Kalakaua Circumnavigated Globe Seeking Immigrants

In 1881, Hawaiian king Kalakaua, the last king of the Hawaiian Kingdom, began a world tour to keep Hawaiian culture and its population from disappearing after the 1878 census counted only 44,088 people of Hawaiian ethnicity. During the 281-day journey through Asia, the Middle East, Europe, and the United States, he met world leaders and sought immigrant workers, families, and unmarried women willing to build lives in Hawaii. His negotiations jump-started new immigration, with the first arrivals reaching Hawaii less than a year later. Kalakaua completed the journey on October 29, becoming the first reigning monarch to circumnavigate the globe.

Previous Fact Next Fact