Oahu, Hawaii
When Hawaii became the 50th U.S. state on Aug. 21, 1959, many residents celebrated the historic milestone. But the road to statehood had been decades in the making.
Although the first statehood bill was introduced in Congress in 1919, efforts stalled for years before finally achieving success in the late 1950s. President Dwight D. Eisenhower formally admitted Hawaii after Congress passed the Hawaii Admission Act. According to the National Archives, 93% of Hawaiian voters supported statehood in a territory-wide referendum.
World War II transformed Hawaii into a major U.S. military hub, while Hawaii’s growing population and economic development helped demonstrate its readiness for statehood. Tourism also boomed after Pan American World Airways launched regular jet service to Honolulu in 1959, dramatically reducing travel time from the mainland.
Hawaii’s statehood even changed the American flag. Although Hawaii officially joined the union in 1959 (just a few months after Alaska became the 49th state), the first 50-star U.S. flag did not debut until July 4, 1960.
Today, Hawaii remains the only U.S. state made up entirely of islands and the only one located entirely within the tropics.