One of HMA’s founders and stalwart supporters, Agnes Conrad passed away in January at the age of 93. She was considered one of Hawaii’s preeminent historians. Conrad moved to Hawai‘i from Catalina Island, California in the late 1930s and worked as a librarian at the University of Hawai‘i. In 1955 she was appointed the Territorial Archivist and served as State Archivist from 1959 to 1982. She is credited with creating the archivist’s profession in Hawai‘i and instituting professional standards for archives and record management. Not only was she a master of organization but made those materials available to those that needed them.
Her reputation for being a stickler for historical accuracy made her an important editor and contributor on countless book and journal projects. Her recent notable projects were serving on the committee to publish The Queen’s Songbook featuring compositions by Queen Lili‘uokalani; serving as an important resource on writing the definitive biographies of St. Damien and the Blessed Marianne; serving as editor on The Folding Cliffs: A Narrative of 19th-Century Hawai‘i by W.S. Merwin, U.S. poet laureate; and The Letters and Journal of Don Francisco de Paula Marin, an early and influential Spanish Catholic immigrant to Hawai‘i who cultivated one of the Islands’ first vineyards and wineries. Conrad was named to many state committees including the State Council for the Humanities, the University of Hawai‘i Committee for the Preservation and Study of Hawaiian Language, Art and Culture, the State Foundation for Culture and the Arts evaluation committee, and the State Historic Places Review Board. She was director of the Friends of ‘Iolani Palace, a trustee for the Friends of the Library of Hawai‘i, and an officer for the Foundation for Hawai‘i Women’s History.
Conrad was an active or supportive member in more than 25 other Hawai‘i organizations with interests ranging from the historical to the cultural to the botanical. Bishop Larry Silva appointed her to the diocese’s Father Damien/Mother Marianne Commission. For years she was also a member of the Catholic Women’s Guild, which itself claims a historic position as the Island’s oldest continuous lay Catholic charitable organization, helping immigrants and the poor since the days of royalty.
In 1987, the Honpa Hongwanji Mission named Conrad as one of Hawaii’s Living Treasures, saying “her contributions to Hawaiian history have been monumental.” It was just one of a number of distinguished achievement honors. In 1999, Holy Names College honored her with its alumni recognition award for outstanding service to the community. The Association of Hawai‘i Archivists in 2005 named an award after her to recognize contributions by Hawai‘i archivists. She was the first recipient. In 2008, Gov. Linda Lingle honored Conrad with the Governor’s Award for Distinguished Achievement in Culture, Arts and Humanities.
"Many people who wrote books in Hawai‘i would try to get her to edit their work. She was fantastic in details," Susan Shaner, Hawai‘i State Archivist
“It was a joy to learn that she liked my work. To have her approval was significant. Every scholar and researcher wanted it to be known that she was involved in the writing of their books.” Sister Mary Laurence Hanley, Order of Saint Francis “
She introduced me so many wonderful things, the Judiciary History Center, the Palace, so many wonderful things … she absorbed so much about Hawai‘i and became very, very valuable to many people here.” Catherine Hughes, Catholic Women’s Guild
“As Hawaii’s territorial and state archivist from 1955 to 1982 — a full generation that spanned the Islands’ leap into statehood and a lively renaissance of Hawaii art, culture and politics — Conrad was for many the link between Hawaii’s present and Hawaii’s past.” Patrick Downes, Hawai‘i Catholic Herald
“My memories of Agnes begin when I was just a beginner at research, more than 50 years ago now. This was way back - in the days before even copying machines and electric typewriter,and decades before computers and databases. What is stored on hard drives these days was stored in people’s brains then, and at the Archives, Agnes was the institutional memory. I remember her with gratitude.” Gavan Daws, author Shoal of Time and Holy Man.
