Peter Tali Coleman facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Peter Coleman
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| 1st & 3rd Governor of American Samoa | |
| In office January 2, 1989 – January 3, 1993 |
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| Lieutenant | Galea'i Poumele Gaioi Galeai |
| Preceded by | A. P. Lutali |
| Succeeded by | A. P. Lutali |
| In office January 3, 1978 – January 3, 1985 |
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| Lieutenant | Tufele Liamatua |
| Preceded by | Rex Lee |
| Succeeded by | A. P. Lutali |
| Appointed Governor of American Samoa | |
| In office October 15, 1956 – May 24, 1961 |
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| Preceded by | Richard Lowe |
| Succeeded by | Rex Lee |
| High Commissioner of the Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands Acting |
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| In office July 1, 1976 – July 9, 1977 |
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| Preceded by | Edward E. Johnston |
| Succeeded by | Adrian P. Winkel |
| 1st Attorney General of American Samoa | |
| In office June 1955 – October 15, 1956 |
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| Governor | Richard Lowe |
| Preceded by | Position established |
| Succeeded by | Owen Aspinall |
| Personal details | |
| Born | December 8, 1919 Pago Pago, American Samoa, U.S. |
| Died | April 28, 1997 (aged 77) Honolulu, Hawaii, U.S. |
| Political party | Republican |
| Spouse |
Nora Stewart
(m. 1941; |
| Children | 13, including Amata |
| Education | Georgetown University (BA, LLB) |
| Military service | |
| Allegiance |  United States |
| Branch/service |  United States Army |
| Rank |  Captain |
| Battles/wars | World War II |
Peter Tali Coleman (December 8, 1919 – April 28, 1997) was an important American Samoan leader. He was a politician and a lawyer. Peter Coleman was the first person of Samoan background to be chosen as the governor of American Samoa. This happened between 1956 and 1961. Later, he became the first and third governor to be chosen by popular vote. He served from 1978 to 1985 and again from 1989 to 1993. This means he was elected three times in total. In between these times, he worked in different leadership roles for other Pacific islands.
Peter Coleman was born in Pago Pago, American Samoa. His father was an American navy officer, and his mother was Samoan. He grew up in American Samoa and Hawaii. He fought in World War II. After the war, he became a lawyer and returned to American Samoa to work. In 1955, the government briefly chose him to be the first Attorney General of American Samoa. This job means he was the main lawyer for the government. Then, in 1956, he became governor.
During his first time as governor, Coleman led a meeting that created the Constitution of American Samoa. This important document included a list of rights for people. It also helped protect Samoan lands and culture. His time as governor also helped set up the American Samoa Fono (the local government). He also helped create the official seal and flag of American Samoa. When a different political party took over the U.S. government, he was given other jobs in the Pacific islands.
He returned to American Samoa in 1977 to run for governor. This was the first time people in American Samoa could vote for their own governor. He won the election in 1977, 1980, and 1988. He ran against A. P. Lutali each time. He lost to Lutali in 1992. Peter Coleman also started the Republican Party of American Samoa. He was its first chairman from 1985 to 1988. He is still the only Republican governor American Samoa has ever had.
Coleman's career lasted for a long time, covering most of the second half of the 1900s. He is the only governor in the United States who served in five different decades. He is also one of the longest-serving governors in American history. In 1997, he received the American Samoan Governor’s Humanitarian Award. He also received the important Samoan chief title, Uifa’atali, from his home village of Pago Pago. Georgetown University, where he studied, has a special lecture series named after him.
Contents
Early Life and Education
Growing Up in American Samoa
Peter Coleman was born and grew up in Pago Pago, American Samoa. He went to local schools there. Then, he moved to Honolulu, Hawaii and finished high school at Saint Louis School. His father, Patrick Dyke Coleman, was a Navy man from Washington, DC. His mother, Amata Auma, was from the Uifaatali family. In 1977, he was given the Uifaatali family title.
Serving in the Military and Becoming a Lawyer
Coleman joined the U.S. Army. He became a captain during World War II. In the early 1950s, he came back to the Samoan Islands. He worked as a lawyer in Pago Pago and Apia. In 1951, he earned his law degree from Georgetown University. He was the first person of Samoan ancestry to get a law degree from an American university. In American Samoa, he worked as a public defender (a lawyer who helps people who can't afford one) and as the territory's attorney general.
Leading American Samoa
First Time as Governor
In 1956, President Dwight Eisenhower chose Peter Coleman to be the governor of American Samoa. After his term ended, he worked in many different jobs in the Pacific Islands. These jobs included being a leader for the Marshall Islands and the Marianas Islands. He also served as a deputy high commissioner for the Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands. For one year, he was even the acting high commissioner.
When a different political party won the White House in 1960, Coleman became the deputy high commissioner of the U.S. Trust Territories. He held this job for 17 years.
Becoming the First Elected Governor
In 1977, Peter Coleman returned to American Samoa to run for governor. He was the first Samoan to become governor in 1956 when he was chosen. In 1977, he also became the first governor chosen by the people of American Samoa. He won again in 1980. He lost the election in 1984, but then won again in 1988.
Peter Coleman became the first elected Samoan governor after beating A. P. Lutali. He won with 60% of the votes in a special election on November 23, 1977. The New York Times newspaper said this election was a big step for the islanders to decide their own future. American Samoans had voted three times before against electing their own governor. But in 1977, they finally voted yes by a large amount.
Family and Lasting Impact
His Family Life
Peter Coleman married Nora Stewart in 1941. They had thirteen children, twenty-three grandchildren, and eight great-grandchildren. In 2014, his daughter, Aumua Amata Radewagen, was elected to represent American Samoa in the United States House of Representatives. She was the first woman to represent American Samoa in the U.S. Congress.
Peter Coleman passed away in 1997 in Honolulu.
Coleman's Legacy and Achievements
Peter Coleman helped American Samoa join the Social Security system. He also worked to promote tourism as a way to help the economy grow. He started to rebuild and make the Tafuna Airstrip bigger so jet planes could land there. During his years as governor, American Samoa gained more control over its own government.
At the end of one of his terms, Coleman mentioned some things he was proud of. These included changes to the court system, adding district and village courts. He also started the Teacher Corps program and added kidney dialysis at LBJ Hospital. He also oversaw the completion of roads connecting Aua to Top Mle and Aoa to Amouli.
Coleman also helped American Samoa become a member of the National Governors Association (NGA) and the Regional Western Governors Association.
Key Moments in His Career
- 1940-1945: Served in the U.S. Army during World War II in places like the Solomon Islands, Vanuatu, and Hawai'i.
- 1951: Earned his law degree from Georgetown University.
- 1955-1956: Served as the Attorney General of American Samoa.
- 1956: Was chosen to be the governor of American Samoa.
- 1961: Became the district administrator for the Marshall Islands.
- 1965: Was named district administrator for the Mariana Islands.
- 1969: Became the deputy high commissioner of the U.S. Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands.
- 1977: Became the first elected Governor of American Samoa.
- 1980: Was elected to his second term as Governor.
- 1985-1988: Was a co-founder and chairman of the Republican Party of American Samoa.
- 1989: Was elected to his third term as Governor.
