 people. later Kawānanakoa attended the 1900 Democratic National Convention in Kansas City becoming the first royal attendee. The party managed to be elected to Mayor and positions but maintained a weak reputation throughout the territorial years. The party received small boosts when a Democratic governor was appointed by the president.
Burns Machine
At that time of a local movement to empower laborers in Hawaii, an oligarchy of powerful sugar corporations called the Big Five effectively controlled government in the Hawaiian Islands. The oligarchy of Castle & Cooke, Alexander & Baldwin, C. Brewer & Co., Amfac, and Theo H. Davies & Co. worked in favor of the Hawaiʻi Republican Party, crediting it for the successful overthrow of the monarchy and delivery of annexation which in turn drove sugar profits into the hundreds of millions of dollars. The 1932 Massie-Kahahawai Case was also a seminal event that fortified the political will of Territorial citizens against the administration of a Republican governor, who commuted the sentence of socialite Grace Fortescue, convicted of manslaughter in the death of Joseph Kahahawai to one-hour of exchanging pleasantries in his executive chambers. Honolulu Police Department officer John A. Burns began organizing the plantation laborers, especially the Japanese Americans and Filipino Americans he came to know while on his police beats. He began what would be know as the Burns Machine, he believed grassroots organizing and the power of elections could overturn the corruption and unfairness of the Republicans in power. The movement got its biggest boost when Burns successfully influenced Japanese American veterans who fought in World War II to get involved, notably incumbent Daniel Inouye. Burns' efforts culminated in his election to the governorship after attaining statehood, heralding a forty year era of Democratic rule in Hawaiʻi.
See also
External links
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