Senator Samuel Ichiye Hayakawa

Samuel Ichiye Hayakawa served as a Senator from California in the United States Congress from 1977 to 1983. A member of the Republican Party, Samuel Ichiye Hayakawa contributed to the legislative process during 1 term in office.

Samuel Ichiye Hayakawa’s service in Congress occurred during a significant period in American history. As a member of the Senate, Samuel Ichiye Hayakawa participated in the democratic process and represented the interests of constituents.

Samuel Ichiye Hayakawa (Japanese: 早川 一衛, July 18, 1906 – February 27, 1992) was a Canadian-born American academic and politician of Japanese ancestry. A professor of English, he served as president of San Francisco State University and then as U.S. Senator from California from 1977 to 1983. Hayakawa was born in Vancouver, British Columbia to Japanese immigrants. Hayakawa advocated for Japanese Canadian voting rights in the 1930s. In the 1950s he became a professor at the University of Chicago before moving to teach English at San Francisco State College. After becoming acting president of San Francisco State College, Hayakawa became a conservative icon after he pulled out the wires from the loudspeakers on student protesters’ van at an outdoor rally. Hayakawa defeated incumbent Democratic senator John V. Tunney in 1976, becoming the first Asian American Senator from California. Hayakawa supported former California governor Ronald Reagan in the 1980 presidential election. He initially sought reelection in 1982 but bowed out of the race due to a lack of funds. Republican Pete Wilson succeeded Hayakawa in the US Senate.