McKinley High School

In the ahupuaʻa of Honolulu, which lies in the moku of Kona here on Oʻahu, stands the home of the tigers.
We are speaking of McKinely High School.
Repping the colors of black and gold, McKinley High School has gone through many phases over the span of its existence.
Noted today as the oldest public high school on Oʻahu, it began in 1865 when it was established as Fort Street English Day School.
Following its first relocation a few years later, Fort Street School moved again into Keōua Hale and changed its name to Honolulu High School.
Prior, Keōua Hale was the palace to Princess Ruth Keʻelikōlani.
Today, this location is the home to Keʻelikōlani Middle School.
In 1907, Honolulu High School moved once again to what is now known as the Honolulu Museum of Art School and remained there until its enrollment grew too large.
The school changed its name once again to President William McKinley High School in honor of the United States president.
In 1923, the school made its final move here to its current location on King Street.
Interesting fact: it was President McKinley who finalized the annexation of Hawaiʻi despite the disapproval by majority of the Native Hawaiian population.
Following the Hawaiian Kingdom’s illegal overthrow in 1893, an effort to annex Hawaiʻi was made by the US but failed.
However, when President McKinley came to power in America, again they attempted to pass a Treaty of Annexation.
A Hawaiian delegation was sent to Washington DC to present 38,000 Native Hawaiian signatures of protest known as the Kūʻē Petitions.
Despite failing to receive enough votes to pass the Senate, US Congress ignored the failed annexation treaty and international law.
They went on to pass their own joint resolution known as “Newlands Resolution” in July of 1898 which led to Hawaiʻi’s annexation.
Hawaiʻi became the 50th state of the United States on August 21, 1959.
Did you know? Now you do!