Regarding Hawaii’s ceded lands, are our history books wrong?

The Star-Advertiser’s Dec 28 article, “OHA says it should get $35M annually,” stated that crown and government lands were ceded to the United States in 1893 following the overthrow of the kingdom of Hawaii.

However, our history books say they were ceded in 1898 following the annexation of Hawaii. It was a time when both crown and government lands were on the verge of being lost to the banks due to arrears in loan payments. To prevent that, the United States paid off the loans and had those lands ceded to them as a way to ensure they would not be in jeopardy again.

Moreover, control and management of these lands were given to Hawaii’s government with profits used to benefit its people.

When Hawaii became a state, the U.S. returned these lands.

Bill Punini Prescott

Nanakuli

Click here to read more Letters to the Editor.