John A. Burns
Encyclopedia
John Anthony Burns served as the second Governor of Hawaii
from 1962 to 1974. Born in Fort Assinniboine
, Montana
, Burns was a resident of Hawaii
from 1913.
From 1948 he led a nonviolent resistance movement
known as the Revolution of 1954 through various leadership positions in the territorial Democratic Party, culminating in being chair of the territorial party in 1952. He is credited with building a coalition with the Democratic Party, Communist Party
, 442nd Infantry Regiment, ILWU, and other organized labor and Japanese-Americans to strengthen the Democratic Party.
In 1956 he was elected Delegate from Hawaii. As Delegate he played a key role in lobbying for Hawaii statehood, a goal that was achieved on March 12, 1959, when the statehood bill was signed by President Dwight D. Eisenhower
. He sought to become the first Governor of the newly formed State of Hawaii, but lost the election to Territorial Governor William F. Quinn
.
Three years later in 1962, Burns won the election to become governor. As Governor, Burns played a leading role in stimulating the state economy and attracting foreign tourism and investment, in the promote of tourism, in the promotion of Hawaii as a center for oceanography, in the construction of the new State Capitol building, in expanding the University of Hawaii and turning it into a first-class university attracting students and faculty from all over the world, in constructing the Honolulu Stadium to host the football games of the University of Hawaii and bowl games, in construction of an expanded Honolulu International Airport with a new reef-runaway, and in the construction of the H-3 Freeway. He also was a supporter of futuristics planning, establishing the Hawaii Commission on the Year 2000 which ultimately lead to the development of a Qualitry Growth Policy for the State of Hawaii. George Chaplin, Editor of the Honolulu Advertiser, served as Chairman of Hawaii's Commission on the Year 2000 while Rick Hopper, Hawaii's State Environmental Planning Coordinator, served as the staff person for the Hawaii Commission on the Year 2000 and was the principal author of the subsequent Quality Growth Policy for the State of Hawaii. For this latter effort, Bud Smelzer, editor of the Honolulu Star-Bulletin, served as Chairman of the advisory council. Both the Commission on the Year 2000 and Hawaii's Quality Growth Policy were intended to supplement Hawaii's State Land-Use Plan. Finally, Governor Burns made Hawaii a leader in environmental management, establishing the Office of Environmental Quality Control within the Governor's Office to coordinate state environmental policy and to review environmental impact statements on all major state actions.
Governor John A. Burns was re-elected in 1966 and 1970, each time with a different lieutenant governor
as his running mate
. Burns became ill from cancer to the point of incapacity in October 1973 and Burns' third elected lieutenant governor, George Ariyoshi
, became acting governor
through the end of Burns' third term, before Ariyoshi was elected in his own right as governor for the term beginning in 1974.
The John A. Burns School of Medicine
, an institution of the University of Hawaii at Manoa
, is named for him. In 1997, Governor Ben Cayetano
, named the newly completed Interstate H-3
in Burns' honor.
Governor of Hawaii
The Governor of Hawaii is the chief executive of the state of Hawaii and its various agencies and departments, as provided in the Hawaii State Constitution Article V, Sections 1 through 6. It is a directly elected position, votes being cast by popular suffrage of residents of the state...
from 1962 to 1974. Born in Fort Assinniboine
Fort Assinniboine
Fort Assinniboine, a fort in Montana and within the military Department of Dakota, was built in 1879, in the aftermath of the Great Sioux War of 1876-77 and the disastrous defeat of U.S. Army forces led by General Custer at the Battle of Little Big Horn on June 25, 1876. The fort is located in...
, Montana
Montana
Montana is a state in the Western United States. The western third of Montana contains numerous mountain ranges. Smaller, "island ranges" are found in the central third of the state, for a total of 77 named ranges of the Rocky Mountains. This geographical fact is reflected in the state's name,...
, Burns was a resident of Hawaii
Hawaii
Hawaii is the newest of the 50 U.S. states , and is the only U.S. state made up entirely of islands. It is the northernmost island group in Polynesia, occupying most of an archipelago in the central Pacific Ocean, southwest of the continental United States, southeast of Japan, and northeast of...
from 1913.
From 1948 he led a nonviolent resistance movement
Nonviolent resistance
Nonviolent resistance is the practice of achieving goals through symbolic protests, civil disobedience, economic or political noncooperation, and other methods, without using violence. It is largely synonymous with civil resistance...
known as the Revolution of 1954 through various leadership positions in the territorial Democratic Party, culminating in being chair of the territorial party in 1952. He is credited with building a coalition with the Democratic Party, Communist Party
Communist Party of Hawaii
The Communist Party of Hawaii was the regional party of the Communist Party USA in the United States Territory of Hawaii.-Appeal:The party targeted poor working class such as the stevedores and plantation workers in the Territory.-Unions:...
, 442nd Infantry Regiment, ILWU, and other organized labor and Japanese-Americans to strengthen the Democratic Party.
In 1956 he was elected Delegate from Hawaii. As Delegate he played a key role in lobbying for Hawaii statehood, a goal that was achieved on March 12, 1959, when the statehood bill was signed by President Dwight D. Eisenhower
Dwight D. Eisenhower
Dwight David "Ike" Eisenhower was the 34th President of the United States, from 1953 until 1961. He was a five-star general in the United States Army...
. He sought to become the first Governor of the newly formed State of Hawaii, but lost the election to Territorial Governor William F. Quinn
William F. Quinn
William Francis Quinn was the Governor of the Territory of Hawai'i from 1957 to 1959 and the Governor of the State of Hawai'i from 1959 to 1962. Originally appointed to the office by President Dwight D...
.
Three years later in 1962, Burns won the election to become governor. As Governor, Burns played a leading role in stimulating the state economy and attracting foreign tourism and investment, in the promote of tourism, in the promotion of Hawaii as a center for oceanography, in the construction of the new State Capitol building, in expanding the University of Hawaii and turning it into a first-class university attracting students and faculty from all over the world, in constructing the Honolulu Stadium to host the football games of the University of Hawaii and bowl games, in construction of an expanded Honolulu International Airport with a new reef-runaway, and in the construction of the H-3 Freeway. He also was a supporter of futuristics planning, establishing the Hawaii Commission on the Year 2000 which ultimately lead to the development of a Qualitry Growth Policy for the State of Hawaii. George Chaplin, Editor of the Honolulu Advertiser, served as Chairman of Hawaii's Commission on the Year 2000 while Rick Hopper, Hawaii's State Environmental Planning Coordinator, served as the staff person for the Hawaii Commission on the Year 2000 and was the principal author of the subsequent Quality Growth Policy for the State of Hawaii. For this latter effort, Bud Smelzer, editor of the Honolulu Star-Bulletin, served as Chairman of the advisory council. Both the Commission on the Year 2000 and Hawaii's Quality Growth Policy were intended to supplement Hawaii's State Land-Use Plan. Finally, Governor Burns made Hawaii a leader in environmental management, establishing the Office of Environmental Quality Control within the Governor's Office to coordinate state environmental policy and to review environmental impact statements on all major state actions.
Governor John A. Burns was re-elected in 1966 and 1970, each time with a different lieutenant governor
Lieutenant Governor of Hawaii
The Lieutenant Governor of Hawaii, concurrently the Secretary of State of Hawaii, is the assistant chief executive of that U.S. state and its various agencies and departments, as provided in the Hawaii State Constitution Article V, Sections 2 though 6. He or she is elected by popular suffrage of...
as his running mate
Running mate
A running mate is a person running together with another person on a joint ticket during an election. The term is most often used in reference to the person in the subordinate position but can also properly be used when referring to both candidates, such as "Michael Dukakis and Lloyd Bentsen were...
. Burns became ill from cancer to the point of incapacity in October 1973 and Burns' third elected lieutenant governor, George Ariyoshi
George Ariyoshi
George Ryoichi Ariyoshi , served as the third Governor of Hawaii from 1974 to 1986. He is a member of the Democratic Party. He assumed the governorship when John A. Burns was declared incapacitated. When he was elected, Ariyoshi became the first American of Asian descent to be elected governor of...
, became acting governor
Acting governor
An acting governor is a constitutional position created in some U.S. states when the governor dies in office or resigns. In some states, the governor may also be declared to be incapacitated and unable to function for various reasons, including illness and absence from the state for more than a...
through the end of Burns' third term, before Ariyoshi was elected in his own right as governor for the term beginning in 1974.
The John A. Burns School of Medicine
John A. Burns School of Medicine
The John A. Burns School of Medicine is a public, co-educational institution of the University of Hawaii at Mānoa in Honolulu, Hawaii and is one of the leading medical education institutions in the United States. In 1992, Harvard University identified the John A...
, an institution of the University of Hawaii at Manoa
University of Hawaii at Manoa
The University of Hawaii at Mānoa is a public, co-educational university and is the flagship campus of the greater University of Hawaii system...
, is named for him. In 1997, Governor Ben Cayetano
Ben Cayetano
Benjamin Jerome "Ben" Cayetano served as the fifth Governor of the State of Hawaii from 1994 to 2002. He is the first Filipino American to serve as a state governor in the United States.- Early years :...
, named the newly completed Interstate H-3
Interstate H-3
Interstate H-3 is an intrastate Interstate Highway located on the island of O'ahu in the state of Hawai'i in the United States. H-3 is also known as the John A. Burns Freeway...
in Burns' honor.