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The Rights of My People: Liliuokalani's Enduring Battle with the United States 1893-1917
Author(s): Neil Thomas Proto (Author)
- Publisher: Algora Publishing
- Publication Date: July 25, 2009
- Language: English
- Print length: 262 pages
- ISBN-10: 0875867200
- ISBN-13: 9780875867205
Book Description
Proto’s narrative is set against the backdrop of post-Civil War America, highlighting the intricate racial and political dynamics of the era. Drawing from court documents, original records, and an extensive range of historical sources, Proto uncovers new insights into this crucial period in Hawaiian history.
The book vividly portrays Liliuokalani’s steadfast resistance against the U.S. government’s maneuvers to annex and dominate Hawaii. As the last reigning monarch of Hawaii, Liliuokalani faced immense challenges in her struggle to protect her kingdom’s sovereignty. Proto examines the details of her resistance, including the 1893 coup that deposed her and the subsequent attempts to prevent Hawaii’s annexation. Liliuokalani remained resolute in her quest for justice and the protection of her people.
Beyond recounting immediate events, Proto’s analysis addresses the broader implications of Liliuokalani’s fight. He discusses the forces of bigotry, condescension, and deception she faced, including threats of execution and assassination. The book reveals how these elements were integral to the U.S. government’s efforts to control and annex Hawaii. Additionally, Proto provides analyses the seizure of the Crown lands, a major portion of Hawaii’s territory, and the dubious justification and execution of this act by the U.S. government. He explores the legal and political strategies that enabled the U.S. to appropriate these lands and Liliuokalani’s repeated appeals to Congress to address the injustice.
Proto’s work stands out for its meticulous research and fresh perspectives on this well-documented historical conflict. By focusing on Liliuokalani’s personal and political struggles, Proto delivers a detailed and nuanced account of the fight for Hawaiian sovereignty. The Rights of My People underscores the significance of Liliuokalani’s resistance and its broader implications for Hawaiian identity and autonomy.
The Queen’s struggle was not merely about political power but also about preserving Hawaii’s cultural and historical integrity. In addition to the historical narrative, Proto’s book provides a discussion of the broader socio-political context of the time. It examines the impact of American imperialism on Hawaii and the ways it influenced the resistance movement. The book also addresses racial attitudes and their impact on Liliuokalani and the Hawaiian people.
Proto’s thorough research and insightful analysis make The Rights of My People a valuable resource for anyone interested in Hawaii’s history and its people’s struggles against American imperialism. The detailed examination of primary sources and historical documents enhances the book’s credibility. Proto’s narrative is both engaging and informative, making it a crucial addition to the literature on Hawaiian history and American politics.
Editorial Reviews
Review
Must reading for anyone who has an interest in Native American rights [and] how the United States government by using its political and legal opposition defeated the Native Hawaiian rights to their lands.
–Honorable Arthur J. Gajarsa, Judge, United States Federal Circuit Court of Appeals
Neil Proto has captured, eloquently and with an engaging narrative, Liliuokalani s courage, intellect, and political sophistication in the nation s capital… an enduring model to be studied and emulated in law, culture, and in informed perseverance. –Honorable Rosa DeLauro, Member of Congress (CT)
Exhaustively researched, written with grace and empathy… an indelible portrait of a woman consecrated to injustice a Civil Rights heroine if there ever was one. — –Professor Henry McGee, Seattle University School of Law
Queen Liliuokalani was the last monarch of the Native Hawaiians before a group of US annexationists overthrew her in 1893. But before Hawai’i was annexed in 1898 by the US, she waged a heroic effort to publicize the illegality of the coup d’etat and the wrongful seizure of one million acres of crown land by the annexationists. While scholars such as Sally Engle Merry (Colonizing Hawai’i, 2000) and Jonathan Osorio (Dismembering Lahui, CH, Mar’03, 40-4207) have discussed the cultural consequences of Western law for Hawai’i, Proto (Georgetown) uses a different approach. He describes in painstaking detail the complicated maneuvering in Hawai’i and Washington as the queen sought to win public opinion, influence the media, persuade Congress, and prevail in the US courts. As a seasoned lawyer who has represented Hawai’i in its dealings with the US, Proto is able to emphasize the significance of the media campaign and legal strategies employed by Liliuokalani against her opponents to regain control of the crown lands. Sadly for the queen, her tactics were destined to fail before the Congress and the courts, with devastating consequences for Hawaiian sovereignty and her people.
Fascinating narrative account, suitable for a general audience. Summing Up: Highly recommended. All levels/libraries. –CHOICE August 2010 Vol. 47 No. 11Exhaustively researched, written with grace and empathy… an indelible portrait of a woman consecrated to injustice a Civil Rights heroine if there ever was one. –Professor Henry McGee, Seattle University School of Law
About the Author
In 1993 he drafted a unique statutory scheme at the behest of the State of Hawaii that resulted in the conveyance of Kahoolawe Island a religious site from the United States to Hawaii to be held in trust for native Hawaiians. The island had been used as a bombing range since 1941. He continued to represent Hawaii as counsel in its dealings with the United States through 2003. He also has lectured on Hawaii history and Kahoolawe in Hawaii (1994) and at the University of Washington Law School (2005). Mr. Proto is a member of the board of directors of the Franklin and Eleanor Roosevelt Institution. This is his second book.
