HONOLULU (KHON2) -- The history of Black people in Hawaiʻi extends back to the era of King Kamehameha the Great.
Dr. Kathryn Waddell Takara notes that “Black Jack, also known as Keakaʻeleʻele, was already living on Oʻahu when King Kamehameha conquered it in 1795.”
This maritime trader symbolizes the early presence of African-Americans who found seafaring an escape from the severe racism in America. It allowed them to gain respect and freedom.
In Hawaiʻi, darker skin was seen as a marker of “dignity, strength and courage”; and many Black sailors settled here as the whaling industry grew.
“Early Blacks were entrepreneurs, musicians, educators, politicians and diplomats,” said Dr. Takara. She explained that they contributed significantly to the Kingdom of Hawaiʻi's society.
Notably, four Black men formed a royal brass band for Kamehameha III in 1834; and it evolved into what we now know as the Royal Hawaiian Band.
Anthony D. Allen Sr. was a former slave who became a prominent entrepreneur in Hawaiʻi after arriving on Oʻahu in 1811. He ran a boarding house, a tavern and the first hospital for American seamen. He even started the first bowling alley and a school for his children.
“His boarding house was famous for his cooking," explained Dr. Takara. "He had a tavern, which was not to the missionaries delight, although the missionaries and the seamen usually stayed at his boarding house when they first arrived. He started the first bowling alley in the islands. And he was an adviser to the king."
She went on to explain more about Allen's work and life in Hawaiʻi.
“He had a lot of unspoken, unacknowledged contributions to the islands," she continued. "He built the first carriage road up Mānoa Valley. He built one of the first schools, besides Punahou and the missionary schools. And he did that because his children were not allowed to go to the schools for aliʻi. So, he started his own. Washington Middle School, right by Punahou, was actually Anthony Allen’s property that he was given by the king.”
Another significant figure was Betsey Stockton, who founded Maui’s first school for commoners in 1823. Stockton also was a former slave from New Jersey; she excelled in education and created a model for Hampton University in Virginia.
“At her school, not only were the traditional subjects of math, English and Latin taught, she also taught weaving, sewing, etc... The school was well-received and trusted,” Dr. Takara said. “Hampton University in Virginia, a historically Black college, was somewhat modeled after Betsey Stockton’s school on Maui. It had the classic education components, but it also had the trades.”
Thomas McCants Stewart was a lawyer from New York who was a member of King Kalākaua’s cabinet. He aided Native Hawaiians in gaining land after the illegal overthrow of the monarchy.
The whaling industry expanded significantly throughout the 1800s. By 1852, over 200 whaling ships with 3,000 crewmen had docked in Honolulu. This influx brought more Black sailors to Hawaiʻi than ever before, presenting them with the opportunity to live on stable ground, free from the constant threat of violence. Many chose to settle permanently on the islands.
In her essay "The African Diaspora in 19th Century Hawaiʻi," Dr. Takara explains that after the American Revolution, “free men of color discovered seafaring as an occupation where they could earn a livelihood, ‘act with a manly bearing,’ and gain the respect of their fellow men.” Unlike the severe racism and violent discrimination they faced in America, the challenging life at sea offered opportunities for responsibility, authority, and freedom that were unimaginable on land.
Tattoos symbolized “the brave, fierce, noble qualities possessed by the most honorable warriors”. During the last days of Kahekili, a famed warrior chief, historian Samuel M. Kamakau noted, “Kahekili selected a type of soldier new to Oʻahu called pahupū, strange-looking men tattooed black from top to toe…Had the black negroes who came later arrived at that time, they might have been made favorites.”
“Early Blacks were entrepreneurs, musicians, educators, politicians and diplomats,” said Dr. Takara. “There’s a lot of boredom on the ships; so, Black people sang, danced and made music at sea. So, a lot of people came with musical talent; and they put their talent to use.”
However, as the 19th century progressed, perceptions began to change.
Dr. Takara describes this shift as “the whitening of the Hawaiians”. She said this was when white skin became associated with power and status due to the influence of white planters and missionaries.
After the United States Civil War, Southern planters moved to Hawaiʻi to grow sugar. They also brought with them the South's entrenched socio-political, politico-economic and socio-religious attitudes of racial superiority. This led to a decline in the acceptance of Black individuals, particularly soldiers who faced significant segregation.
“After the Civil War, much of the South was decimated. Many of the planters turned to Hawaiʻi to raise sugar. In addition to the missionaries coming, you had a new group of people, largely southerners, coming to the islands. The attitude towards Blacks began to shift radically.”
The residue of what sparked the bloody civil war over slavery began bleed into Hawaiʻi’s society.
“The old-timers who were respected and in politics and had land, who had descendants who were more local than Black — they continued to do OK, because they were already known. But the soldiers who began to come at the turn of the century with the various wars, passing through or stationed — they faced big time segregation. Local women were not supposed to date Black men. People had to choose sides. A lot of local people chose to identify with the dominant and the powerful.”
Despite these changes, Dr. Takara remains hopeful.
“I am definitely an optimist. It is slowly getting out that yes, we are a part of these islands, and yes, we have contributed. We are a minority, but that does not mean that we are not a vital part. Once people start to learn about each other and experience each other, then that makes a difference, because we’re all human.”
Dr. Takara, a retired professor and author, has extensively documented the contributions of African Americans in Hawaiʻi.
Her essay “The African Diaspora in 19th Century Hawaiʻi” details these early influences and their lasting impact on Hawaiʻi's society, history and culture.