Daniel Akaka
1924–2018 (age 94)
U.S. Senator
Biography
Daniel Akaka broke barriers as the first Native Hawaiian to serve in the United States Senate, representing Hawaii with a commitment to education, veterans’ rights, and the preservation of the islands’ unique culture and natural resources.
He built his political career on listening to constituents, championing the rights of Native Hawaiians, and bringing the aloha spirit to Washington, and those qualities remained evident as he spent his final years near the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific.