The Beautiful Half-Truth of the Hawaiian Melting Pot

3 minute read

In November of 1945, LIFE Magazine declared Hawaii “the world’s most successful experiment in mixed breeding, a sociologist’s dream of interracial cultures.” The islands—which would become the 50th American state on Aug. 21, 1959—were populated by more than a dozen ethnic groups. Intermarriage was common, and from the children produced by those marriages, LIFE declared, “a new race is emerging and stabilizing.”

Photographer Eliot Elisofon’s portraits of the people of Hawaii serve as a visual aid to the magazine’s utopian perspective on the territory. A young white girl and a young Chinese girl hold hands as they play together. A white man from Indiana and his Chinese wife pose for a sweet family photo with their two young daughters. A series of attractive young women are presented with captions that describe their racial makeup: “Caucasian-Hawaiian,” “Asiatic-Caucasian,” “Asiatic-Hawaiian.” All are smiling, windswept, a picture of harmony.

Though the magazine doesn’t completely evade mention of racial tensions—the story acknowledges that some upper class whites worked to maintain subtle color lines—the tone is overwhelmingly sunny. Despite their origins in Japan, China, the Philippines, Puerto Rico and elsewhere, the magazine explained, the territory’s 430,000 residents were unified by English as an increasingly universal language, by church communities and by American schools. “There are so many races, pure and mixed,” LIFE declared, “that prejudice for or against any one of them is simply impractical.”

Impractical as it may have seemed from the outside, that prejudice certainly did exist, and the omission of this more troubling side of Hawaii’s history of race relations is not unique to this LIFE photo essay. Depictions of Hawaii, particularly by outsiders, have historically done a thorough job recounting the islands’ superficial qualities—laid back tropical vibes, idyllic scenic beauty—and glossing over the more troubling elements of the island’s history, like marginalization of the native Hawaiian population, internment of Japanese Americans during World War II and discrimination against Filipino laborers.

Perhaps this is why many Hawaiian residents receive the state’s annual statehood anniversary celebrations with lukewarm enthusiasm. Despite the fact that the vast majority of registered voters favored statehood in 1959, members of Hawaiian sovereignty groups still believe that the political and cultural silencing of the Hawaiian people was set in motion in 1893, when the U.S. overthrew the kingdom of Queen Lili’uokalani for control of the islands’ sugar plantations. Complex debates about sovereignty, recognition and a just path forward continue in full force today.

Elisofon’s photographs beautifully illustrate a story of unity and respect for differences. And that story is true—it’s just not the only one.

Liz Ronk, who edited this gallery, is the Photo Editor for LIFE.com. Follow her on Twitter @lizabethronk.

Mary Lou Parker, 4, plays with Letty Mai Pang, 5, a Chinese, in the playground of a polyracial Honolulu school.
Caption from LIFE. Mary Lou Parker, 4, plays with Letty Mai Pang, 5, a Chinese [schoolmate], in the playground of a polyracial Honolulu school. Eliot Elisofon—The LIFE Picture Collection/Getty Images
Young girl dancing in hula skirt.
A young girl dances in a hula skirt.Eliot Elisofon—The LIFE Picture Collection/Getty Images
Fishing net hanging out to dry in front of fisherman's house with young child underneath.
A fishing net hangs out to dry in front of a fisherman's house, while a young child sits underneath.Eliot Elisofon—The LIFE Picture Collection/Getty Images
Plantation worker coming home and washing off his boots.
A plantation worker comes home and washes off his boots after a day's work.Eliot Elisofon—The LIFE Picture Collection/Getty Images
Old Japanese man walking toward his house.
An elderly Japanese man walks toward his house.Eliot Elisofon—The LIFE Picture Collection/Getty Images
Children with American flag hanging out on a front porch.
Children with an American flag hang out on a front porch.Eliot Elisofon—The LIFE Picture Collection/Getty Images
Japanese boys jumping from sea wall while playing as soldiers in American army.
Japanese boys jump from a sea wall while playing soldiers in the American army.Eliot Elisofon—The LIFE Picture Collection/Getty Images
Fisherman by the sea.
A fisherman sits near fishing nets by the sea.Eliot Elisofon—The LIFE Picture Collection/Getty Images
At dawn Hawaiians put out to sea to pull in their fish nets. By law, their boat flies the American flag at bow.
Caption from LIFE. At dawn Hawaiians put out to sea to pull in their fish nets. By law, their boat flies the American flag at bow.Eliot Elisofon—The LIFE Picture Collection/Getty Images
An elderly man in Hawaii.
An elderly man sits in the sun in Hawaii.Eliot Elisofon—The LIFE Picture Collection/Getty Images
A fisherman with a spear.
A fisherman with a spear prepares to make a catch.Eliot Elisofon—The LIFE Picture Collection/Getty Images
Clemon Apeahi is Hawaiian. Rated as shiftless husbands, many Hawaiian men remain bachelors.
Caption from LIFE. Clemon Apeahi is Hawaiian. Rated as shiftless husbands, many Hawaiian men remain bachelors.Eliot Elisofon—The LIFE Picture Collection/Getty Images
Farmers in Hawaii.
A portrait of two farmers in Hawaii.Eliot Elisofon—The LIFE Picture Collection/Getty Images
A worker on the Dole plantation in Hawaii.
A worker on the Dole plantation carries an armload of pineapples.Eliot Elisofon—The LIFE Picture Collection/Getty Images
A worker on the Dole plantation in Hawaii.
A worker on the Dole plantation gathers ripe pineapples.Eliot Elisofon—The LIFE Picture Collection/Getty Images
Plant sprayers at the Dole Plantation in Hawaii.
Plant sprayers at the Dole Plantation in Hawaii pose for a portrait.Eliot Elisofon—The LIFE Picture Collection/Getty Images
University of Hawaii girls who are chosen by the student body to serve as Princesses and Queen in annual May Day ceremony held at the University.
Eight University of Hawaii students are chosen by the student body to serve as Princesses and Queen in the annual May Day ceremony held at the University.Eliot Elisofon—The LIFE Picture Collection/Getty Images
Caucasian-Hawaiian (Portuguese, Irish, Hawaiian) is Barbara Sylva, 20, Hawaii senator's daughter.
Caption from LIFE. Caucasian-Hawaiian (Portuguese, Irish, Hawaiian) is Barbara Sylva, 20, Hawaii senator's daughter.Eliot Elisofon—The LIFE Picture Collection/Getty Images
Girls dressed in hula skirts dancing inside.
Women dressed in hula skirts dance onstage.Eliot Elisofon—The LIFE Picture Collection/Getty Images
Asiatic-Caucasian (Korean, Spanish, Engish) is Lava Pak, 23, and Army translator, named for an eruption.
Caption from LIFE. Asiatic-Caucasian (Korean, Spanish, Engish) is Lava Pak, 23, an Army translator, named for an eruption.Eliot Elisofon—The LIFE Picture Collection/Getty Images
Two Hawaiian girls walking along the shore.
Two Hawaiian girls walk together along the shore.Eliot Elisofon—The LIFE Picture Collection/Getty Images
Waikiki tomboys, under a banyon on beach are (from left) Marion Woolsley, 14, Chinese-Hawaiian-English; Patricia Cameron, 16, Portuguese-Scotch-Irish; Beatrice Clarke, 16, Hawaiian-Chinese-German. Canoes are stored under roots.
Caption from LIFE. Waikiki tomboys, under a banyon on beach are (from left) Marion Woolsley, 14, Chinese-Hawaiian-English; Patricia Cameron, 16, Portuguese-Scotch-Irish; Beatrice Clarke, 16, Hawaiian-Chinese-German. Canoes are stored under roots.Eliot Elisofon—The LIFE Picture Collection/Getty Images
A couple in Hawaii.
A couple in Hawaii poses for a portrait against a fake landscape backdrop.Eliot Elisofon—The LIFE Picture Collection/Getty Images
People dancing at Rainbow Club U.S.O., Hawaii.
A man and woman dance together at the Rainbow Club U.S.O., Hawaii.Eliot Elisofon—The LIFE Picture Collection/Getty Images
People dancing at Rainbow Club U.S.O., Hawaii.
Several pairs dance at the Rainbow Club U.S.O., Hawaii.Eliot Elisofon—The LIFE Picture Collection/Getty Images
Indiana Quaker, Sam Lindley, married a Chinese Quaker and has two fair haired girls, Renie and Renda. He raises goats and works as librarian at the University of Hawaii. He studies Chinese, wants to visit China.
Caption from LIFE. Indiana Quaker, Sam Lindley, married a Chinese Quaker and has two fair haired girls, Renie and Renda. He raises goats and works as librarian at the University of Hawaii. He studies Chinese, wants to visit China.Eliot Elisofon—The LIFE Picture Collection/Getty Images
Chinese family includes elder Youngs, 78 and 71, and son, John, a painter. Chinese brought few wives from China because their bound feet were rated useless on plantations. Exclusion Act, which was repealed in 1943, shut out Chinese in 1900.
Caption from LIFE. Chinese family includes elder Youngs, 78 and 71, and son, John, a painter. Chinese brought few wives from China because their bound feet were rated useless on plantations. Exclusion Act, which was repealed in 1943, shut out Chinese in 1900.Eliot Elisofon—The LIFE Picture Collection/Getty Images

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Write to Eliza Berman at eliza.berman@time.com