ANNOUNCEMENT: YEAR 2019-2020 Ret. Brig. General Frances Iwalani Mossman Award for Excellence in History Education

Retired Brig. Gen. Frances Iwalani Mossman (center)

Out of respect and in gratitude to the late Retired Brig. General Frances Iwalani Mossman, History Education Hawaii, Inc., the Hawaii allied council of the National Council for History Education (NCHE) announces that our annual History Educator of the Year Award will henceforth be called the Ret. Brig. General Frances Iwalani Mossman Award for Excellence in History Education.

History Education Hawaii, Inc., is pleased to announce that the Ret. Brig. General Frances Iwalani Mossman Award for Excellence in History Education for the Year 2019-2020 goes to the History Theater Program of the Hawaiian Mission Houses Historic Site and Archives. 

Audiences in Hawaii and beyond have been enjoying dramatic encounters with actors portraying individuals who played important roles in the history of Hawai’i. Meticulous research on these historical individuals is conducted from primary resource materials, providing audiences with a truly authentic portrayal of a rich, complicated history found only in Hawaii. 

Presently, the Hawaiian Mission Houses Historic Site and Archives commemorates the 200th anniversary of the first Congregational mission to Hawai'i with The Hawai'i, New England Connection, a first-ever 30-day tour of History Theatre, panel discussions, and cultural events. This series explores the history and contemporary results of the intersection of New England and Hawaiian culture, which began in 1819 when the first missionaries left Boston for Hawai'i and continues today.

The Hawai'i, New England Connection features a one-man play, My Name is 'Ōpūkaha'ia. Performed by Moses Goods, Hawai'i's premier actor, storyteller, and writer, it recounts the life of 'Ōpūkaha'ia, a young Native Hawaiian man who would change the history of Hawai'i forever with his arrival in New England. Events also include discussion panels with New England and Hawai'i scholars, school workshops, and performances of Hawaiian songs and chants.

Retired Brigadier General Frances Iwalani Mossman passed away on July 7th 2018 at her home in Mililani. Frances' contribution to the defense of our nation and her life in both government and private capacity resulted in numerous accomplishments. Among her many interests and accomplishments was history education, leading her in 2006 with Jeffrey Bingham Mead and John S. Carroll to be the co-founders of History Education Hawaii, Inc. Her foresight, wisdom, leadership and vision touched many lives in Hawaii, around the United States of America and beyond. 

Mossman was President of the Hawaii International Dispute Resolution Group LLC.  She was a Planning and Policy Consultant with over forty-five years of combined experience in national security and defense, international relations and domestic programs at the federal, state, regional and local levels of government, specializing in urban development, infrastructure, land use planning, legislation and policies and procedures.

Mossman earned a Juris Doctor degree from The George Washington University National Law Center, a B.A. from the University of Hawaii at Manoa and did graduate work at the University of California, Berkeley in political science, history, international relations and economics.  She was a Certified Planner as designated by the American Institute of Certified Planners. 

A mediator and facilitator with experience in a wide range of issues and types of disputes, Mossman was a panel member of the State Judiciary’s Hawaii Appellate Conference Program and mediates cases on appeal.  She was an Arbitrator for the Regulated Industries Complaints Office (RICO), Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs, State of Hawaii.

Mossman was appointed by the Veterans Administration to the Homeless Veterans Task Force for Hawai’i and Chair of its Housing Committee.

From 1986 to 1998, Mossman worked for the City and County of Honolulu in land use, zoning, transportation, long-range planning and as Senior Legislative Analyst for the Honolulu City Council.  Her last City position was as Chief Planner and Executive Assistant to the Director of the Planning Department.  Prior to that, she served as Senior Planner in the Environmental Management Agency, General Planning Division and as Chief of Zoning and Special Projects for Orange County, California.  

Ms. Mossman worked for the RAND Corporation for many years as Associate Economist, Systems Analyst and Editor in the Santa Monica, California and Washington, D.C. offices.  She worked for Planning Research Corporation (PRC) as an Associate/Intelligence Analyst in Washington, D.C. and for the Public Policy Research Organization at the University of California, Irvine.  After a military career in air traffic control and flight facilities, intelligence, plans and policy, programs and resources and assignments on the Air Staff in Washington, D.C., she retired from the United States Air Force as a Brigadier General. 

Mossman was a Member of the Board of Directors of the Association for Conflict Resolution and was Chair of its Legislative & Public Policy Committee.  She served as Chair of ACR’s Commercial Section and was a Member of the Board of Directors for the Hawaii Chapter of ACR.  She was a member of the American Bar Association and participated in the International (China Committee) and Dispute Resolution (Mediation Committee) Sections.  She was a member of the American Planning Association (APA), the American Society for Public Administration (ASPA) and the World Future Society (National Coordinator for Hawaii).