President Obama has proclaimed today, June 11, 2010, King Kamehameha Day.
The proclamation comes about two centuries after the Native Hawaiian king brought the Hawaiian Islands together under a unified government. In the proclamation, Obama said King Kamehameha’s courage and leadership earned him the legacy as the “Napoleon of the Pacific.”
Obama also paid tribute to the history and heritage of the Aloha State. He said: “The Hawaiian narrative is one of both profound triumph and, sadly, deep injustice. It is the story of Native Hawaiians oppressed by crippling disease, aborted treaties, and the eventual conquest of their sovereign kingdom. These grim milestones remind us of an unjust time in our history, as well as the many pitfalls in our Nation's long and difficult journey to perfect itself. Yet, through the peaks and valleys of our American story, Hawaii's steadfast sense of community and mutual support shows the progress that results when we are united in a spirit of limitless possibility. In the decades since their persecution, Native Hawaiians have remained resilient.”
Click here to read the full proclamation.
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