“Aole Hoohui ia Hawaii”: U.S. Collegiate Teams Debate Annexation of Hawai‘i and Independence Prevails, 1893 to 1897

“On the day of May 18, 1894, Kānaka Maoli 1 [Native Hawaiians] who opened their copy of the Hawaiian–language newspaper Nupepa Ka Oiaio were greeted with an article titled, “Aole Hoohui ia Hawaii” [Not to Annex Hawaii].2 They would continue on to read a story, printed in their native tongue, which concerned a recent event described in the U.S. newspaper The Washington Post. Barely a month prior, the front page of that periodical had described the following scene. On the evening of April 13, 1894, an excited and raucous crowd gathered mere blocks from the U.S. White House at Metzerott Hall to witness a relatively new but growing passion among many of the finest colleges in the country. A collegiate debate was in the works, and this contest was between two hometown rivals. The law department at Georgetown University was taking on its heated adversary from Columbian [later named George Washington University].

“The topic of the evening’s debate was an issue that was filling newspaper columns across the country: “Resolved. That the United States government should annex the Hawaiian Islands.” 4 Early on in the evening the hall had filled “beyond its capacity” and the police turned hundreds away. Inside, many stood throughout the entire three-hour program. The two teams of four specially chosen representatives had trained for months and would now present their best academic arguments for and against this extraordinary action that their country was considering.”

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