Overview

Heléne Hale settled on the Island of Hawai'i in 1947. As a black woman at that time, she could not find a suitable job on the US mainland due to racial prejudice. She began her career in Kona as a teacher and then entered politics. In 1963, she became the first woman to serve in a leadership position since Queen Lili'uokalani 70 years earlier. Heléne continued to serve in leadership positions for over 50 years. She wanted to make government work for all people, not just people with money and power and she wanted women to become leaders because at that time, only men were. Throughout her life she demonstrated qualities of a leader: compassion, integrity, courage and vision. Heléne was dedicated to working for peace and justice, spreading the Aloha spirit wherever she went. Learning about Heléne's life offers a roadmap for contributing to your community in your own way. In her words, Heléne asked to be remembered as having ""strived to protect our environment, to improve the quality of life for all people, including children, the elderly, the disadvantaged, to preserve our Hawaiian heritage and to bring peace to the world.""

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Heléne Hilyer Hale's life story provides a great example for everyone, but especially for our youth today. Her stories and experiences illustrate how a life dedicated to family, service, and civic engagement can make a difference and contribute to the well-being of our communities. Hale's legacy continues to inspire us all! - Kerri A. Inglis, PhD, Professor & Chair, Department of History, University of Hawai'i at Hilo

Author Information

S. Barbara Hilyer spent her public school teaching career in Ashland, Oregon, where she taught elementary school as well as middle and high school social studies, including American History. She holds a Master's Degree in Curriculum and Instructional Leadership. Growing up white in Washington state, Barbara's father never told her anything about his family. Ten years after his death, she learned that his sister was Heléne Hale, an African American politician living in Hawai'i. In 1988, after meeting her aunt, Barbara began to spend more time in Hilo, Hawai'i, where she and Heléne were able to make up for 25 years of lost time. Barbara has also written ""Legacy Lost: Passing Across the Color Line"" to tell the story of her family members who were driven to seek opportunities on different sides of the color line. In spite of coming from a prominent mixed-race African American family in Minnesota, Barbara's father chose to raise her as white due to the limited opportunities available for black people at the time. His sister Heléne moved to Hawai'i, where she found a racially diverse community in which to raise her mixed-race family. Getting to know Heléne allowed Barbara to re-establish many family connections.

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