Frank Elliott Barnett (July 20,1933 –July 15,2016) was the governor of American Samoa from October 1,1976,to May 27,1977. [2] [3] Before becoming governor,he was a Federal Bureau of Investigation agent and a Tennessee attorney. [4] He served as the first lieutenant governor of American Samoa for two years prior to his governorship. [4] While Governor,a number of Samoans signed a petition accusing him of abusing local officials;others signed a counter-petition supporting him,and the charges were eventually dropped. This arose from his firing of Mere Betham,a native who had been serving as Samoan Director of Education,an action he defended as necessary to improve education on the island,but others decried as racist;Barnett reinstated Betham one week after dismissing her. [5]
Barnett stepped down early at the request of the United States Department of the Interior,which sought the return of former Governor H. Rex Lee to ensure a smooth transition between Interior-appointed and locally elected governors. [6] Lee was appointed by President John F. Kennedy to modernize American Sāmoa and eliminate its reputation as “America’s shame in the South Pacific.” [7]
Barnett graduated from Knoxville High School in Knoxville,Tennessee in 1950. He served in the United States Marine Corps. Barnett went to University of Tennessee and later received his law degree in 1959 from University of Tennessee College of Law. He practiced law in Knoxville,Tennessee and was involved with the Republican Party. [8] [9]
Barnett's wife was Carolyn Barnett. They had two children. [8]
Eni Fa'aua'a Hunkin Faleomavaega Jr. was an American Samoan politician and attorney who served as the territory's third lieutenant governor,from 1985 to 1989 and non-voting delegate to the United States House of Representatives,from 1989 to 2015. As a delegate,Faleomavaega served on committees and spoke on the House floor;however,he was not permitted to vote on the final passage of any legislation. He also was the father-in-law of former professional American football fullback Fui Vakapuna.
The flag of American Samoa consists of a red-edged white triangle pointing towards the hoist charged with a bald eagle clutching a war club and fly-whisk,with dark blue upper and lower triangles. Adopted in April 1960 to replace the "Stars and Stripes" as the official flag of the territory,it has been the flag of the Territory of American Samoa since that year. The colors used epitomize the traditional colors of the United States and Samoa.
Tofilau Eti Alesana was a Samoan politician who served as the fifth prime minister of Samoa from 1982 to 1985,and again from 1988 until his resignation in 1998.
American Samoa Community College (ASCC) is a public land-grant community college in the village of Mapusaga,American Samoa. Only legal residents of American Samoa who have graduated from high school or obtained a General Equivalency Diploma are admitted to ASCC.
Fagatogo is the downtown area of Pago Pago. Located in the low grounds at the foot of Matafao Peak,it was the location of the first American settlement on Tutuila Island. It includes the sub-village of Malaloa. Today,Fagatogo is the government,commercial,financial,and shipping center of Tutuila. It is also the administrative capital of American Samoa. It is the location of the American Samoa Fono (legislature),and is listed in the Constitution of American Samoa as the territory's official seat of government. Its population is 1,737.
Utulei or ʻUtulei is a village in Maoputasi County,in the Eastern District of Tutuila,the main island of American Samoa. Utulei is traditionally considered to be a section of Fagatogo village,the legislative capital of American Samoa,and is located on the southwest edge of Pago Pago Harbor. Utulei is the site of many local landmarks:The A. P. Lutali Executive Office Building,which is next to the Feleti Barstow Library;paved roads that wind up to a former cablecar terminal on Solo Hill;the governor's mansion,which sits on Mauga o Alii,overlooking the entrance to Goat's Island,and the lieutenant governor's residence directly downhill from it;the Lee Auditorium,built in 1962;American Samoa's television studios,known as the Michael J. Kirwan Educational Television Center;and the Rainmaker Hotel. Utulei Terminal offers views of Rainmaker Mountain.
Edmund Beardsley Underwood was a Commodore in the United States Navy. Born in March 1853,at Humboldt Bay,in California,he was the son of U.S. Army Lieutenant Edmund Underwood and Mary Moore Beardsley. He graduated from the United States Naval Academy in 1873. He was Commandant of American Samoa from May 5,1903 to January 30,1905. He retired in 1910.
Wilson Faumuina was an American football defensive lineman who played five seasons in the National Football League (NFL) for the Atlanta Falcons. He died at age 32 of heart failure. Wilson attended Balboa High School in San Francisco and played both defensive end and offensive tackle. He was All City several times. Wilson then attended San Jose State from which he was drafted by the Falcons as a first round draft pick,20th overall in 1977 NFL draft. He played five seasons with the Falcons from 1977 to 1981.
John Fredrick Parker was a Captain in the United States Navy and one-time Governor of American Samoa from May 21,1908 to Nov. 10,1910. John F. Parker was born in Ohio in 1853. He graduated from Annapolis in 1874 and married Elizabeth Scott Lord,niece of President Benjamin Harrison. He served as governor of Samoa from May 21,1908 - November 10,1910. He was stationed in Manila during the Spanish–American War. During President Benjamin Harrison's term he served as an aid. He died of Bright's disease at his home December 12,1911.
John Morse Haydon was the governor of American Samoa from 1969 to 1974. Haydon attended the University of Washington. He served as a First Lieutenant in the United States Army Air Forces during World War II and flew 35 combat missions over Germany. Haydon was commissioner of the Seattle Port Commission from 1960 to 1969,and president in 1963,1968,and 1969. He was a member of the Governor's Advisory Council on Fisheries from 1965 to 1967,and on Commerce and Economic Development from 1965 to 1969. On August 1,1969,he was appointed Governor of American Samoa by the Interior Secretary and he served until October 1974.
John C. Elliott was an American politician appointed as the governor of American Samoa. Elliott was born on January 30,1919,in Los Angeles,California. He died on April 13,2001,in San Marino,California. He is buried at the San Gabriel Cemetery in San Gabriel,California. He took office on July 16,1952,and left on November 23,1952,leaving for personal reasons,and is the youngest man to ever hold the office at 33 years of age. Prior to his appointment,Elliott had served as the assistant to Governor Phelps Phelps and Secretary of American Samoa.
Frank Carpenter Mockler was an American attorney who served as the governor of American Samoa. Mockler was the county attorney for Fremont County,Wyoming. He was Speaker of the Wyoming House of Representatives in 1951 as a Republican. He was Secretary of American Samoa under John Morse Haydon. Mockler took the office of Governor of American Samoa on October 15,1974,and ended his term on February 6,1975. After leaving the governor's seat,Mockler moved to Longboat Key,Florida.
Lealaialoa Fredrickus Michael Kruse is the Chief Justice of the High Court of American Samoa. Kruse made history as the first person of Samoan descent to be appointed Chief Justice of the High Court of American Samoa. Kruse earned his AB degree from Victoria University in Wellington,New Zealand,and later obtained an MCL degree from George Washington University Law School in Washington,DC. He practiced law for 11 years at the firm of Kruse,Sunia,and Ward in Pago Pago before being appointed Chief Justice by U.S. Secretary of the Interior,Donald Hodel. In January 2009,Kruse was chosen to serve as Secretary of the Pacific Judicial Council,a group comprising judges and justices from across the Pacific region.
The Samoa News is a newspaper published in Pago Pago,American Samoa.
Vaiala is a village in the eastern side of Apia township on Upolu island in Samoa. It is situated on the central north coast of the island,to the east of the capital Apia. The village is in the political district of Tuamasaga.
The First Lady of American Samoa is the title attributed to the wife of the governor of American Samoa. To date,there have been no first gentlemen of American Samoa.
Feleti Barstow Public Library is the main library in American Samoa,and is located in the village of Utulei in Maoputasi County. It is the central public library for the territory and is situated immediately across from the Office of Tourism,next to the Executive Office Building,and just behind Samoana High School. Besides a permanent display depicting American Samoa’s involvement in the Apollo Space Program,the library has also worked with the American Samoa Historic Preservation Office (ASHPO) since 2000 at creating a historic Polynesian Photo Archive. The goal of the project has been to electronically catalog and archive around 6,000 still and moving images of Polynesia which were collected by the American Samoa Government. The library has an extensive Pacific Collection which houses articles,books,and reports relevant to Pacific- and Samoan history. A large collection of photographs are stored in its Polynesian Photo Archive,which is a subset of their Pacific Collection.
Leloaloa is a village on Tutuila Island,American Samoa. It is located in Maoputasi County. As of the 2010 U.S. census,the village had a population of 448. It is the birthplace of former United States Representative Tulsi Gabbard and of American Samoan House of Representatives member Tapai Alailepule Benjamin Vaivao.
Mauga Moi Moi (1852–1935) was a statesman and paramount Aliʻi,the highest ranking chief of Pago Pago,and signatory of the Deed of Cession. In 1920,he initiated the Mau movement in 1920 and in 1900,he signed the Deed of Cession and became a District Governor under the new U.S. naval station. He was the High Chief of Pago Pago from 1900 to 1934 and therefore also the District Governor of the Eastern District according to U.S. Naval rule.
Arthur A. Greene was an American lawyer,journalist,and Democratic Party politician. He served as Secretary of the Territory of Hawaii under Governor Joseph Poindexter and as editor for both the Honolulu Star-Bulletin and the The Honolulu Advertiser. In the early 1920s,Greene was the attorney for the Mau movement in American Sāmoa,for which he was imprisoned and deported from the territory.