In February, ʻUluʻulu: the Henry Kuʻualoha Giugni Moving Image Archive of Hawaiʻi at the University of Hawai‘i – West O‘ahu and the Hawaiʻi Congressional Papers Collection at the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa Library launched the Hawaiʻi Congressional Media collection, an online home for digitized moving images from the archives of Hawaiʻiʻs post-statehood members of Congress.
The digital collection launched with 10.5 hours of footage from the collection of U.S. Senator Spark M. Matsunaga. A member of the famed 100th Infantry Battalion, Matsunaga represented Hawaiʻi in the U.S. Congress from 1963 until his death in 1990. He was instrumental in passing legislation for civil rights; reparations for Japanese Americans interned during World War II; space exploration; renewable energy resources; and peace, the last resulting in the establishment of the U.S. Institute for Peace in Washington, D.C.
Highlights from the collection include:
- An ad from Spark Matsunaga’s 1959 campaign for Lieutenant Governor. “It has always been my determination to devote my life to public service,” he tells voters.
- Recordings from the House recording studio, in which then-Congressman Matsunaga discusses topics like elections and developing new industries with federal money to keep young people in Hawaiʻi.
- Recordings of the 1988 Senate debate on redress for Japanese Americans incarcerated during World War II.
Spark Matsunaga for Lieutenant Governor campaign message 1959 reel 2 (Title 30694); U.S. Representative Spark M. Matsunaga, House Recording Studios 10/16/1968 (Title 30686); Senate debate on Bill 1009 Wartime Internment Reparations 4/21/1988 tape 8 (Title 30681), Hawaiʻi Congressional Media Collection, ‘Ulu‘ulu: The Henry Ku‘ualoha Giugni Moving Image Archive of Hawai‘i.
24 clips from the digitized recordings are available online; links to the complete recordings may be requested from ‘Uluʻulu. Mahalo to Donovan Balderama for making these selections!
Established in 2021, the ongoing partnership between ʻUluʻulu and the Hawaiʻi Congressional Papers Collection ensures that this important audiovisual documentation of Hawaiʻi’s political history will be preserved, digitized, and shared.
“The images and voices from this collection that have been newly revealed through digitization provide an invaluable glimpse into our state’s rich political past,” said ‘Ulu‘ulu head archivist Janel Quirante. “I’m so grateful for the partnership with UH Mānoa Library and thrilled that researchers and students can now view this amazing historical footage online.”
“Working with ‘Ulu’ulu leverages the strengths and expertise of both of our organizations to share these important moments in history with the public” said Congressional Papers Archivist Dawn Sueoka.
In 2024, ʻUluʻulu expects to digitize an additional 250 reels from the collections of Senator Fong, Senator Matsunaga, Senator Akaka, Representative Gill, Representative Saiki, Representative Abercrombie, and Representative Case. Among the reels slated for digitization are:
- Footage of the Fong beach home in Kahaluʻu, and of Senator Fong with President Nixon at the White House
- Senator Matsunagaʻs 16mm film reels
- Senator Akaka’s 1990 campaign ads and Senate swearing in, and recordings of selected field hearings
- Tom Gill for governor ad and 1974 campaign spots
- Pat Saiki’s Washington Report
- Neil Abercrombie campaign ads
- Ed Case campaign ads
ʻUluʻulu also preserves the moving image archives of Sen. Daniel K. Inouye. The Hawaiʻi Congressional Media collection is publicly available online at uluulu.hawaii.edu.
Archives & Manuscripts Department 