List of governors of American Samoa
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This is a list of governors, etc. of the part of the Samoan Islands (now comprising American Samoa) under United States administration since 1900.
From 1900 to 1978 governors were appointed by the federal government of the United States. Since that time they have been elected for 4-year terms by the people of American Samoa.
History
When the Department of the Interior sent four governors in a three-year period, local Samoans began advocating for choosing their own governors. In the late 1940s, a Navy Governor, as well as an Interior Governor, had expressed their beliefs that High Orator Chief Tuiasosopo would be a suitable governor. In 1956, President Dwight D. Eisenhower appointed Peter Tali Coleman as Governor of American Samoa, the first person of Samoan descent to occupy that role. Coleman, a member of the Republican Party, was a U.S. Army officer with a law degree from Georgetown University. After his presidential appointment, local residents became increasingly aware that Samoans can do the job just as good as the federal government, which until now had appointed governors to the islands. Soon local lawmakers such as Governor Owen Aspinall and H. Rex Lee favored the idea of locals being elected governors. On the other side was Governor John Morse Haydon, who openly opposed the idea. An administrative judge criticized Haydon and following a Pago Pago hearing, the Department of the Interior began distancing itself from Haydon and soon replaced him with a new governor. The concept of an elected governor was proposed with Senate Bill 20 and a Gubernatorial Commission was created in order to consider ways to implement the concept of electing governors.[1]
In a 1977 article from the New York Times, it describes how opposition to an appointed Governor began with the appointment of Earl B. Ruth. Within eighteen months, the congressman from North Carolina had removed several Samoans in administrative posts, who had been appointed by former Governor John Morse Haydon. Governor Ruth was soon recalled to Washington, DC and was later quoted for having called Samoans "lazy, thieving liars." After having turned down the proposal to elect their own Governor in three plebiscites, American Samoans in a 1976 referendum overwhelmingly approved the measure in which allowed them to elect that official. The first popularly elected Governor was Peter Tali Coleman that same year.[2]
Te'o J. Fuavai was one of the earliest proponents of the movement to elect Governors in American Samoa, as opposed to Governors being appointed by the federal government. Fuavai sponsored a resolution that proposed the Department of the Interior to permit elections.[3]
Appointed governors (1900–1978)
| Term | Portrait | Incumbent | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| February 17, 1900 – November 27, 1901 | File:Benjamin Franklin Tilley - NH 67313.jpg | Benjamin Franklin Tilley, Commandant | April 17, 1900: Treaty of Cession of TutuilaScript error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters". |
| November 27, 1901 – December 16, 1902 | File:Uriel Sebree.jpg | Uriel Sebree, Commandant | |
| December 16, 1902 – May 5, 1903 | File:Henry Minett 1877.jpg | Henry Minett, acting Commandant | |
| May 5, 1903 – January 30, 1905 | File:Seal of American Samoa.svg | Edmund Beardsley Underwood, Commandant/Governor | July 16, 1904: Treaty of Cession of Manu'aScript error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters". |
| January 30, 1905 – May 21, 1908 | File:Charles Brainard Taylor Moore.png | Charles Brainard Taylor Moore, Governor | |
| May 21, 1908 – November 10, 1910 | File:Seal of American Samoa.svg | John Frederick Parker, Governor | |
| November 10, 1910 – March 14, 1913 | File:William Michael Crose.jpg | William Michael Crose, Governor | July 17, 1911: U.S. Naval Station Tutuila renamed American SamoaScript error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters". |
| March 14 – July 14, 1913 | File:Nathan W. Post.png | Nathan Post, acting Governor | First term |
| July 14, 1913 – October 2, 1914 | File:Seal of American Samoa.svg | Clark Daniel Stearns, Governor | |
| October 2, 1914 – December 6, 1914 | File:Nathan W. Post.png | Nathan Post, acting Governor | Second term |
| December 6, 1914 – March 1, 1915 | File:Charles Armijo Woodruff.jpg | Charles Armijo Woodruff, acting Governor | |
| March 1, 1915 – June 10, 1919 | File:John Martin Poyer.jpg | John Martin Poyer, Governor | |
| June 10, 1919 – November 3, 1920 | File:Warren J. Terhune (US Navy officer).png | Warren Terhune, Governor | Committed suicide |
| November 11, 1920 – March 1, 1922 | File:Seal of American Samoa.svg | Waldo A. Evans, Governor | |
| March 1, 1922 – September 4, 1923 | File:EdwinTaylorPollock.jpg | Edwin Taylor Pollock, Governor | |
| September 4, 1923 – March 17, 1925 | File:Seal of American Samoa.svg | Edward Stanley Kellogg, Governor | |
| March 17, 1925 – September 9, 1927 | File:Henry F. Bryan.jpg | Henry Francis Bryan, Governor | |
| September 9, 1927 – August 2, 1929 | File:Seal of American Samoa.svg | Stephen Victor Graham, Governor | February 20, 1929: U.S. Congress recognized the cession of Tutuila and Manu'a by their chiefs, with retrospective to 16 July 1904.Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters". |
| August 2, 1929 – March 24, 1931 | File:Gatewood Sanders Lincoln.PNG | Gatewood Lincoln, Governor | First term |
| March 24 – April 22, 1931 | File:James S. Spore.jpg | James Sutherland Spore, acting Governor | |
| April 22 – July 17, 1931 | File:Arthur Tenney Emerson.png | Arthur Emerson, acting Governor | |
| July 17, 1931 – May 12, 1932 | File:Gatewood Sanders Lincoln.PNG | Gatewood Lincoln, Governor | Second term |
| May 12, 1932 – April 10, 1934 | File:George Landenberger 1932.jpg | George Landenberger, Governor | |
| April 10–17, 1934 | File:Thomas C Latimore 1914.jpg | Thomas C. Latimore, acting Governor | |
| April 17, 1934 – January 15, 1936 | File:Seal of American Samoa.svg | Otto Dowling, Governor | |
| January 15–20, 1936 | File:Seal of American Samoa.svg | Thomas Benjamin Fitzpatrick, acting Governor | |
| January 20, 1936 – June 3, 1938 | File:MacGillivray Milne head.jpg | MacGillivray Milne, Governor | |
| June 26, 1938 – July 30, 1940 | File:Edward W. Hanson.jpg | Edward Hanson, Governor | |
| July 30 – August 8, 1940 | File:Jesse Rink Wallace.jpg | Jesse Wallace, acting Governor | |
| August 8, 1940 – June 5, 1942 | File:Seal of American Samoa.svg | Laurence Wild, Governor | Henry Louis Larsen served as Military Governor from January 17 to April 25, 1942Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters". |
| June 5, 1942 – February 8, 1944 | File:Seal of American Samoa.svg | John Gould Moyer, Governor | |
| February 8, 1944 – January 27, 1945 | File:Seal of American Samoa.svg | Allen Hobbs, Governor | |
| January | File:Captain Ralph Waldo Hungerford.jpg | Ralph Hungerford, Governor | |
| September 3–10, 1945 | File:Seal of American Samoa.svg | Samuel Canan, acting Governor | |
| September 10, 1945 – April 22, 1947 | File:Seal of American Samoa.svg | Harold Houser, Governor | |
| April 22, 1947 – June 15, 1949 | File:Vernon Huber.jpg | Vernon Huber, Governor | |
| July 7, 1949 – February 23, 1951 | File:Thomas Darden.jpg | Thomas Darden, Governor |
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Civilian governors (1951–1978)
| Portrait | Governor | Took office | Left office | Party | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| File:Phelps Phelps.jpg | style="background: Template:Party color" | | Phelps Phelps (1897–1981)Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters". |
February 23, 1951 | June 20, 1952 | Republican |
| File:John Elliott.jpg | style="background: Template:Party color" | | John C. Elliott (1919–2001)Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters". |
July 16, 1952 | November 23, 1952 | Democratic |
| File:No image.png | style="background: Template:Party color" | | James Arthur Ewing (1916–1996)Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters". |
November 28, 1952 | March 4, 1953 | Democratic |
| File:Lawrence M. Judd (PP-74-3-007).jpg | style="background: Template:Party color" | | Lawrence M. Judd (1887–1968)Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters". |
March 4, 1953 | August 5, 1953 | Republican |
| File:Richard Barrett Lowe.jpg | style="background: Template:Party color" | | Richard Barrett Lowe (1902–1972)Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters". |
August 5, 1953 | October 15, 1956 | Republican |
| File:Peter Tali Coleman.jpg | style="background: Template:Party color" | | Peter Tali Coleman (1919–1997)Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters". |
October 13, 1956 | May 24, 1961 | Republican |
| File:Hyrum Rex Lee.jpg | style="background: Template:Party color" | | H. Rex Lee (1910–2001)Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters". |
May 24, 1961 | July 31, 1967 | Democratic |
| File:Owen Aspinall.jpg | style="background: Template:Party color" | | Owen Aspinall (1927–1997)Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters". |
August 1, 1967 | July 31, 1969 | Democratic |
| File:No image.png | style="background: Template:Party color" | | John Morse Haydon (1920–1991)Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters". |
August 1, 1969 | October 14, 1974 | Republican |
| File:No image.png | style="background: Template:Party color" | | Frank Mockler (1909–1993)Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters". (acting)Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters". |
October 14, 1974 | February 6, 1975 | Republican |
| File:Earl B. Ruth.jpg | style="background: Template:Party color" | | Earl B. Ruth (1916–1989)Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters". |
February 6, 1975 | September 30, 1976 | Republican |
| File:No image.png | style="background: Template:Party color" | | Frank Barnett (1933–2016)Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters". |
October 1, 1976 | May 27, 1977 | Republican |
| File:Hyrum Rex Lee.jpg | style="background: Template:Party color" | | H. Rex Lee (1910–2001)Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters". |
May 28, 1977 | January 3, 1978 | Democratic |
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Elected governors (1978–present)
| S. No. | Portrait | Governor | Tenure | Party | Elected | Lieutenant Governor | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | File:Peter Tali Coleman.jpg | Peter Tali Coleman (1919–1997)Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters". |
January 3, 1978 – January 3, 1985 |
Republican | 1977 1980 |
Tufele Liamatua | ||
| 2 | File:AP Lutali.jpg | A. P. Lutali (1919–2002)Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters". |
January 3, 1985 – January 2, 1989 |
Democratic | 1984 | Eni Faleomavaega | ||
| 3 | File:Peter Tali Coleman.jpg | Peter Tali Coleman (1919–1997)Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters". |
January 2, 1989 – January 3, 1993 |
Republican | 1988 | Galea'i Peni Poumele | ||
| Gaioi Tufele Galeai | ||||||||
| 4 | File:AP Lutali.jpg | A. P. Lutali (1919–2002)Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters". |
January 3, 1993 – January 3, 1997 |
Democratic | 1992 | Tauese Sunia | ||
| 5 | File:GovSunia.jpg | Tauese Sunia (1941–2003)Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters". |
January 3, 1997 – March 26, 2003 |
Democratic | 1996 2000 |
Togiola Tulafono | ||
| – | File:Togiola Tulafono.jpg | Togiola Tulafono (born 1947)Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters". |
March 26, 2003 – April 7, 2003 |
Democratic | 2004 2008 |
Himself | ||
| 6 | April 7, 2003 – January 3, 2013 |
Faoa Aitofele Sunia | ||||||
| 7 | File:Lolo Moliga by James Kneubuhl.jpg | Lolo Matalasi Moliga (born 1947)Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters". |
January 3, 2013 – January 3, 2021 |
Independent | 2012 2016 |
Lemanu Peleti Mauga | ||
| Democratic | ||||||||
| 8 | File:Lemanu Peleti Mauga (cropped).png | Lemanu Peleti Mauga (born 1960)Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters". |
January 3, 2021 – January 3, 2025 |
Democratic | 2020 | Eleasalo Ale | ||
| 9 | File:Governor of American Samoa Pulaali'i Tuiteleleapaga Iuli Nikolao Pula.jpg | Pula Nikolao Pula (born 1955)Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters". |
January 3, 2025 – present |
Republican | 2024 | Pulu Ae Ae Jr. | ||
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Succession
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See also
References
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- ↑ Sunia, Fofō I. F. (1998). The Story of the Legislature of American Samoa: In Commemoration of the Golden Jubilee 1948-1998. Pago Pago, AS: Legislature of American Samoa. Pages 236-237. Template:ISBN.
- ↑ “GOVERNOR IS ELECTED IN AMERICAN SAMOA: Peter Coleman Is the First to Be Picked by Ballot - Leaders Were Named By U.S. for 77 Years.” New York Times (Nov. 24, 1977). Page 38.
- ↑ Sunia, Fofō I. F. (1998). The Story of the Legislature of American Samoa: In Commemoration of the Golden Jubilee 1948-1998. Pago Pago, AS: Legislature of American Samoa. Page 271. Template:ISBN.
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