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Senator Hiram L. Fong

First Asian American elected to the U.S. Senate

Chronology

Hiram Leong Fong

1906-2004

1906- Hiram Fong is born on October 15 in Kalihi, Oahu, Hawaii, the seventh of what will eventually be eleven children to Lum Fong (Sau How Fong) and Chai Har Lum (Lum Shee Fong), both illiterate immigrants from Kwangtung, China

1910-1924-helps with family expenses by picking algarroba beans for cattle feed, catching and selling fish and crabs, shining shoes, selling newspapers, delivering poi, and caddying

1912- Enters Kalihi-Waena School where he skips 2^nd and 4^th grades

1918- Speaks at Kalihi-Waena School ceremonies

1920- Attends St. Louis

1924- Joins with members of his Mc Kinley class to form the Commercial Associates

1924- Graduates from McKinley High School, the first in his family to earn a high school diploma

1924-1927 Works at Pearl Harbor Navy Yard to earn money to go to the University of Hawaii

1927- Begins studies at the University of Hawaii while continuing to work part time for Aloha Motors, giving tours of temples, and writing for the Honolulu Advertiser

1929- Travels to Camp Perry, Ohio, his first trip away from Hawaii as part of the University of Hawaii Rifle team

1929- First uses the name “Hiram” as Editor of the University student newspaper (Ka Leo O Hawaii)

1930- Graduates from the University of Hawaii in three years with a BA in Political Science and serves as Editor of Ka Leo O Hawaii, associate Editor of the yearbook (Ka Palapala), and as adjutant in the senior ROTC program. He also was an oratory contest winner and a member of the debating, volleyball, and rifle teams.

1930-1932 Works at the Honolulu Suburban Water System to earn money to attend law school

1932- Enters Harvard Law School, borrows money to pay for tuition

1935- Graduates from Harvard Law School with a Doctorate of Jurisprudence

1935-1938 Serves as Honolulu Deputy Attorney General

1935- Passes the Hawaii Bar examination

1938- Marries long time sweetheart Ellyn Lo on June 25 at First Chinese Church of Christ on King Street in Honolulu, honeymoons on Maui

1938- Elected President of the Kalihi Improvement Association

1938- Wins first elected office as Representative of the 5^th District to the Territorial House of Representatives

1938-1954 Serves in the Territorial Legislature

1938- Member of Statehood Committee

1939- First son, Hiram Fong, Jr. born on October 13

1940- Becomes President of Ocean View Cemetery, Ltd.

1941- Purchases first home at 1258 Alewa Drive, Honolulu

1942- Becomes law partner with Katsuro Miho

1942- Changes name officially from Yau Leong Fong to Hiram Leong Fong on April 17

1942- Inducted in the U.S. Air Force, 7^th Fighter Command as a judge advocate attaining the rank of Major

1943- Son Rodney born on July 20

1944- Buys Kahaluu ocean front lot

1944-1948 Serves as Vice-Speaker of the House of Representatives of the Territorial Legislature

1945- Honorably discharged from the Air Force, continues in the reserve program and retires with the rank of Colonel

1946- Forms Fong, Miho, and Choy the first multi-ethnic law firm in Hawaii (later in 1957 Robinson joins the firm)

1945-1946- Buys Kapiolani Boulevard lot with Chun and Chang families to establish Market City Shopping Center

1946- Admitted to practice law before the Supreme Court

1947- Moves law practice from 77 Merchant Street to newly renovated Alakea Building at 197 South King Street

1947- Opens Alakea Drug Store with brother-in-law Phillip Lam in Alakea Building

1947- Member of Statehood Committee

1948-1954 Serves as Speaker of the House of Representatives of the Territorial Legislature

1948- Fraternal twins Merie-Ellen and Marvin born April 17

1950- Vice-President of the Hawaii State Constitutional Convention

1950- Testifies in Washington, D.C. in favor of Hawaiian statehood

1950- Buys 216 acres of farm land in Kahaluu

1950- Moves family into a newly built house on Alewa Drive, Honolulu

1952- Founding member of the Alpha Chapter of Phi Beta Kappa Honor Society at the University of Hawaii

1952- Helps found Finance Factors on June 1

1952- First Chinese Delegate to Republican National Convention

1953- Receives Honorary Doctor of Law degree from the University of Hawaii

1953- Helps found Finance Realty

1953- Named advisor to Overseas Chinese Affairs Commission by the Chinese Nationalist Government

1954- Testifies in Washington, D.C. in favor of Hawaiian statehood

1954- Loses seat in House of Representatives by 31 votes during Democratic sweep of the elections

1956- Delegate to Republican National Convention

1957- Helps found Grand Pacific Life Insurance Company, serves as President

1959- After statehood, elected to the United States Senate as the first Asian American on July 28 defeating Frank Fasi

1959- Sworn in as Hawaii ’s senior statehood senator on August 24, serves three terms

1959- Tours Asian countries at his own expense to gain information on the Far East

1960- Represents the United States as a Delegate to 150^th Anniversary celebration of Argentina ’s Independence

1960- Receives Honorary Doctor of Law degree from Tufts University

1960- Receives National Outstanding Service Award to Brotherhood from the National Conference of Christians and Jews

1960- Receives Honorary Doctor of Law degree from Lafayette University

1961- Serves as member of the U.S. Delegation to the Canada-United States Inter-parliamentary Conference, also in 1965, 1967, and 1968

1962- Instrumental in getting federal funding for H-1 Highway and the East-West Center at the University of Hawaii

1963- Receives Citation for Meritorious Service from the National Association of Retired Civil Employees

1964- Nominated for President as a favorite-son candidate at the Republican National Convention

1964- Re-elected to a full six year term as Hawaii ’s senior U.S. Senator defeating Tom Gill with the campaign slogan “Man of the Pacific”

1965- Co-authors the Immigration Reform Act of 1965 after championing equal access to immigration regardless of race or country of origin

1965- Serves as U.S. Observer at the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association Meeting in Wellington, New Zealand

1965- Bust placed in the National Historical Wax Museum in Washington, D.C.

1966- Serves as member of the U.S. Delegation to the 55^th Inter-parliamentary Union World Conference in Tehran, Iran

1968- Receives Honorary Doctor of Humane Letters degree from Long Island University

1968- Serves as member of the U.S. Delegation to the Mexico-U.S. Inter-parliamentary Conference in Honolulu, Hawaii

1968- Nominated for the second time for President as a favorite-son candidate at the Republican National Convention

1970- Receives Horatio Alger Award for outstanding success in law, business, and public service despite humble beginnings, the first person from Hawaii so honored

1970- Re-elected to a third term as Hawaii ’s senior U.S. Senator defeating Cecil Heftel

1970- Receives Honorary Doctor of Law degree from Lynchburg College

1970- Receives Citation for Outstanding Public Service by the Japanese American Citizens League

1970- Receives Social and Rehabilitation Service Medallion for work on behalf of disabled citizens

1971- Receives Golden Plate Award by the American Academy of Achievement

1971- Receives Honorary Doctor of Law degree from Lincoln University and serves as an honorary member of the Lincoln University Foundation Board of Directors

1971- Member Board of Visitors of the U.S. Military Academy at West Point

1973- Receives Award for Outstanding Service to the Nation from the Organization of Chinese Americans

1974- Receives Honorary Doctor of Law degree from University of Guam

1974- Receives Certificate of Award from the National Society of the Daughters of Founders and Patriots of America

1974- Receives Certificate of Service to Outstanding Contribution to the Promotion of Understanding and Unity among the Peoples of Pacific-Asian World from Pacific Asian Studies Association

1974- Serves as member of the U.S. Delegation to the 61^st Inter-parliamentary Union World Conference in Tokyo , Japan

1974- First visit to China as a member of the Congressional Delegation to the People’s Republic of China

1974- Member of fact finding and inspection tour of the U.S. State and Defense Departments installations in Japan , Okinawa , Korea , and the Republic of China

1974- Member Board of Visitors of the U.S. Naval Academy, Annapolis

1975- Purchases 507 acres of conservation land along the Koolau Mountains from the Sing Chong Company adjacent to his Kahaluu farm land

1975- Receives Honorary Doctor of Law degree from St. John’s University

1975- Member of American Delegation to the funeral of President Chiang-Kai-shek of the Republic of China with Vice-President Nelson Rockefeller

1976- Receives Honorary Doctor of Law degree from California Western School of Law

1976- Receives of the Order of the Brilliant Star with Grand Cordon from the Republic of China

1976- Celebrates 70^th birthday with 500 guests at the Hilton Hawaiian Village Coral Ballroom

1977- Decorated with the Order of Diplomatic Service Merit Gwanghwan Medal by the Republic of Korea

1977- Retires from the United States Senate on January 2 after seventeen years of service under five Presidents (Eisenhower, Kennedy, Johnson, Nixon, and Ford)

1978- Receives Honorary Doctor of Law degree from Soochow University and the China Academy in the Republic of China

1981- Receives Outstanding Asian American Award from the United States-Asian Institute

1982- Serves as Grand Marshall of Aloha Week Parade in Honolulu

1985- Founding member of the Aloha Liberty Foundation

1986- Opens Senator Fong’s Plantation and Gardens as a visitor destination with 725 acres of natural and cultivated flora in historic Kahaluu

1986- Celebrates 80^th birthday with 800 guests at the Sheraton Waikiki Hotel

1989- Establishes the Hiram Leong Fong & Ellyn Lo Fong Foundation

1991- Receives Distinguished Alumnus Award from the University of Hawaii

1991- Receives of the Citizen Among Citizens Award from the Boys and Girls Club of Hawaii

1991- Receives the Kulia I Ka Nu`u Award from the Public Schools of Hawaii Foundation

1992- Takes six grandchildren on a summer trip to Taiwan , China and the ancestral village in Kwangtung , China

1995- Receives Hawaii Business Hall of Fame Award from Junior Achievement

1996- Receives Outstanding Citizen Achievement Award from the Organization of Chinese Americans

1996- Celebrates 90^th birthday with 1,000 guests at Senator Fong’s Plantation and Gardens

1997– Proclaimed Model Father of the Year by the United Chinese Society

1997- Establishes Hiram L. Fong Endowment in Arts and Sciences at the University of Hawaii

1997- Receives Ha`aheo Award from the American Board of Trial Advocates

1999- Receives Distinguished Service Award from the Organization of Chinese American Women at their Biennial National Conference

2001- Honored as Citizen of the Year by the United Chinese Society

2002- Receives of the University of Hawaii Founders’ Lifetime Achievement Award

2003- Memorabilia from Sen. Fong’s campaign trail, his important legislative issues, and his UH days on display in Hamilton Library, University of Hawaii at Manoa

2004- Dies at his Alewa Heights home on August 18, two months short of his 98^th birthday

2005- Hawaii Legislature passes House Bill 283 Establishing a Commission to Recognize and Honor Senator Hiram L. Fong

2005- Included in Honolulu's 100 most influential citizens of the past century. http://www.honolulumagazine.com/hon100/1105_100_31-40.html

2006- The U.S. Postal Service dedicates the Kapalama Station as the Hiram L. Fong Post Office Building, on August 18, 2006.

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