Association of Hawaiian Civic Clubs
Founded 1959 – Honolulu, HI

Association of Hawaiian Civic Clubs History Compiled 2006-07 by Dot Uchima, AHCC Recording Secretary

PREFACE

 “The Hawaiian civic club movement was the fulfillment of a dream for Prince  Jonah Kuhio Kalanianaole (26 Mar 1871 – 7 Jan 1922), who was born in Koloa, Kauai Island.  In 1895 he joined Queen Liliuokalani to help re-establish her government that ended unsuccessfully.  Prince Kuhio served as congressional delegate from 1902 to 1922, during which time he secured Congressional approval of $27 million for the establishment of Pearl Harbor and Hawaii National Parks; represented the Territory of Hawaii and  introduced the first statehood legislation.  He fathered the Hawaiian homestead program initiated by Congressional Act in 1921, and was anxious  that his people know more about government and the community at large to carry on the tradition of civic responsibility that he felt was vital to the development of Hawaii and its people for a better way of life.

Prince Kuhio believed that the future of the Hawaiian community and its people could be protected and promoted only through an organized effort by Hawaiian leadership.  He believed that the Hawaiians should help their young people secure an education that would enable them to compete successfully in the new cultural environment introduced to Hawaii in the 19th century.  Thus the Hawaiian Civic Club was formed with the objective of providing scholarship aid for the education of Hawaiian students; of preserving and promoting the Hawaiian heritage, traditions, language and culture; of promoting and supporting organizations interested in improving the conditions of the Hawaiian people and community at large as well as legislation beneficial to the Hawaiian community; and of perpetuating the values that dignify all human life, which are the moral and ethical foundation of our cultural expressions that comprise a unique, rich and enduring legacy of the first people of Hawaii nei.

In 1918, Prince Kuhio chose as the first president of the organized Hawaiian Civic Club (now called the Hawaiian Civic Club of Honolulu and often referred  to as the “mother club” – [Honolulu (organized 7 December 1918]) a rising young Hawaiian attorney and a recent college graduate, William H. Heen, Esq., whose subsequent career in politics and government spanned more than 40 years.”

Read more in this larger history document that covers the years between 1959 – 2007.

Approved in November 2018, our resolution (below) to develop a Native Hawaiian Community Center here in Las Vegas continues to move forward!

BACKGROUND & WAY AHEAD

  • First step occurred in June 2018, when members of the Board of Directors traveled to Washington DC to attend a Mainland Council Meeting.  The members had the opportunity to speak with several Nevada Congresswomen and staff of one Nevada’s Senators about this topic, while visiting the Capitol building.
  • The second step was the drafting of the resolution (below) to be presented at the November 2018 AHCC annual convention.  The resolution was passed at that convention.
  • The third step was planning, development, and establishment of a 501(c)(3) organization that could assist with grant applications and supportive funding.  This began in 2020 and was accomplished in 2021 with the creation of the Prince Kuhio Foundation
  • The fourth step is to develop an overarching business plan and budget, identify potential partners to support day-to-day operations and funding, work with the Office of the Mayor of the City of Las Vegas, and identify potential matching funds and/or grants
  • In conjunction with step four, partner with/gain cooperation from local Las Vegas Asian American Native Hawaiian Pacific Islander organizations to identify potential locations for the center and develop/determine how such a Center would operate, be maintained, and how the center’s would be organized.