Abraham Akaka

Abraham Akaka
Born	Abraham Kahikina Akaka (1917-02-21)February 21, 1917 Pauoa Valley, Oahu, Hawaii
Died	September 10, 1997(1997-09-10) (aged 80) Honolulu, Hawaii
Other names	Rev Abraham Kahu Akaka
Education	List President William McKinley High School University of Hawaii 1934–1937 Undergraduate H.H.D. 1980 Illinois Wesleyan University A.B. 1939 Chicago Theological Seminary B.D. 1943 H.D.D. 1958
Spouse(s)	Mary Louise Jeffrey
Children	List Fenner-Marie Pualani Suzanne Sarah Elizabeth Sandra Phoebe Komohana Jeffrey Lee Alohilani
Parent(s)	Anuenue Akaka Kahikina Akaka
Church	Kawaiahaʻo
Ordained	1944
Congregations served	List (1943–1945) Kauai Western Kauai Larger Parish Council (1945–1954) Maui Waihe'e Church Ka'ahumanu Church Kahului Union Church Waikapu Church Keawalai Church (1954–1957) Hilo Haili Church (1957–1984) Honolulu Kawaiahaʻo Church (1984-Death) The Rev. Akaka Ministries Foundation
Offices held	List Chairman, Hawaii Advisory Committee of the U.S. Civil Rights President, Hawaii Conference of the United Church of Christ Regent, University of Hawaii Corporate member, United Church Board of World Ministries
Title	Kahu (shepherd), Reverend

Abraham Kahikina Akaka (February 21, 1917 – September 10, 1997) was an American clergyman. For the better part of three decades, Rev. Akaka was Kahu (shepherd) of Kawaiahaʻo Church in Honolulu, Hawaii. His mother was of pure Hawaiian ancestry, and his father was of Hawaiian-Chinese ancestry. He delivered his messages in both the Hawaiian and English languages.

Abraham Akaka was the fourth of seven children in a deeply spiritual family. His youngest brother is United States Senator Daniel Akaka. Each morning the Akaka household would begin with a prayer, recitation of Psalm 23 in Hawaiian, a Scripture recitation by each child, and hymn singing. The routine was repeated at the close of day. The Akaka family often looked after, and provided shelter for, disadvantaged children.

A graduate of President William McKinley High School in Honolulu, Akaka did undergraduate work at the University of Hawaii, and received his B.A. degree at Illinois Wesleyan University in 1939. He received his B.D. degree at Chicago Theological Seminary in 1943.

Akaka was first drawn to the ministry while attending the multi-national World Conference of Christian Youth in Amsterdam in 1939, when he was 22 years old, impressed by the unity of faith he saw there. He was ordained in 1944, and served for two years with the Western Kauai Larger Parish Council, nine years ministering to five different churches on Maui, and three years pastoring at Haili Church in Hilo, before becoming minister of Kawaiahaʻo Church in Honolulu in 1957.

Kawaiahaʻo Church, located across the street from ʻIolani Palace and the Hawaii State Capitol, gave him the visibility to become"...Hawaii's most influential and widely known Hawaiian since Kamehameha the Great." From that pulpit, Akaka would become a champion for civil rights, a spiritual guide to all levels of government servants, and statesman for the good of humanity.