Hawaii became the 50th U.S. state on August 21, 1959.
The Hawaiian Islands were annexed by the United States in 1898 and became a U.S. territory in 1900. Statehood followed decades later, after Congress approved the Hawaii Admission Act and President Dwight D. Eisenhower signed it in March 1959. Hawaii voters then approved statehood by an overwhelming margin in a June referendum.
Hawaii is the only U.S. state located outside North America and the only state made up entirely of islands. It is also the southernmost U.S. state. Its admission created the modern total of 50 states.
Alaska was admitted earlier, on January 3, 1959, becoming the 49th state. This ordering is a common source of confusion: Alaska was the larger state by area, but Hawaii was the final state admitted to the Union.