2006 ABA/NHBA Exhibit
Historical Documents

The Native Hawaiian Bar Association created this display of historical documents to accompany a session of the 2006 American Bar Association convention entitled, the Legal Status of Native Hawaiians. That session featured six renowned speakers in the area of Native Hawaiian and Native American legal rights: William Meheula, Robert Klein, Melody MacKenzie, John Osorio, Pat Zell, Mary Smith and Bobo Dean as moderator.

Each of the following displays show legally significant documents and related photographs in the establishment of the government of the Kingdom of Hawai'i, its recognition by the international community including the United States, its annexation by the United States, and the current relationship between the Native Hawaiian peoples and United States. Points of view or opinions of sites that we link to, do not necessarily represent the official position or policies of the Native Hawaiian Bar Association.

Funding for this display was provided by the Office of Hawaiian Affairs.
This display is the property of the Native Hawaiian Bar Association.

1. Title Poster.
2. United States Early Diplomatic Recognition of the Independent Kingdom of Hawaii
3. The First Constitution of 1840
• Link to the First Constitution of 1840
4. King Kamehameha III
5. King David Kalākaua
6. The Bayonet Constitution of 1887
• Link to The Bayonet Constitution of 1887
7. The Proposed Constitution of 1893
• Link to the Proposed Constitution of 1893
8. Queen Lili’uokalani
9. The Committee of Safety
10. Proclamation of the Committee of Safety on January 17, 1893
11. The Queen's Protest
12. The Band's Protest
13. First Attempt at Annexation: Provisional Government Declares itself the Republic of Hawai‘i, on July 4, 1894
14. The Arrest of Queen Lili‘uokalani on January 16, 1895
15. The Anti-Annexation Petitions & the Second Attempt at Annexation
16. The Queen in 1898, after her return from Washington
17. The Newlands Resolution and Annexation
18. Annexation Day, August 12, 1898
19. The Organic Act of 1900
20. The Admission Act of 1959
21. The Apology Resolution, 1993
• Link to the Apology Resolution of 1993
22. Native Hawaiian Reorganization Act, or the Akaka Bill

Get the entire exhibit as one file (3.1 mb PDF document).