Leprosy Heritage Sites - Museum, St. Jørgen’s Hospital Leprosy Museum, Bergen, Norway

The first 12 people were sent to the Makanalua peninsula, commonly referred to as Kalaupapa, on January 6, 1866. They would be followed by an estimated 8,000 more people, at least 90% of whom were native Hawaiians, who were separated from their families because they had leprosy. It was not part of the Hawaiian culture to separate those who were sick so, when allowed, many family members went along to Kalaupapa as mea kokua (helpers).

The sulfone drugs, the first cure for leprosy, were discovered in 1941 and introduced to Kalaupapa in 1946. In 1949, forced separation at Kalaupapa was stopped and individuals were provided with the alternative of living at Hale Mohalu, a residential treatment facility near Honolulu. Between 1949 and 1969, only 40 people were sent to Kalaupapa. In 1969, Hawaii’s century-old isolation policy was officially abandoned.

In 1982, the U.S. Congress designated Kalaupapa as a National Historical Park for the education and inspiration of present and future generations. This designation ensured the right of the last residents of Kalaupapa to live out their lives in this, their home. At the same time, it was an official recognition of the significance of Kalaupapa’s history to Hawaii, the United States, and the world.