Save Our Surf
Encyclopedia
Save Our Surf was started in late 1964 by John Kelly, Jr. as a protest organization when plans were unveiled by the Army Corps of Engineers and the state of Hawaii
to "broaden" the beaches of Waikiki
. Using old fashioned political techniques- hand-bills, demonstrations and colorful presentations at public meetings - SOS quickly developed strong grassroots support in the community at large and expanded to mobilize forces from the community for confrontations with the establishment in the era of "people power".
The principal spokesman for the group was John Kelly. As described by Kelly in 1971, the SOS strategy was based on three simple concepts: respect the intelligence of the people, get the facts to them and help the people develop an action program.
John Kelly, Jr. died on October 3, 2007 . Some of the work of SOS is continued by the Surfrider Foundation, for instance the Save Ma'alaea campaign.
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...
to "broaden" the beaches of Waikiki
Waikiki
Waikiki is a neighborhood of Honolulu, in the City and County of Honolulu, on the south shore of the island of Oahu, in Hawaii. Waikiki Beach is the shoreline fronting Waikīkī....
. Using old fashioned political techniques- hand-bills, demonstrations and colorful presentations at public meetings - SOS quickly developed strong grassroots support in the community at large and expanded to mobilize forces from the community for confrontations with the establishment in the era of "people power".
The principal spokesman for the group was John Kelly. As described by Kelly in 1971, the SOS strategy was based on three simple concepts: respect the intelligence of the people, get the facts to them and help the people develop an action program.
History
Save Our Surf was instrumental in preventing offshore development around the Islands and saving 140 surfing sites between Pearl Harbor and Koko Head.John Kelly, Jr. died on October 3, 2007 . Some of the work of SOS is continued by the Surfrider Foundation, for instance the Save Ma'alaea campaign.
External links
- Plansea.org - Save Our Surf and Oceans
- Ed Greevy - Save Our Surf Photographs and recollection by Ed Greevy
- Hawaii SOS Stirs Ecology Wave OUR ENVIRONMENT by Stewart Udall and John Stansbury, September 1971
- Save Our Surf Digital Collection University of Hawaii at Manoa