Shortly after being sworn in as the first Asian American senator of the state, Sen. Andy Kim, D-N.J., discovered a surprise in a desk drawer on the Senate floor.
He discovered that the name of an Asian American trailblazer—former senator Daniel K. Inouye, the first elected Japanese American to Congress—was inscribed on the desk he was seated at.
After Hawaii became a state, Inouye was elected as its first representative. He enlisted in the army shortly after the Pearl Harbor attack and participated in World War II.
In a post on X on Wednesday, Kim stated, “I discovered that Senate floor desks have drawers where every Senator who used that desk carves their name.” I just took my drawer out. One name immediately came to mind.
At the age of 88, Inouye passed away in 2012. He became the first and only U.S. senator to receive both the Medal of Freedom and the Medal of Honor after receiving the Presidential Medal of Freedom posthumously.
Medal of Honor for WWII. About 50 years as a senator. About Inouye, Kim wrote, “AAPI trailblazer.”
With 49 years in office, Inouye was the second-longest serving senator from Hawaii. In 2017, the Transportation Department of Hawaii renamed the state’s largest airport after the Honolulu native.
Before beating Republican Curtis Bashaw to take former Senator Bob Menendez’s seat, Kim, the first Korean American senator, served in New Jersey’s 3rd Congressional District. With a 99% increase in their voter base between 2000 and 2022, Asian Americans are the state’s fastest-growing racial group.
Kim remarked, “I can’t believe I get to sit at the desk of a hero of mine.”
Note: Every piece of content is rigorously reviewed by our team of experienced writers and editors to ensure its accuracy. Our writers use credible sources and adhere to strict fact-checking protocols to verify all claims and data before publication. If an error is identified, we promptly correct it and strive for transparency in all updates, feel free to reach out to us via email. We appreciate your trust and support!