Join us for the opening reception of the "Eugenics in Hawai'i" table exhibit, an exploration of early anthropological research in Hawai‘i influenced by scientific racism.

Event Details:
Date: Thursday, November 9
Location: Hale La‘akea Library
Time: 1:30 p.m. to 2:00 p.m. Opening Ceremony & light refreshments on the Library Lanai
2:00 p.m. - 2:45 p.m. Guest Speaker event in the Library Atrium, first floor
2:45 p.m. - 3:45 p.m. Self-guided tour of the exhibit, Library main floor

This exhibit, presented in partnership with Bishop Museum, aims to shed light on the now-discredited theory of eugenics. It will run from November 9 through December 15, and will be open for viewing during our library hours, Monday through Friday, from 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. (Please note that the library is closed on weekends and state holidays.)

We are honored to have Michael Wilson, a Bishop Museum Exhibit Designer, as our guest speaker. He will provide insights into the exhibit and its historical context. The presentation will take place at 2:00 p.m., but we encourage you to join us at 1:30 p.m. for light refreshments in the library breezeway.

The "Eugenics in Hawai'i" table exhibit challenges the notion that race is a biological truth, countering the popular anthropological theories of the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. These attempts to turn the study of race into an objective science left a lasting and destructive legacy. The exhibit features a reproduction of Pierre Marie Dumoutier’s cephalometer, designed to take head measurements to classify people into racial categories, as well as reproductions of hair and eye color charts to further measure physical differences in population.

We would like to extend our heartfelt gratitude to Dr. Jacqueline Maly for her generous support, which made this exhibit possible.

If you have any questions or need more information about the event, please feel free to reach out to our Head Librarian, Sarah Sur, at 808-235-7435.