Commemorating the birthday of Hawaii's Prince Kuhio, the youngest of three sons of Kauai High Chief David Kahalepouli Piikoi and Princess Kinoiki Kekaulike and the Territory of Hawaii's delegate to the U.S. Congress from 1903 to 1921.

Born in 1871, Jonah Kuhio Kalaniana`ole was known as the "Citizen Prince" and was in line to become king before the monarchy was overthrown in 1893. He was imprisonned after the overthrow. Upon his release, he traveled throughout the world vowing not to return to a Westernized Hawaii. He did return to Hawaii in 1902, however, after it had become a territory of the United States.

Kuhio is best remembered for his successful effort to get Congress to pass the 1920 Hawaiian Homes Commission Act, which provides homesteads for native Hawaiians. It was his dream to save the rapidly declining Hawaiian race from extinction. His plan was to return tenement dwellers to the land and encourage them to be self-sufficient farmers, ranchers and homesteaders on leased parcels of reserved land.

He helped form the first Hawaiian civic club in 1917 to stimulate civic efforts and education within the Hawaiian community and to promote Hawaiian culture.

Prince Kuhio died of heart disease on January 7, 1922, at the age of 50 and was buried at the royal mausoleum in Nuuanu Valley on Oahu.

State Holiday

Prince Kuhio Day is often celebrated as a 3-day weekend in Hawai'i, with the official celebration on a Monday. State and county government offices are closed on that day, but federal government offices remain open.