Spark Matsunaga

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Spark Masayuki Matsunaga
United States Senator from Hawaii
In office January 3, 1977 – April 15, 1990
Preceded by	Hiram Fong
Succeeded by	Daniel Akaka
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Hawaii's 2nd district
In office January 3, 1963 – January 3, 1977
Preceded by	N/A (new district)
Succeeded by	Daniel Akaka
Born	October 8, 1916 Kukuiula, Hawaii
Died	April 15, 1990 (aged 73) Toronto, Canada
Political party	Democratic
Spouse	Helene
Alma mater	University of Hawaii

Spark Masayuki Matsunaga (Japanese: スパーク松永) (born October 8, 1916, in Kukuiula, Hawaii – died April 15, 1990, in Toronto, Ontario, Canada) was a United States Senator from Hawaii. He was a Japanese American Democrat whose legislation in the United States Senate led to the creation of the Commission on Wartime Relocation and Internment of Civilians.

He became a United States Army Reservist in 1941, volunteered for active duty in July that year, and was twice wounded in battle while serving with the renowned 442nd Regimental Combat Team. After his release from the Army, Captain Matsunaga entered Harvard Law School, graduating in 1951. He served as a public prosecutor and private-practice attorney, and was a member of both the Hawaiian statehood delegation to Congress and the territorial legislature before being elected in 1962 to the House of Representatives, where he served until 1976. Matsunaga went on to serve in the United States Senate from 1977 until his death at the age of 73 from prostate cancer in 1990. His portrait currently appears on US Series I Bonds in the $10,000 denomination. There is also an elementary school in Germantown, Maryland, named after him.

Matsunaga was also known for his sense of humor. One famous incident occurred involving Sen. Matsunaga and then-Secretary of State Alexander Haig at a White House reception for Japanese Prime Minister Zenko Suzuki in 1981. Haig reportedly mistook Matsunaga for a member of the Japanese delegation and asked if he spoke English. Matsunaga replied, "Yes, Mr. Secretary, I do — and I had the honor of voting for your confirmation the other day."^[1] Although this incident appeared to be a careless misunderstanding, many Asian American communities take the incident as an example of racial prejudice in US society. Sen. Matsunaga became a well-known figure in Asia as the incident is often cited by Asian American and Asian media.^[2]

[edit] References

[edit] External links

• Spark Matsunaga at the Biographical Directory of the United States Congress
• Spark M. Matsunaga biography United States Institute of Peace.
• Spark M. Matsunaga's published biography Sparky: Warrior, Peacemaker, Poet, Patriot by Richard Halloran. ISBN 0-9720932-1-4.

United States House of Representatives
New district	Member from Hawaii's 2nd congressional district 1963 – 1977	Succeeded by Daniel K. Akaka
United States Senate
Preceded by Hiram Fong	Senator (Class 1) from Hawaii 1977 – 1990 Served alongside: Daniel Inouye	Succeeded by Daniel K. Akaka

v • d • e United States Senators from Hawaii Class 1: Fong • Matsunaga • Akaka Class 3: Long • Inouye