Historical1959
Hawaii Becomes 50th State
Hawaii was admitted to the Union as the 50th state, following a referendum in which 93 percent of voters favored statehood. Hawaii was the last territory to be admitted and the first state with an Asian American majority population.
Why It Matters
Hawaii's statehood expanded the geographic and cultural diversity of the United States and completed the current configuration of 50 states, reflecting the nation's evolution as a multiethnic democracy.