Hawaii became a state in 1959 on August 21st. Many  rupublican segregationists  opposed Hawaiian statehood on the grounds that it would tip the balance of power in the  senate to start a more rapid civil rights campaign as well as the states unique states as a white minority demography. Once the islands achieved statehood a massive progressive and liberalization in industry, politics, education, and life style soon followed. Liberal democrats have held virtually every elected office in the state since it's inception into the union more then  55 years ago. Our current president Barak Obama was born in a Honolulu hospital in 1961, our first Hawaiian born president.