Peter Tali Coleman

Source: Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.

Peter Coleman
Governor of American Samoa
In office
January 2, 1989 – January 3, 1993
LieutenantGalea'i Poumele
Gaioi Galeai
Preceded byA. P. Lutali
Succeeded byA. P. Lutali
In office
January 3, 1978 – January 3, 1985
LieutenantTufele Liamatua
Preceded byRex Lee
Succeeded byA. P. Lutali
Appointed Governor of American Samoa
In office
October 15, 1956 – May 24, 1961
Preceded byRichard Lowe
Succeeded byRex Lee
High Commissioner of the Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands
Acting
In office
July 1, 1976 – July 9, 1977
Preceded byEdward E. Johnston
Succeeded byAdrian P. Winkel
1st Attorney General of American Samoa
In office
June 1955 – October 15, 1956
GovernorRichard Lowe
Preceded byPosition established
Succeeded byOwen Aspinall
Personal details
Born(1919-12-08)December 8, 1919
Pago Pago, American Samoa, U.S.
DiedApril 28, 1997(1997-04-28) (aged 77)
Honolulu, Hawaii, U.S.
Political partyRepublican
Spouse
​
(m. 1941)​
Children13, including Amata
EducationGeorgetown University (BA, LLB)
Military service
Allegiance United States
Branch/service United States Army
Rank Captain
Battles/warsWorld War II

Peter Tali Coleman (December 8, 1919 – April 28, 1997) was an American Samoan politician and lawyer. Coleman was the first and only person of

governor of American Samoa between 1956 and 1961 and later became the territory's first and third popularly elected governor from 1978 to 1985 and 1989 to 1993, serving a total of three elected terms.[1]
In between, he had served in different administrative positions for Pacific islands.

Born to an American navy officer and a native mother in American Samoa, he grew up there and in Hawaii and participated in World War II, before becoming a lawyer and then returning to American Samoa to practice law there. In 1955 he was briefly appointed by the Republican federal government as the first Attorney General of American Samoa and then became governor in 1956. During his first administration, Coleman chaired the convention that drafted the Constitution of American Samoa, containing the bill of rights and providing protection for Samoans against alienation of their lands and loss of their culture. His administration also laid the foundation for the American Samoa Fono legislature and produced the official seal and flag of American Samoa.[2][3][4] When the Democrats overtook the federal government, he was replaced and appointed to different administrative positions for Pacific islands.

He came back to American Samoa once more in 1977 to run for the first gubernatorial election of the territory. After American Samoans had finally approved electing their own governor in that year, he was elected the first and third governor in 1977, 1980, and 1988 over his Democratic rival A. P. Lutali each time, losing against him in 1992. He also was the founding chairman of the territory's Republican Party, serving from 1985 to 1988.[5] To this date he has been the only Republican governor ever of American Samoa.

Coleman's career spanned over the entire second half of the 20th century. He is the only governor in the United States whose service spanned five decades and one of the longest-serving governors of any jurisdiction in American history.

Honorary Doctorate from Chaminade University of Honolulu and in 1970 one from the University of Guam.[3]

Background

Early life and career

Born and raised in

Samoan ancestry to receive a law degree from an American university[2] or from any university.[11] He served in American Samoa both as a public defender and as the territory's attorney general.[12][2]

Coleman was appointed governor of

Marianas Islands, and deputy high commissioner of the Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands
, where he also served as acting high commissioner for one year.

When the Republican Party lost the

Samoan to become Governor in 1956 and the only one who served by appointment. In 1977, he also became the first elected Governor in American Samoa. He was reelected in 1980, lost the 1984 election, and was reelected once again in 1988.[12]

Coleman became the first popularly elected Samoan governor after defeating Democrat

New York Times as “a major step toward self-determination by island’s residents.” After having turned down the proposal to elect their own Governor in three plebiscites, American Samoans in 1977 had also overwhelmingly approved the measure which allowed them to elect that official.[13]

Death and legacy

Peter Coleman and

Delegate to represent American Samoa in the United States House of Representatives. She is the first woman to represent American Samoa in Congress.[14][15]

Coleman died in 1997 in Honolulu after a two-year struggle with liver cancer.[5][16]

Coleman's legacy includes the effort to incorporate American Samoa in the

Tafuna Airstrip to take jet planes. The policy for local autonomy moved further during his years as Governor.[17]

At the conclusion of Coleman's three-year term, Coleman cited some of the achievements that made him proud. These included changes to the judiciary system with the addition of the district and village courts, the start of the Teacher Corps program, the addition of renal dialysis at

Amouli roads.[18]

Coleman was responsible for the territory's membership in the National Governors Association (NGA) and the Regional Western Governors Association.[3]

Political resume

Coleman's political career included:[19][20]

References

  1. ISBN 9781461659389
    .
  2. ^ a b c "SAMOA DEPUTY PM MISA EXPLORES SOLUTIONS TO GOVERNMENT CORRUPTION | Pacific Islands Report".
  3. ^ a b c d e f "Congressional Record Extensions of Remarks Articles".
  4. ^ "Our District". December 4, 2012.
  5. ^ a b Pace, Eric (May 1997). "Peter Coleman, 77, Governor of American Samoa". The New York Times.
  6. ^ "Biography". December 11, 2012.
  7. ISBN 9781683357810
    .
  8. ISBN 9780810842373
    .
  9. ^ "GEORGETOWN PACIFIC PROJECT FORMALLY ESTABLISHED | Pacific Islands Report".
  10. ^ "Guam's Underwood at Peter Tali Coleman Lecture of Pacific Public Policy". November 23, 2017.
  11. ^ a b "REFLECTIONS ON EASTER AND SPRING" (PDF). Congressional Record. April 1, 1998. Retrieved March 19, 2022.
  12. ^
    ISBN 9781573062992
    .
  13. New York Times
    (November 24, 1977). Page 38.
  14. ISBN 9781683357810
    .
  15. ^ Fili Sagapolutele (November 5, 2014). "1st woman elected as American Samoa delegate". San Francisco Chronicle. Retrieved November 9, 2014.
  16. ^ Adamski, Mary (April 29, 1997). "'Man of the Pacific' led American Samoa: Peter Coleman, 77, dies here after a two-year battle with cancer". Honolulu Star-Bulletin. Archived from the original on January 27, 2022. Retrieved January 27, 2022.
  17. ISBN 9781573062992
    .
  18. ISBN 9781573062992
    .
  19. Honolulu Star
    .
  20. Pittsburgh Post
    .

External links
Legal offices
New office Attorney General of American Samoa
1955–1956 		Succeeded by
Political offices
Preceded by Governor of American Samoa
1956–1961 		Succeeded by
Preceded by High Commissioner of the Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands
Acting
1976–1977 		Succeeded by
Preceded by Governor of American Samoa
1978–1985 		Succeeded by
Preceded by Governor of American Samoa
1989–1993
Party political offices
First Republican nominee for Governor of American Samoa
1977, 1980 		Succeeded by
Preceded by Republican nominee for Governor of American Samoa
1988, 1992 		Succeeded by
Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Peter_Tali_Coleman&oldid=1197706407"