ACLU Hawai‘i
On Jan. 8, 1932, Native Hawaiian prizefighter Joseph Kahahawai was abducted and shot to death in Manoa by mainland socialite Grace Fortescue, her son-in-law and two of his friends. Kahahawai was only 22 years old. He had been accused of rape by Fortescue’s daughter, whose story changed various times, a few months earlier but was released on bail. Kahahawai’s killers were caught by a cop trying to dump his body into the ocean. Found guilty of manslaughter by the jury, his killers were supposed to get a 10-year prison sentence but the rape accusation convinced the mainland there was an anti-white sentiment in the islands, prompting President Herbert Hoover to change their sentence to just one hour. The case is remembered for shedding a light on the oppression and racism against Native Hawaiians and local people of color. This is Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage month.
No comments:
Post a Comment