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The Honolulu Advertiser
Posted on: Friday, September 8, 2006

Plaque to commemorate 1924 Hanapepe Massacre

Advertiser Staff

LIHU'E, Kaua'i — A Hanapepe Massacre marker — remembering the 1924 Kaua'i labor battle that left 20 people dead — will be unveiled tomorrow by members of the Filipino community, historians and others at Hanapepe Town Park.

The commemorative plaque is the result of a collaborative effort that includes: the Kaua'i Filipino Centennial Celebration Committee, the state Filipino Centennial Celebration Commission, the Kaua'i mayor's office and the Kaua'i Historical Society, with help from various organizations and individuals in the Filipino community and the state's labor movement.

A public program, which begins at 1 p.m., will include music, talks and a panel discussion about the Hanapepe Massacre followed by a question-answer session with historians.

The marker calls to attention a dark piece of Kaua'i history — the confrontation between Filipino strikers and law enforcement officers in Hanapepe town on Sept. 9, 1924.

At that time, Filipino plantation workers were paid $1 a day, while Chinese and Japanese workers were paid $2. Striking Filipino workers were demanding wage parity. The clash between strikers and law enforcement officers left 16 strikers and four deputies dead.