In 1897, as a white oligarchy made plans to allow the United States to annex Hawai\'i, Native Hawaiians organized a massive petition drive to protest.
With few exceptions, histories of Hawai\'i have been based exclusively on English.
Silva rediscovered the petition in the process of researching this book.
This event was unknown to many contemporary Hawaiians until Noenoe K.
Senate.
Ninety-five percent of the Native population signed the petition, causing the annexation treaty to fail in the U.
S.
In 1897, as a white oligarchy made plans to allow the United States to annex Hawai\'i, Native Hawaiians organized a massive petition drive to protest