Queen Lili‘uokalani

Queen Lili‘uokalani was the first woman to rule Hawai'i and their last monarch.

Her brother, King Kalākaua, was forced to sign away most of the Hawaiian monarchy's rights to the legislature (mostly American businessmen and sugar planters) by an armed militia in what became known as the "Bayonet Constitution." When the king passed away, Lili‘uokalani was heir apparent and ascended to the throne.

During her brief reign, she refused to honor the Bayonet Constitution. This led to the Americans staging a coup, backed by the US military. Shortly after, there was a failed insurrection on behalf of the monarchy which led to her house arrest and formal abdication to spare the insurrectionists.

Lili‘uokalani was never successful in her “Stand Firm” (Oni pa’a) movement, fighting for native Hawaiians rights and against U.S. annexation of Hawai'i. She traveled to D.C. to advocate for Hawai'i in front of Congress and use legal avenues to sue for her cause. Once William McKinley became president, Hawai'i was annexed by the U.S.

Lili‘uokalani loved her people and her heritage. She was a skilled composer and wrote "Aloha Oe (Farewell To Thee)," an anthem of Hawai'i. She raised funds for the Queen’s Hospital and established a bank for women, a fund for the education of native Hawaiian girls, and a trust to support Hawaiian orphans, which is still thriving today.