From Hanapēpē to Selma: DAGS Showcases Hawaiʻi’s History and Public Service

One of the 28 photographs that were donated by Jeannine Herron, widow of photographer Matt Herron, who captured the images during the historic 1965 Selma to Montgomery march led by Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Photo courtesy: Matt Herron, Department of Special Collections and University Archives.

The Department of Accounting and General Services (DAGS) is advancing several initiatives that preserve the state’s history while reinforcing government accountability.

On Kauaʻi, DAGS awarded a $125,000 construction contract to Pacific Blue Construction, LLC for a memorial honoring the 1924 Battle of Hanapēpē, one of Hawaiʻi’s defining labor conflicts. Construction is scheduled to begin September 1, with completion expected in February 2027. The Kauaʻi District Office is managing this project.

The monument will stand at the Hanapēpē Chinese, Filipino and Portuguese Cemetery, where 16 Filipino strikers killed during the conflict are buried in a mass grave. The design features two concrete columns separated by a symbolic gap, representing the opposing sides and the lasting impact of the tragedy.

The Hawaiʻi State Archives, a DAGS division, also unveiled 28 historic photographs documenting Hawaiʻi’s participation in the 1965 Selma to Montgomery civil rights march. Donated by the widow of photographer Matt Herron, the collection captures members of Hawaiʻi’s delegation sharing lei with fellow marchers, symbolizing aloha and solidarity.

The collection was one of Hawaiʻi’s official contributions to the America250 commemoration, alongside the Turner Letters, a rare collection of World War II correspondence from soldiers of the 100th Infantry Battalion.