Monday, May 8, 2023

Celebrating Asian American Pacific Islander Heritage Month: George Ariyoshi, first Asian-American to serve as governor



George Ariyoshi, born March 12, 1926 in Honolulu, Hawaii, is the first Asian American to serve as governor of a U.S. state.  He was elected as the third governor of Hawaii and is the longest serving governor for the state.

He began politics in 1954 when he was elected to the Hawaii Territorial House of Representatives.  In 1958 he was elected to the Hawaii Territorial Senate and then the next year, Hawaii State Senate.  

He was elected lieutenant governor in 1970 with Governor John Burns.  When Burns fell ill in October 1973, Ariyoshi stepped in as acting governor.  He was elected as governor in 1974 and served until 1986.  Term limits prevented him from running for another term. 


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