A Biographical Sketch of American Samoa’s Forty-first and Forty-ninth Governor, Seventh and Thirteenth Appointed Civil Governor and First Elected Samoan Civil Governor): Hyrum Rex Lee (May 24, 1961-July 31, 1967; May 28, 1977-January 3, 1978)
On May 17, 1961, American Samoa’s Governor, Hyrum Rex Lee, ratified House Bill No. 5: “An Act to Create a Board of Registration for Professional Surveys and to Provide for the Regulation of Professional Surveyors.”
(1d. Lee 1961: 82)
On May 24, 1961, President John F. Kennedy appointed Hyrum Rex Lee, a veteran administrator in the Department of the Interior's Bureau of Indian Affairs, as American Samoa's seventh appointed civil governor (until July 31, 1967), succeeding Governor Peter Tali Coleman, who was the Territory's only appointed Samoan governor. Lee's first term was the longest of any of American Samoa's governors (civil or naval), and he served an additional half-year term (May 28, 1977-January 3, 1978), thus becoming the longest-serving
appointed civil governor, and the only appointed
civil governor to serve two non-consecutive terms.
(6. Sorensen 2003: 3)
On May 17, 1961, American Samoa’s Governor Hyrum Rex Lee ratified House Bill No. 5: “An Act to Create a Board of Registration for Professional Surveys and to Provide for the Regulation of Professional Surveyors.”
(1d. Lee 1961: 82)
On January 26, 1962, the Governor of American Samoa, Hyrum Rex Lee, appointed an Employment Policy Officer and an assistant “in conformity with the Non-Discriminatory Employment Policy Program established by Executive Order 10590 and the Equal Employment Opportunity Program
directed by Executive Order 10925.”
(1d. Lee 1962: 17)
On May 9, 1962, American Samoa’s Governor Hyrum Rex Lee approved American Samoa’s new Merit System Law, following its passage
by the Legislature.
(1d. Lee 1962: 17)
On July 31, 1967, Hyrum Rex Lee ended his term as American Samoa's seventh (and longest-serving) appointed civil governor (since May 24, 1961). (6. Sorensen 2003: 3; 3. Haydon Papers, 1969: Box 1)
On May 16, 1977, American Samoa’s Governor, Hyrum Rex Lee, approved Public Law 15-23, which “officially requested the Secretary of the Interior to provide through the issuance of a Secretarial Order authority for the popular election of the Governor and Lieutenant Governor.”
(1a. ASCA 1992: 8)
On May 28, 1977, Hyrum Rex Lee began his interim term as American Samoa's 13th (and last) appointed civil governor (until January 3, 1978).
(6. Sorensen 2003: 3)
On July 26, 2001, Governor Hyrum Rex Lee, American Samoa’s seventh appointed civil governor, passed away in La Jolla, California. He was 91 years old. Lee spent over four decades in U.S. government service, among which was his appointment as governor of American Samoa from 1961 to 1967. Lee was a native of Rigby, Idaho, and a graduate in agricultural economics from the University of Idaho. In 1936, he entered government service as an economist with the Department of Agriculture.
During World War II, he served with the War Relocation Authority and was assigned to relocate Japanese-Americans. Later Lee worked with the Bureau of Indian Affairs before being appointed Governor of American Samoa.
On May 24, 1961, President John F. Kennedy appointed Lee as American Samoa's seventh appointed civil governor (until July 31, 1967), succeeding Governor Peter Tali Coleman, who was the Territory's only appointed Samoan governor. Lee's first term was the longest of any of American Samoa's governors (civil or naval), and he served an additional half-year term (May 28, 1977-January 3, 1978), thus becoming the longest-serving appointed civil governor, and the only appointed civil governor to serve two non-consecutive terms.
His administration saw the establishment of a new airport, roads, schools, a luxury hotel to cultivate the tourist industry, two fish canneries, new harbor facilities, an impressive educational television system, and numerous other innovations.
In 1966, when American Samoa had the opportunity of reunifying with Western Samoa, its citizens chose to remain a territory of the United States.
After his six-year tenure in American Samoa, Lee received the Award for Distinguished Federal Civil Service and was appointed to the Federal Communications Commission where he worked until his retirement in 1973. He moved to California and became a founding chairman of the Public Service Satellite Consortium and helped establish educational television in several South American countries.
(1c. Craig 2001: 1)
Lee, Hyrum Rex (b. 1910, Rigby, Idaho - d. July 26, 2001, La Jolla, Calif.), U.S. administrator. He entered government service in 1936 as an economist with the Department of Agriculture. During World War II, working with the War Relocation Authority, he was assigned to relocate Japanese-Americans. Later, with the Bureau of Indian Affairs, he worked his way up to deputy commissioner, championing legislation to improve the health, welfare, and economic status of American Indians. In 1961 he was appointed governor of a largely undeveloped American Samoa. His appointment signaled a major effort by the U.S. to finance the building of schools, streets, and houses while addressing such problems as rampant illiteracy and dubious health care. Embarking on an intense program of modernization that touched all segments of the territory, Lee ushered in a new era of education and economic vitality. Among his innovations: educational television, implemented in 1964 through his successful appeal for government appropriations. Under Lee's leadership, the American Samoan Development Corporation created a 101-room hotel as part of a campaign to cultivate the tourist industry. A hospital and two tuna processing plants also were built, and the Samoan legislature passed a law in 1963 to institute a federal income tax. In 1966, when American Samoa had the opportunity to reunify with Western Samoa, citizens voted to remain a territory of the United States. Lee received the Award for Distinguished Federal Civilian Service toward the end of his six-year tenure in American Samoa. In 1968 Pres. Lyndon Johnson appointed Lee to the Federal Communications Commission, where he became a leading advocate of public television. He retired in 1973.
Governors’ Gallery No. 48:
Hyrum Rex Lee (1910-2001)
On July 26, 2001, Governor Hyrum Rex Lee, American Samoa’s seventh appointed civil governor, passed away in La Jolla, California. He was 91 years old. Lee spent over four decades in U.S. government service, among which was his appointment as governor of American Samoa from 1961 to 1967. Lee was a native of Rigby, Idaho, and a graduate in agricultural economics from the University of Idaho. In 1936, he entered government service as an economist with the Department of Agriculture.
During World War II, he served with the War Relocation Authority and was assigned to relocate Japanese-Americans. Later Lee worked with the Bureau of Indian Affairs before being appointed Governor of American Samoa.
On May 24, 1961, President John F. Kennedy appointed Lee as American Samoa's seventh appointed civil governor (until July 31, 1967), succeeding Governor Peter Tali Coleman, who was the Territory's only appointed Samoan governor. Lee's first term was the longest of any of American Samoa's governors
(civil or naval), and he served an additional half-year term (May 28, 1977-January 3, 1978), thus becoming the longest-serving appointed civil governor, and the only appointed civil governor to serve two non-consecutive terms.
His administration saw the establishment of a new airport, roads, schools, a luxury hotel to cultivate the tourist industry, two fish canneries, new harbor facilities, an impressive educational television system, and numerous other innovations.
In 1966, when American Samoa had the opportunity of reunifying with Western Samoa, its citizens chose to remain a territory of the United States.
After his six-year tenure in American Samoa, Lee received the Award for Distinguished Federal Civil Service and was appointed to the Federal Communications Commission where he worked until his retirement in 1973. He moved to California and became a founding chairman of the Public Service Satellite Consortium and helped establish educational televisionin several South American countries.
(1c. Craig 2001: 1)
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