Information AboutJohn A. Burns |
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John Anthony Burns ( March 30 , 1909 – April 5 , 1975 ) served as the second Governor of the State of Hawaii from 1962 to 1974 . Born in Fort Assinneboine, Montana , Burns was a resident of Hawaii since 1913 . Burns is often described as the father of the modern Democratic Party Of Hawai'i . From 1948 he held various leadership positions in the territorial Democratic Party, culminating in being chair of the territorial party in 1952 . He is credited with building a coalition with organized labor and Japanese-Americans to strengthen the Democratic Party. In 1956 he was elected Delegate from Hawaii. As Delegate he played a key role in lobbying for Hawaii statehood, a goal that was achieved on March 12 , 1959 when the statehood bill was signed by President Dwight D. Eisenhower . He sought to become the first Governor of the newly formed State of Hawaii, but lost the election to then-Territorial Governor William F. Quinn . Three years later in 1962 , Burns won the election to become Governor. He was re-elected in 1966 and 1970 . He became ill in October 1973 and then-Lt. Gov. George R. Ariyoshi became Acting Governor . The John A. Burns School Of Medicine , an institution of the University Of Hawaii At Manoa , is named for him. In a controversial move by Governor Benjamin J. Cayetano , the newly completed Interstate H-3 was named in Burns' honor. |
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