Chatting With Dr Leonard Richardson

Saturday, Aug. 26, there was an overwhelming attendance of volunteers who turned out to help clean up Hassel Island. Families, couples, singles, young, old, it didn’t matter, everyone showed up in mass assembly. But what is the interest and importance of Hassel Island? To answer that, let’s look at its history. Hassel Island forms the western edge of St. Thomas’s harbor. The island is approximately 135 acres in area. The highest elevation on the island is the southern peak, at 267 feet. The National Park Service acquired about 95% of Hassel Island in 1978 and is working to preserve and interpret the island’s rich history. Three sites on the island are owned by the Virgin Islands Government, and there are 3 private in-holdings. Originally, Hassel Island was a peninsula. In the 1860s, the Danish government separated the land from mainland St. Thomas with the hopes of creating better water circulation in the harbor. The earliest documentation of the ownership of Hassel Island is under the name Estate Orkanshul

As children, both Dr. Leonard Richardson & I, Etienne A. Gibbs, knew Mr. Amadeo Estrill as the friendliest man on St. Thomas who wasn't shy to walk up to anyone and spark a friendly conversation after a greeting of "Good morning!" or "Good afternoon!". Everyone on Main Street in Downtown Charlotte Amalie knew Mr. Estrill by his unique features: painter's coverall, smile, laughter, friendliness, but most impressively, his colorful expletives! I have never known Mr. Estrill's expletives to be malicious or used in anger. My guess is that he  suffered from what today psychiatry would refer to as Tourrete's Syndrome, a neurological disorder characterized by involuntary tics & vocalizations, often accompanied by the compulsive utterance of obscenities. Born on St. Thomas, Virgin Islands Nov 1, 1908, Mr. Estrill died of a stroke at the age 91, July 26, 2000, in Central Florida where relocated the year before. Mr. Canada Lee was born Leonard Lionel Cornelius Canegata March 3, 1907, in New York City. His fat

Euell Aira Nielsen, a native of Sewell, New Jersey, recently relocated to St. Thomas, Virgin Islands. A living historian, Euell is the 3rd of 4 generations to be members at the First African Presbyterian Church (Philadelphia, PA), the nation's oldest African American Presbyterian congregation, founded by a former slave in 1807. Euell has operated several small businesses, to include, Herstories (historical portrayals), Twist This (balloon twisting), Island Treazures (handmade crafts) & Dimaje (photography). Her interests and hobbies include animals, reading & researching, spending time with family, traveling, riding her bike, photography (including underwater photography}, crafting, genealogy, & historical research. In March 2017, Euell received an award for her 62+ writings on African Americans for the website, Blackpast.org . Since then she has been featured in newspaper and magazine articles about her cemetery photography, military service and historical re-enacting. She is currently work

The most anticipated of national holidays are the 3 days of Festival in August (August Monday) that are set aside to commemorate the 1 August 1834 emancipation of African slaves. British Virgin Islands Emancipation Festival 28th July - 9th August 2017 = A celebration of their ancestors' freedom from colonialism & their cultural history. During that time, they showcase the culture & history of their people in grand style with extravaganzas of local & international music, pageants, Food Fairs, J'ouvert (early morning street jamming), parades, gospel celebrations, & folklore presentations. Visit the Virgin Islands Festival on Facebook to stay up to date on all the Festival Celebrations. The major national holidays in the British Virgin Islands: New Year's Day (1 January), Commonwealth Day (13 March), Sovereign's Birthday, Territory Day, Festival (the first Monday, Tuesday, & Wednesday in August; a/k/a August Monday), Saint Ursula's Day (21 October), & Boxing Day (26 December). In Novem

July 3rd, Emancipation Day (E-Day) in the US Virgin Islands, is public holiday commemorating abolition of slavery in the Danish West Indies in 1848. E-Day is celebrated in many former colonies on various dates to recognize the abolition of slavery, serfdom, or other forms of servitude. The Danish West India Company settled on part of the Virgin Islands archipelago, which is now known as the US Virgin Islands, in the 17th century. The trans-Atlantic slave trade to the archipelago began in 1673. Slaves mainly worked on sugarcane plantations. They were forced to work in difficult conditions and were treated inhumanely. This led to several large revolts, such as the 1733 slave insurrection on Saint John which lasted for 6 months. In 1835, Peter von Scholten became governor of the islands. He tried to lighten the burden of the slaves by permitting the private ownership and creating schools for them. When a non-violent [sic] slave revolt broke out on the island of Saint Croix in 1848, von Scholten decided to ema

The St. John Festival is a month-long event that starts with steel pan performances & pageants, then builds up to the week of July 3rd (Emancipation Day) and the 4th (Independence Day). That final week is party time with the big events: the Village, the Food Fair, & the Parade. Carnival is the biggest annual event in the Virgin Islands & throughout the Caribbean. In the US Virgin Islands: VI Carnival on St. Thomas in April/May; the St. John Festival in June/July; & St. Croix’s Crucian Christmas Carnival in Dec./Jan. In the British Virgin Islands: the BVI Emancipation Festival on Tortola in July/Aug. & the Virgin Gorda Easter Festival in April. Here's an abbreviated calendar of the fore coming events: 18 June: The FESTIVAL PRINCESS PAGEANT at 6:00 pm Winston Wells Ball Field 24 June: Festival Queen Pageant at 8:00 pm Winston Wells Ball Field 25 June: Festival Food Fair & Coronation at 1:00 pm Franklin A. Powell, Sr. Park 25 June: Festival Boat Races at 3:00 pm Cruz Bay Harbor 2

According to Mrs. Cedelle Petersen-Christopher, "Cariso is a melodic memory of our African past. It is an art form that was brought to the Virgin Islands and the rest of the Caribbean during the enslavement of West Africans. It is a form of communication that was done secretly so that the slave master could not understand. It is an art form that was sung by the ancestors to transmit secret messages of rebellion; freedom songs of historical and current events; storytelling of long, long ago; and to make biting and stinging social commentary." "Cariso which means 'carry it so' was sung by women exclusively in a call and response style accompanied by the men playing the barrel drums. At times the women would compete with each other and use their wit, poetic skills, and singing ability. It is on the sugar cane fields, towns, and villages, vegetable and fish markets this art form was practiced throughout the Caribbean. Long ago it was called Cariso and today it is called Calypso." "It’s important for me to share

Caribbean music genres are diverse. They are each synthesis of African, European, Indian,& Indigenous influences, largely created by descendants of African slaves, & contributions from other communities (such as Indo-Caribbean music). Some of the styles to gain wide popularity outside of the Caribbean include, calypso, dancehall, reggae, reggaetón (musical genre coming out of Puerto Rico in the late 1990s that were influenced by hip hop, Latin American, & Caribbean music), salsa, soca, & zouk, among others. The Caribbean is also related to Central American and South American music. The complex & deep origins of Caribbean music are best understood if you have knowledge of Western Hemisphere colonial immigration patterns, human trafficking patterns, the resulting melting pot of people each of its nations, & territories. Thus, this resulted in an influx of original musical influences. Colonial Caribbean ancestors were predominantly from West Africa, West Europe, & India. In the

Memorial Day, the day we pay respects to our fallen military, is observed on the last Monday of May. It commemorates all servicemen & servicewomen of the United States. People visit cemeteries & memorials on Memorial Day. Since the attack on America on September 11, 2001, a total of 147 women deployed to Afghanistan, Iraq and Kuwait have lost their lives in service to America. Most Americans, & even members of the media, not aware that 147 brave servicewomen have died in the War on Terrorism. With few exceptions, news stories about their tragic deaths usually appear only in the military press, or in small hometown newspaper stories & TV accounts that rarely capture national attention. Military hospitals nationwide have cared for many female heroes who have lost limbs. When 2 women Marines & a female sailor were killed in a Fallujah truck attack in June 2005, 11 more were sent to Brooke Medical Center in Texas, which specializes in the treatment of severe burns. 100s have received medals

Mr. Joseph Lorand, Veteran Postman, celebrated his 25th Anniversary as a letter carrier in the Danish West Indies. On May 31, 1911, Mr. Lorand was recognized for his great contributions. He was awarded the silver cross of Dannebrogsmand. As acting Government Secretary, Baumann made the presentation, he praised & congratulated Mr. Lorand for this high distinction & for 25 years of dedicated service. ~ Courtesy ofVINTAGE VIRGIN ISLANDS™ National Maritime Day, celebrated May 22nd in the US each yea, reflects the gratitude that Americans have for the maritime industry & the benefits it brings to the country. It also recognizes ships & seafarers who have held a special place in the nation's history. Many communities & organizations in the US observe National Maritime Day in a variety of ways. Activities & events include open houses & special celebrations hosted by seaports. Some businesses may host special luncheons while other people attend memorial observances at Merchant Marine memo

Mother's Day is a celebration honoring the mother of the family, as well as motherhood, maternal bonds, and the influence of mothers in society. It is celebrated on various days in many parts of the world, most commonly in the months of March or May. It is celebrated similarly in the US Virgin Islands. Another celebration is the anniversary of Moravian Church on St. Thomas. St. Thomas Police Week: May 14-May 21, 2017 May 14: VIPD Officers to attend church.  May 15: Memorial Service & Parade at 4:00 pm from Emile Griffith Park to Fort Christian Parking Lot May 16: Mariel Newton Command’s Show & Tell Health Expo at Alvin McBean Ballpark at 9:30 am to include the VIPD Specialized Units. Students & Senior Citizens to attend. Health screening conducted by Dept. of Human Services. May 17: Show & Tell Cruz Bay, St. John at Julius Sprauve School at 2:00 pm to include VIPD’s K:9 Unit, Forensic Unit, Bomb Unit, Highway Safety, & VI Fire Service. May 18: Police in the Schools at 8:30 am to read

Born Sept. 15, 1899 in her Bunker Hill home on St. Thomas in the then Danish West Indies, Mrs. Blanche Mary Joseph Sasso, is the youngest of 5 children, & was known affectionately as Mamma Sasso, Auntie Blanche, Granny Sasso, & The Grand Lady. The Grand Lady & her sister played an important role in Virgin Islands history in 1921 when they embroidered the territory's first flag. Mrs. Sasso went on to educate generations of young Virgin Islanders. Since she was a child, Mrs. Sasso can remember her birthday brought rain. Tropical Storm, Jeanne, brought heavy downpours & gusty winds. "That's another melee," Mrs. Sasso stated. "From the time I was about 10 years up to now, there's never been a birthday without rain." Mrs. Sasso graduated Convent School on St. Thomas, where her musical talents were encouraged. She soon took up playing the cello & the piano. In fact, family members recall that her love for music continued to her final days. Eventually teaching on both St. Thomas & St. Cro

The Virgin Islands Carnival Committee announces 2017 Virgin Islands Carnival theme: “A Centennial Commemoration for our 65th Carnival Celebration” as submitted by Mr. Clement “Cain” Magras. History of St. Thomas Carnival: The 1st carnival was staged in 1912 during the final years of Danish occupation & lapsed during World War I. Revived in 1952; Carnival has become the 2nd largest festival in the Caribbean. A month-long series of dazzling pageants & talent shows are held to choose royalty to reign over the festival. Fun events such as a boat race, Greased Pig Contest, & Toddlers Derby entertain everyone. A series of elimination contests to crown top performers are called Calypso Tents. Calypsonians offer a satirical commentary on the state of the islands, oftentimes mocking the shenanigans of politicians. Other popular events held during Carnival is J'ouvert, a food fair presenting the islands’ best traditional eats & a competition to crown the King & Queen of the parade. The children's

The demise of the islands’ first residents, the Indians, was evident when the first Europeans after Columbus arrived in the late 1500s. Many countries expressed interest in the islands in the 1600s, including Holland, France, England, Spain, Denmark, & the Knights of Malta. But it was the Danes who established the first settlement on St. Thomas in 1672, expanding to St. John in 1694. St. Croix was added to the Danish West India Company in 1733, & plantations soon sprung up all over the islands. A treaty with the Dutch of Brandenburg in 1685 established St. Thomas as a slave-trading post. More than 200,000 slaves, primarily from Africa’s west coast, were forcibly shipped to the islands for the backbreaking work of harvesting cane, cotton, & indigo. St. John & St. Croix maintained a plantation economy, while St. Thomas developed as a trade center. Stripped of their dignity & freedom & fed up with the harsh conditions, in 1733 slaves attacked St. John’s Fort Frederiksvaern in Coral Bay,

Valerie will address some of the events she attended: Parades, Book Launchings, Museum Openings, Fundraisers, Tour of the Danmark Training Schooner March 26, 2017 2:00 p.m.: Parade starting at the National Park Dock and ending at The Battery, Cruz Bay, St. John. 3:00 – 5:00 p.m.: Governor’s Reception at The Battery. 6:00 – 9:00 p.m.: Cruz Bay Block Party at Franklin Powell Park. March 29, 2017 6:00 – 8:00 p.m.: Governor’s Reception at Fort Christian in Charlotte Amalie, St. Thomas. March 30, 2017 6:00 – 8:00 p.m.: Governor’s Reception at Government House in Christiansted, St. Croix. March 31, 2017 Transfer Day Activities 8:00 – 10:00 a.m.: Parade on St. Croix. 10:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.: Ceremony on St. Croix. 2:30 – 3:30 p.m.: Parade on St. Thomas. 4:00 – 6:00 p.m.: Ceremony on St. Thomas. April 2, 2017 7:00 – 10:00 p.m.: Centennial Gala Ball at Renaissance Carambola Beach Resort and Spa on St. Croix. Tickets are $75.00 each and can be purchased at Anally Farms or Undercover Books. www,ValerieS

Dr. Amicitia Maloon-Gibson: Dr. Cita is an executive consultant, speaker, author, certified mediator, & life coach. Describing herself as a student-for-life, Dr. Cita holds advanced degrees in Management, Leadership, Human Resources Development, & Social Psychology. A decorated veteran with 29 years of service, Dr. Cita is passionate about giving back to the community, especially in areas of youth education, the homeless, & disabled veterans.  Mrs. Turiya Hodge: Turiya is the owner of Myabah Consulting Services & founder of Social Media Saturdays, an online platform she's dedicated to helping professionals, organizations, & companies grow their business by social media strategic planning in the area of lead-generation. She understands that owning & operating a business come with many challenges but believes that social media marketing should not be one of them. Now back home. Mrs. Sara W. Connell: Sara, 2nd child of 6 born to now-deceased Arturo & Elesa Watlington, married to Olm

The St. Thomas Harbor is one of the most important commercial ports in the West Indies of the 1800s. The harbor was a free port. Traffic there was extensive because of its good situation & fine facilities. It was popular among merchants & trading companies for its good facilities: the West Indies’ largest floating dock, good machine shops, clear channel marking, & inexpensive harbor fees. But it was also notorious for 2 problems: hurricanes & diseases, particularly yellow fever & cholera. In the 1800s, an average of 2,000–3,000 ships came annually to St. Thomas. In the 1860s, this increased to 4,600 annually. About half of the tall ships arrived from Caribbean ports & a quarter from European ports. Vessels under the Danish flag made up a smaller share. In the 1820s, it was 23%; in the final year before the sale in 1917, it was only 13%. Most ships in the 1820s sailed under an American flag, but in the 1910s British ships had become completely dominant. The vessels in the harbor beca

Main Street traverses east-west through Charlotte Amalie, on St. Thomas, parallel to the Waterfront to the South. As the capital and the largest city of the U.S. Virgin Islands, Charlotte Amalie was founded in 1666 as Taphus (meaning "beer houses" or "beer halls"). The Main Street, the main tourist shopping center, is known for its Danish colonial architecture, building structure and history, with streets and places throughout the city with Danish names. Charlotte Amalie has many residential buildings and stores of historical importance, with several of them on Main Street. During the time of the Danish West Indies (1754–1917), the city was known as Taphus for its many beer halls. Taphus is Danish and directly translates to "beer houses", "beer halls", or (most literally) "taphouse". In 1691 the town received a more respectable name by being named Amalienborg (in English Charlotte Amalie) in honor of Danish King Christian V’s wife, Charlotte Amalie of Hesse-Kassel (1650–1714). Between 1921 and 1936, the ci

Main Street traverses east-west through Charlotte Amalie, on St. Thomas, parallel to the Waterfront to the South. As the capital and the largest city of the U.S. Virgin Islands, Charlotte Amalie was founded in 1666 as Taphus (meaning "beer houses" or "beer halls"). The Main Street, the main tourist shopping center, is known for its Danish colonial architecture, building structure and history, with streets and places throughout the city with Danish names. Charlotte Amalie has many residential buildings and stores of historical importance, with several of them on Main Street. Before the time of the Danish West Indies (1754–1917), the city was known as Taphus for its many beer halls. Taphus is Danish and directly translates to "beer houses", "beer halls", or (most literally) "taphouse". Therefore, in today's episode, we shall attempt to continue our tour of Main Street from the Rothschild Francis Square to The Alvaro de Lugo Post Office, also known as the Emancipation Garden Post Office. Additionally, w

Our continued tour of the Main Street stores and their proprietors is pre-empted until next week. In keeping with the excitement and anticipation of the upcoming Virgin Islands Transfer Centennial celebration, we'll address several locals who intend to call-in with some tidbits and memories. Because this year, 2017, is the US Virgin Islands Centennial Year when the United States Virgin Islands will commemorate the transferring the Virgin Islands from Denmark to the United States 100 years ago (March 31, 1917 to March 31, 2017), the US Virgin Islands Centennial Year will be recognized by many as one of yearlong activities.  Also, we are the first to announce In keeping with the Transfer Day Centennial celebration, I'm proud to mention that my good friend and colleague, Dr. Denise Bennerson, has made her contribution to the yearlong Transfer Day Centennial celebration. Dr. Bennerson, a photographer and Virgin Islands conservative historian of the US Virgin Islands, has created a United States Virgin Islan