Short Answer
On the morning of August 21, 1959, President Dwight D. Eisenhower stepped before a gathering in Washington, D.C., and formally proclaimed Hawaii the 50th state of the Union. The moment was the culmination of a struggle that had spanned nearly six decades, and the mainland press was ready to capture the historic occasion. The next day, August 22, 1959, the San Francisco Chronicle ran a front-page story that began: “President Eisenhower formally proclaimed Hawaii the 50th state in the Union today and unfurled the new 50-star American flag to mark the event.” The article went on to describe the new flag’s design with exacting detail—”It has five rows of six stars alternating with four rows of five stars in the field of blue”—a detail that resonated with readers across the mainland. The Chronicle, a major West Coast newspaper with close ties to the islands, called Hawaii “the multiracial Pacific island paradise 2,400 miles from the West Coast,” reflecting both the distance and the exotic appeal of the new state. This moment, captured in ink and paper, marked the end of a long political journey and the beginning of a new chapter in American expansion.
What Happened?
The road to statehood was neither simple nor swift. The Territory of Hawaii was established on June 14, 1900, when Congress approved the Hawaii Organic Act, making its residents U.S. citizens. The first formal statehood bill was presented to Congress on February 11, 1919, by Jonah Kūhiō Kalanianaʻole, the territory’s delegate. Between 1921 and 1959, statehood was proposed to the House of Representatives forty-eight more times, but each attempt met with resistance.
Opposition came from several quarters. Southern congressmen worried that representatives from Hawaii—which had a multiracial population—would support civil rights legislation in Congress. For some Democratic members, the concern was political: admitting a traditionally Republican state could tip the balance of power in the Senate. Despite these obstacles, the tide turned in the 1950s. Alaska’s admission as the 49th state on January 3, 1959, created a precedent and a sense of inevitability. On August 21, 1959, President Eisenhower signed the proclamation that made Hawaii the 50th state, and the new 50-star flag was unfurled at the White House.
How It Was Seen at the Time
Mainland newspapers treated the event as a moment of national pride and accomplishment. The San Francisco Chronicle‘s front-page story, published on August 22, 1959, captured the tone of the coverage. The article emphasized the symbolism of the new flag, describing its precise star arrangement as a sign of the nation’s growth. The story also highlighted Hawaii’s unique character, calling it “the multiracial Pacific island paradise 2,400 miles from the West Coast,” a phrase that underscored both its remoteness and its allure. The coverage was celebratory, but it also acknowledged the political history behind the admission. As the Chronicle noted, Hawaii’s statehood had been a topic of debate for decades, and its arrival was a testament to the persistence of its supporters.
“President Eisenhower formally proclaimed Hawaii the 50th state in the Union today and unfurled the new 50-star American flag to mark the event.” — San Francisco Chronicle, August 22, 1959
Historical Snapshot
| Aspect | Detail |
|---|---|
| Date | August 21, 1959 |
| Place | Washington, D.C. |
| People | President Dwight D. Eisenhower; the people of Hawaii |
| What Happened | Hawaii became the 50th state of the United States |
| Why It Mattered | It completed the continental expansion of the U.S. to 50 states and marked the end of a long political struggle |
Contemporary Newspaper Coverage
The mainland press gave the event extensive coverage, with front-page stories in major daily papers. The San Francisco Chronicle was a prime example. Its August 22, 1959, edition featured a large headline and a photograph of President Eisenhower with the new flag. The story included the precise description of the flag’s layout, a detail that newspapers across the country repeated, as the 50-star design had been a subject of public interest for years. The coverage also noted that Alaska had become the 49th state in January, making Hawaii’s admission the final step in the nation’s expansion.
Beyond the Chronicle, the Library of Congress’s Chronicling America collection preserves thousands of newspaper pages from this era, offering a rich resource for understanding how mainland papers reported the event. The coverage was not uniform; some papers focused on the political significance, others on the cultural diversity of the new state. Yet the common thread was a sense of national accomplishment and a fascination with the new flag.
What People Knew at the Time
| What People Knew Then | What We Know Now |
|---|---|
| The new flag had five rows of six stars alternating with four rows of five stars. | The design was the official 50-star flag, which remains the current flag. |
| Hawaii was a “multiracial” territory with a unique cultural mix. | Hawaii’s diversity would continue to shape its political and social identity. |
| Alaska had just been admitted as the 49th state. | The two admissions were part of a broader process of post-war expansion. |
| Southern congressmen had opposed statehood due to civil rights concerns. | This opposition reflected deeper regional tensions that would erupt in the 1960s. |
Different Perspectives
The Mainland Press
The mainland press, as exemplified by the San Francisco Chronicle, saw statehood as a positive, historic achievement. The coverage was celebratory, focusing on the flag and the island’s unique identity. The Chronicle described Hawaii as a “multiracial Pacific island paradise,” a phrase that captured both its romantic appeal and its distance from the mainland.
Southern Congressional Opposition
Some Southern representatives and senators had opposed statehood for decades. According to the University of Hawaii’s historical timeline, these opponents feared that Hawaii’s representatives would support civil rights legislation, and some Democrats worried that a new Republican-leaning state would weaken their Senate majority. This opposition was a significant barrier that was only overcome in the late 1950s as national politics shifted.
Timeline
- June 14, 1900: Congress approved the Hawaiian Organic Act, establishing the Territory of Hawaii and granting U.S. citizenship to its residents.
- February 11, 1919: Jonah Kūhiō Kalanianaʻole presents the first statehood bill to Congress.
- 1921–1959: Statehood is proposed to the House forty-eight more times, meeting with repeated opposition.
- January 3, 1959: Alaska becomes the 49th state.
- August 21, 1959: President Eisenhower formally proclaims Hawaii the 50th state and unfurls the new 50-star flag.
Aftermath
The immediate aftermath of the proclamation was a wave of celebration and the adoption of the new flag. The 50-star flag was officially adopted on July 4, 1960, but the design was already known and displayed after the proclamation. Hawaii’s admission also had political consequences: the state sent two senators and one representative to Congress, and its voting patterns would later influence national elections. The event marked the final expansion of the United States to its present fifty states, a fact that was recognized with pride by the mainland press and the public alike.
In the years that followed, Hawaii’s unique culture and geography became a fixture in American consciousness. The state’s journey from territory to state, as chronicled in the pages of mainland newspapers, serves as a reminder of the long and often contentious process of American expansion.
FAQ
What did President Eisenhower do on August 21, 1959?
He formally proclaimed Hawaii the 50th state of the United States and unfurled the new 50-star American flag at the White House, as reported by the San Francisco Chronicle.
How did mainland newspapers cover Hawaii's statehood?
Mainland newspapers gave the event front-page coverage, focusing on the flag's new design and the historical significance of the admission. The San Francisco Chronicle, for example, described the flag's star arrangement and called Hawaii a 'multiracial Pacific island paradise.'
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