Joseph Kahahawai
Encyclopedia
Joseph "Joe" Kahahawai Jr. (25 December 1909 – 8 January 1932) was a Native Hawaiian prizefighter accused of the rape of Thalia Massie. He was abducted and killed after he was freed by a mistrial.
, 25 December 1909. His family moved to Honolulu and Kahahawai′s parents divorced. He lived with his mother, who later remarried, while Kahahawai remained in contact with his father. After elementary school Kahahawai attended Saint Louis School
under a scholarship. He was recruited for the high school football team were he built up a positive reputation playing a number 38. He never graduated and worked various jobs because of the Great Depression
he also enlisted in the Territorial National Guard
and was in the 298th Infantry Division. Kahahawai also boxed
professionally and was in the military.
Early life
Joseph Kahahawai was born in rural MauiMaui
The island of Maui is the second-largest of the Hawaiian Islands at and is the 17th largest island in the United States. Maui is part of the state of Hawaii and is the largest of Maui County's four islands, bigger than Lānai, Kahoolawe, and Molokai. In 2010, Maui had a population of 144,444,...
, 25 December 1909. His family moved to Honolulu and Kahahawai′s parents divorced. He lived with his mother, who later remarried, while Kahahawai remained in contact with his father. After elementary school Kahahawai attended Saint Louis School
Saint Louis School
Saint Louis School, located in the town of Kaimuki in Honolulu, Hawaii, is a historic Roman Catholic college preparatory school for boys founded in 1846 to serve the needs of early Hawaiian Catholics in the former Kingdom of Hawaii...
under a scholarship. He was recruited for the high school football team were he built up a positive reputation playing a number 38. He never graduated and worked various jobs because of the Great Depression
Great Depression
The Great Depression was a severe worldwide economic depression in the decade preceding World War II. The timing of the Great Depression varied across nations, but in most countries it started in about 1929 and lasted until the late 1930s or early 1940s...
he also enlisted in the Territorial National Guard
Hawaii Army National Guard
The Hawaii Army National Guard is a component of the United States Army and the United States National Guard. Nationwide, the Army National Guard comprises approximately one half of the US Army's available combat forces and approximately one third of its support organization...
and was in the 298th Infantry Division. Kahahawai also boxed
Boxed
Boxed was a record label which has released around forty mix albums from DJs such as John Digweed, Nick Warren, and Danny Howells. They are most known for their Global Underground series. After stopping releases due to financial difficulties in 2003, Global Underground Ltd...
professionally and was in the military.