Sanford B. Dole

Biography

Sanford B. Dole, born in Honolulu to a family of American missionaries, became one of the most prominent leaders of the Hawaiian Islands as the Republic of Hawaii took shape in the 1890s. A lawyer by training, he presided over the provisional government following the overthrow of the monarchy and was chosen as the republic's first president, guiding Hawaii through a complex period of constitutional and diplomatic change.

When the islands became a U.S. territory, Dole served as the inaugural territorial governor and later as a federal judge, working to stabilize the new civil government while continuing to advocate for Hawaiian interests. His long life of public service left a lasting imprint on Hawaii's legal and political institutions.