Frank Barnett
Frank Barnett was the 49th Governor of American Samoa from October 1, 1976 to May 27, 1977.[1] Before becoming governor, he was a Federal Bureau of Investigation agent and a Tennessee attorney.[2] He served as Lieutenant Governor of American Samoa for two years prior to his governorship.[2] 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.[3]
References
|
|
Commandant (1900–1905) |
|
|
|
Naval (1905–1951) |
|
|
Civil (1951–1978) |
|
|
Elected (since 1978) |
|
|