Our History - Our Way

Out of the turbulent 1960s, our program emerged from the national Civil Rights, Anti-Vietnam War, Ethnic Empowerment, and Students' Rights movements. In Hawaiʻi, ethnic studies played a pivotal role in faculty and student involvement in key land struggles such as Kalama Valley, Waiahole-Waikane, Kahoʻolawe, and Chinatown. Once established, we became a platform for learning, research, and community service, centering on indigeneity, race, class, gender, and social justice, all deeply connected to Hawaiʻi’s vibrant and multiethnic communities.

Visit the Center for Oral History's Social Movement in Hawaiʻi to learn more.