♫♫ >>> THE UPCOMING PROGRAM WAS PREVIOUSLY RECORDED.

>> THE VIEWS EXPRESSED ON THIS PROGRAM ARE NOT NECESSARILY THOSE OF WTJX, ITS BOARD, STAFF, OR UNDERWRITERS.

♫♫ ♫♫ >>> WELCOME TO "THE BOOKCASE."

I´M YOUR HOST, SHANA RICHARDS, THE SOMETIME WRITER AND LONG-TIME READER.

EACH WEEK ON "THE BOOKCASE," WE´LL INTRODUCE YOU TO A LOCAL AUTHOR AND LEARN MORE ABOUT THEM AND THEIR WORK.

I STORY TELLER LIVES IN EACH OF US, AND I´M SO EXCITED TO GIVE OUR HOME GROWN STORY TELLERS A SELECTION.

TONIGHT´S SELECTION IS "RUN AWAY VERSION" DISPLAYED, AND I´M WELCOMED TO WELCOME HIS AUTHOR.

WELCOME TO THE BOOKCASE.

>> THANK YOU, SHANA.

IT IS MY HONOR AND PLEASURE TO PARTICIPATE IN THIS WONDERFUL PROGRAM THAT YOU´VE PUT TOGETHER FOR THE PEOPLE OF THE VIRGIN ISLANDS.

>> WHEN I READ THE TITLE OF YOUR BOOK, "RUN AWAY VIRGIN," I WAS NOT EXPECTING THE TREASURE TROVE OF INFORMATION THAT YOU HAVE COMPILED.

WHAT INSPIRED YOU TO WRITE "RUN AWAY VIRGIN."

>> AS A CHILD GROWING UP IN THE VIRGIN ISLANDS, I REALLY DIDN´T FIND BOOKS VERY INTERESTING.

I CHALLENGED MYSELF ON THAT.

MAYBE IT´S NOT THAT THE BOOKS AREN´T THAT INTERESTING.

IT´S THE TOP K. AND IN SCHOOL WE´RE ASSIGNED DIFFERENT TOPICS TO READ, "LORD OF THE FLIES," ANNE FRANK, THINGS LIKE THAT.

THEY JUST REALLY DIDN´T CONNECT WITH A YOUNG BOY FROM THE VIRGIN ISLANDS.

SO, WHAT I DECIDED AS I GOT OLDER AND HAD MORE RESOURCES AND TIME AND ABILITY, I WAS GOING TO TRY TO FILL THAT GAP FOR OTHERS AND CREATE THE KIND OF BOOK THAT A LITTLE BOY FROM THE VIRGIN ISLANDS WOULD LIKE TO READ ONE DAY.

>> SO, WHEN YOU´RE TALKING ABOUT GROWING UP IN THE VIRGIN ISLANDS, DID YOU ATTEND THE PUBLIC SCHOOLS?

WHAT WAS YOUR EDUCATION BACKGROUND.

>> I WENT TO TOU TOU ELEMENTARY SCHOOL.

WE WENT TO BERTHA BESHELTER FOR MIDDLE AND BECAME A MIGHTY RAY IN HIGH SCHOOL.

ON GRADUATION I ENLISTED IN THE UNITED STATES AIR FORCE, BECAME AN AIR TRAFFIC CONTROLLER, AND GOT TO DO A LOT OF COOL THINGS LIKE CONTROL AIR FORCE ONE, SPACE SHUTTLE DISCOVERY, AND A COUPLE OF PLANES WE DON´T TALK ABOUT OFFICIALLY.

BUT THROUGHOUT THE YEARS, I´VE ALWAYS STAYED IN CLOSE CONTACT WITH ALL MY FRIENDS AND FAMILY AT HOME IN THE VIRGIN ISLANDS.

AND YOU KNOW, TO THIS DAY, I´M STILL IN HOUSTON, TEXAS, BUT VERY MUCH CONNECTED TO THE VIRGIN ISLANDS AS A MEMBER OF THE VIRGIN ISLANDS ASSOCIATION.

>> WHEN YOU WERE GROWING UP AND YOU WERE READING "LORD OF THE FLIES," YOU WERE READING OTHER BOOKS THAT STILL APPEAR ON READING LISTS TO THIS DAY AND ARE CONSIDERED CLASSIC.

BUT WHAT TYPE OF BOOKS WERE YOU LOOKING FOR THAT LED YOU TO FILL THE GAP THAT YOU SAW?

>> I DON´T THINK I EVEN KNEW WHAT I WAS LOOKING FOR, BUT I KNEW WHAT HIT ME WHEN IT HIT ME.

IN JUNIOR HIGH, I WAS IN THE LIBRARY ONE DAY, AND I FOUND A BOOK CALLED "WHAT IF IT´S" AND THE BOOK IS KIND OF LIKE A DICTIONARY AS WELL AS LOCAL THINGS TO THE VIRGIN ISLANDS.

AND IT WAS SUCH A POWERFUL THING TO FIND A BOOK WRITTEN IN THE WAY WE SPEAK, USING OUR DIALECT.

AND I THOUGHT THAT WAS SUCH AN INCREDIBLE THING.

IT´S THE FIRST BOOK THAT AS A LITTLE KID I ACTUALLY TOOK MY OWN MONEY TO PURCHASE A COPY OF IT.

IT IMPACTED ME THAT MUCH.

>> AND HOW MUCH DID IT COST YOU AT THE TIME?

>> I DON´T EVEN REMEMBER.

BUT IT FELT LIKE A MILLION DOLLARS AT THE TIME, BUT IT WAS WORTH A MILLION DOLLARS TO ME.

AND TO THIS DAY I HAVE A VIRGIN ISLANDS BOOK COLLECTION OF OVER 400 ITEMS.

ONE BOOK IS STILL IN MY COLLECTION.

IT´S BOOK NUMBER ONE IN MY DIRECTORY.

>> WHEN YOU WERE GROWING UP, APART, WERE YOU EXPOSED TO ANY VIRGIN ISLANDS AUTHORS?

>> I KNEW ABOUT STORY TELLERS.

SAY, FOR EXAMPLE, WE JUST RECENTLY LOST ONE OF THE GREAT EUGENES, DOC EUGENE PETERSON.

>> SUCH A LOSS.

>> ELMORE ROEBUCK WAS A GREAT STORY TELLER, AS WELL AS A NUMBER OF OTHERS.

BUT AS FAR AS BOOKS ARE CONCERNED, AND IT´S PROVEN TO BE TRUE THROUGH MY COLLECTION OF ABOUT 400 BOOKS, LIKE I SAID, WE REALLY DIDN´T START TELLING OUR STORY UNTIL JAY ANTONIO IN THE 1940s.

UP UNTIL THEN, ALL THE BOOKS THAT WERE WRITTEN WERE WRITTEN BY PEOPLE VISITING THE ISLAND OR PEOPLE FROM SOMEWHERE ELSE.

ONLY IN THE 1940s DID WE START TAKING OWNERSHIP OF OUR STORY AND TELLING IT OUR WAY.

THAT´S ONE OF THE HUGE REASONS TO THIS DAY, EVEN THOUGH I´VE PUBLISHED SIX BOOKS, I CONTINUE TO SELF-PUBLISH BECAUSE I DEMAND TO HAVE CONTROL OF 100% OF THE CONTENT.

>> WHY IS THIS SO IMPORTANT THOUGH FOR OUR STORY TO BE TOLD FROM OUR OWN VIRGIN ISLANDS PERSPECTIVE?

>> BECAUSE OUR STORY IS DIFFERENT.

OUR STORY IS NOT THE EXACT SAME AS THE TYPICAL AMERICAN STORY PER SE.

AND THE BOOK, "RUN AWAY VIRGIN," SPELLS THAT OUT.

AS A KID GROWING UP IN THE ´70s, I SAW RUSSO ON TV, WHICH WAS AN INCREDIBLE MINISERIES.

>> THAT WAS IMPACTFUL.

>> YES, YES.

AND I ALSO SAW A NUMBER OF OTHER DOCUMENTARIES OVER THE YEARS REGARDING SLAVERY AND STUFF LIKE THAT.

SO, I JUST ASSUMED THIS IS WHAT WE EXPERIENCED IN THE VIRGIN ISLANDS.

HOWEVER, DOING MY OWN RESEARCH ON MY FAMILY TREE, WHICH I WAS ABLE TO TRACE BACK TO THE 1700s ON MY FATHER´S SIDE AND RIGHT AROUND 1810 ON MY MOTHER´S SIDE OF THE FAMILY.

WELL, TWO THINGS HAPPENED, ONE, YOU CROSS THE 1848 LINE, WHICH TAKES YOU INTO SLAVERY.

AND THE SECOND THING IS YOU HAVE TO START ASKING YOURSELF THOSE TOUGH QUESTIONS REGARDING, YOU KNOW, OWNERSHIP OF SLAVES OR BEING OWNED BY INDIVIDUALS.

SO, THAT WAS A VERY DELICATE POINT IN MY RESEARCH.

AND IN DOING THAT RESEARCH, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT YOU COME ACROSS IS THE FACT THAT THERE´S VERY LITTLE INFORMATION WRITTEN FROM THE SLAVES´ POINT OF VIEW.

MOST DOCUMENTS READ SOMETHING LIKE THIS.

JOHN, 24 YEARS OLD, HE´S A MASON OR A CARTWRIGHT.

AND THAT´S ALL YOU KNOW ABOUT THAT PARTICULAR INDIVIDUAL.

AS A MATTER OF FACT, IN MANY INSTANCES, YOU WILL HAVE RECORDS THAT SAY SOMETHING LIKE, SUCH AND SUCH PLANTATION WAS SOLD ALONG WITH 300 SLAVES AND HOWEVER MANY COWS AND HORSES AND PIGS.

>> IT WAS MORE OF A TRANSFER OF OWNERSHIP.

IT WAS RECORDKEEPING.

>> EXACTLY.

AS A MATTER OF FACT -- >> WHILE IT WAS, YOU KNOW, ACTUAL RECORDS AND STORIES.

>> YES.

YOU KNOW, THE DEANS DID A TREMENDOUS JOB OF KEEPING RECORDS.

HOWEVER, IF YOU GO BACK TO THE CENSUS FOR 1841, 1846, AND YOU´RE LOOKING FOR ENSLAVED PEOPLE, YOU WON´T FIND THEM ON THE CENSUS RECORD BECAUSE THEY KEPT PEOPLE ON THE CENSUS RECORD.

YOU HAVE TO LOOK AT THE PROPERTY RECORD TO FIND SLAVES.

SO, EVEN THOUGH THEY WERE LIVING UNDER THE SAME ROOF IN MANY INSTANCES, THEY DIDN´T COUNT THEM WITH THE PEOPLE.

THEY COUNT THEM WITH THE PROPERTY AND THE FURNITURE.

>> BUT IF YOU ALSO LOOK AT WHAT WAS HAPPENING, YOU KNOW, IN THE STATES IN TERMS OF HOW BLACK PEOPLE WERE CLASSIFIED, WE WERE CLASSIFIED AS, YOU KNOW, LESS THAN A PERSON.

>> YEAH, IT´S A VERY HARD TIME TO TAKE A LOOK AT.

BUT, LIKE I SAY, IN EXPLORING AND DIGGING DEEPER, I FOUND UNEXPECTEDLY A WEALTH OF INFORMATION IN THESE RUN AWAY SLAVE ADS.

BECAUSE WHAT WAS HAPPENING WAS ON A CENSUS, THEY LISTED THE BARE MINIMUM OF INFORMATION, LIKE I SAY, A NAME, A RACE, A SEX.

BUT WHENEVER AN INDIVIDUAL WOULD RUN AWAY, THE OWNER WOULD GO TO THE NEWSPAPER AND TRY TO TELL AS MUCH THEY KNEW ABOUT THAT INDIVIDUAL WITH THE HOPES OF HELPING TO FIND THAT PERSON BACK.

SO, INSTEAD OF JUST SAYING JOHN -- >> -- BECAUSE I FOUND THAT TO BE IN READING YOUR BOOK "RUN AWAY VIRGIN," I REALLY FOUND THAT TO BE SO INTERESTING THAT IN ADVERTISING THAT THEY WERE LOOKING FOR THIS RUN AWAY ENSLAVED PERSON, THERE WAS SO MUCH INFORMATION.

YOU SPEAK OF, I THINK ONE PETER -- I´M SORRY, CUFFY, WHO WAS A CARPENTER, WHO ALSO PLAYED VIOLIN.

AND I WONDER IF THAT INFORMATION WOULD HAVE BEEN SO READILY AVAILABLE IF CUFFY HAD NOT BEEN ON THE RUN.

AND IF YOU´RE ONE OF THE DESCENDANTS OF CUFFY, YOU WOULD HAVE NEVER KNOWN -- THERE IS NO WAY THEY WOULD HAVE RECORDED THAT INFORMATION.

AND I´LL TAKE JUST A SECOND TO SHARE IT WITH YOU.

IT´S FROM THE ROYAL GAZETTE IN 1791.

RUN AWAY, NEGRO MAN NAMED CUFFY, ABOUT SENT ABOUT 12 MONTHS.

HE´S A CARPENTER BY TRADE AND PLAYS THE VIOLIN.

SHOULD HE HIMSELF RETURN TO HIS MASTER WITHIN ONE MONTH OF THIS DATE, HE WILL BE PARDONED.

>> WOW.

>> THAT JUST SPEAKS VOLUMES, THE FACT THAT, YOU KNOW, HE DIDN´T JUST PICK AT THE VIOLIN.

HE OBVIOUSLY WAS TALENTED FOR THEM TO MAKE IT A POINT.

AND FOR HIM TO BE GONE 12 MONTHS, THERE´S NO WAY A SLAVE IN THE UNITED STATES WOULD BE GONE FOR 12 MONTHS HAVE ANY HOPE OF HIM EVER COMING BACK.

BUT IN THE VIRGIN ISLANDS, PEOPLE HAD CLOSE FAMILY TIES AND RELATIONSHIPS.

AND IT WAS VERY COMMON.

THERE IS EVEN ONE EXAMPLE THAT I HAVE A GENTLEMAN THAT RAN AWAY, WENT TO LIVE IN JAMAICA FOR ABOUT 15 OR 20 YEARS AND WOULD COME HOME PERIODICALLY TO VISIT FAMILY AND FRIENDS.

>> WAS HE CONSIDERED A RUN AWAY DURING THAT ENTIRE TIME?

>> MOST DEFINITELY HE WAS.

YES.

AND HE WOULD COME BACK HOME AND VISIT FAMILY AND FRIENDS AND THEN LEAVE AGAIN.

IT WAS ALSO VERY COMMON FROM TIME TO TIME FOR ENSLAVED TO GO VISIT FAMILY AND VICE VERSA.

TOR TOLA FREED ITS SLAVES IN 1834, AND WE DIDN´T FREE THE ONES IN THE VIRGIN ISLANDS UNTIL 1848.

SO, A LOT OF TIMES THEY WOULD GO AND VISIT FOR A DAY OR TWO AND THEN COME BACK.

>> AND IN YOUR ADS, ONE PHRASE THAT KEPT POPPING UP REPEATEDLY WAS THAT IF THE ENSLAVED WAS RETURNED WITHIN A CERTAIN AMOUNT OF TIME, THAT PERSON WOULD BE PARDONED, WHICH IS SOMETHING I NEVER EVEN CONSIDERED YOU FOR BECAUSE I ALWAYS THOUGHT THAT WHEN SOMEONE RAN AWAY AND THEY WERE RETURNED, THERE WOULD BE SUCH HARSH PENALTIES.

BEATEN, YOU WERE GOING TO LOSE A HAND, YOU WERE GOING TO LOSE A FOOT.

SOMETHING TERRIBLE WAS GOING TO HAPPEN.

BUT INSTEAD, YOUR ADS REALLY SHOW THAT THERE´S A KINDER, GENTLER ASPECT BECAUSE THIS PERSON WILL BE PARDONED.

>> I WOULDN´T SAY KINDER, GENTLER.

I WOULD SAY THE MOTIVE WAS WE NEEDED TO GET THE WORK DONE, AND WE NEEDED, YOU KNOW, BODIES HERE TO GET IT DONE.

SO, IF YOU LOOK AT SLAVERY IN TWO PARTS, THE FIRST HALF, THE 1600s, UP UNTIL WHEN THEY ENDED THE SLAVE TRADE IN 1793, IT WAS VERY MUCH A HARSH ENVIRONMENT, WHERE YOU HAD THE CUTTING OFF OF THE HANDS AND THE FEET, AND YOU KNOW, AT SOME POINT ACTUALLY EXECUTING SLAVES FOR DOING DIFFERENT OFFENSES.

THE PERIOD IS 1803 WHEN THE TRADE IN SLAVES CAME TO AN END UP UNTIL EMANCIPATION IN 1848.

YEAR AFTER YEAR, THE SLAVES GAINED MORE AND MORE POWER IN THIS DYNAMIC ON THE PLANTATION, SO MUCH SO THAT I´LL READ THIS ONE AD TO YOU FROM 1816.

IT SAYS, TO REWARD FOR THE APPREHENSION OF AN AFRICAN AMERICAN FRANCIS.

SHOULD FRANCIS COME HOME TO HIS OWNER, HE WILL BE PARDONED AND ALLOWED TO CHOOSE ANOTHER OWNER.

SO, NOT ONLY WOULD HE HAVE BEEN PARDONED, THEY WOULD HAVE GIVEN HIM THE OPTION TO SAY, OKAY, OBVIOUSLY YOU DON´T LIKE WHERE YOU ARE HERE.

WHERE WOULD YOU PREFER TO WORK SO THAT WE CAN WORK OUT SOME SORT OF TRADE WITH THAT OTHER PLANTATION SO THAT NEITHER ONE OF US ARE OUT THE WORKER.

AND THAT WAS A VERY COMMON THING.

>> COMPASSION BUT ONE MORE OF CAPITALISM, ESSENTIALLY.

>> YES, BECAUSE ULTIMATELY IF YOU NEEDED A CERTAIN NUMBER OF PEOPLE TO GET THE JOB DONE, THE LAST THING THAT YOU WANTED WAS AN UNHAPPY GROUP OF PEOPLE, FIVE OR SIX OF THEM TO GET TOGETHER, AND LEAVE ALL AT ONCE AND LEAVE YOU SHORTHANDED.

MOST OF THESE, THE OVERSEERS AND PLANTATION WORKERS, WERE WORKING FOR AN OWNER IN DENMARK.

AND THE PERSON IN DENMARK HAD PAID YOU A CERTAIN AMOUNT OF MONEY TO RUN THIS PLANTATION AND GENERATE A CERTAIN AMOUNT OF RUM AND SUGAR AND MOLASSES AND WHAT HAVE YOU, AND IN THE END THEY REALLY DIDN´T WANT TO HEAR ANY EXCUSES ABOUT, OKAY, WELL, SUCH AND SUCH RAN AWAY OR THIS HAPPENED OR THAT HAPPENED.

ALL THEY WANTED TO KNOW IS DID YOU HIT THAT NUMBER?

DID YOU PRODUCE?

AND ULTIMATELY, BECAUSE OF THAT, THE SLAVES RECOGNIZED THAT THEY NOW HAD A BARGAINING CHIP IN THEIR WORK AND IN THEIR SKILL SET.

>> IN YOUR BOOK, YOUR BOOK IS OVER 100 PAGES, IT IS CRAMMED FULL WITH, YOU KNOW, YEARS OF RUN AWAY -- OF ADS FOR RUN AWAYS, RUN AWAY SLAVE ADS.

WHY -- WHY WERE YOU LED TO WRITE THIS BOOK?

WAS IT A PERSONAL INTEREST OR JUST SOMETHING THAT YOU FELT WAS MISSING IN OUR OVERALL LORE OF VIRGIN ISLANDS HISTORY?

>> IN DOING RESEARCH, I WAS COMING ACROSS STORY ON TOP OF STORY ON TOP OF STORY THAT JUST WASN´T MATCHING UP WITH WHAT WE HAD ALWAYS SEEN AND HEARD ABOUT SLAVERY IN GENERAL.

AND SLAVERY IN THE UNITED STATES, IT WAS JUST A DIFFERENT ANIMAL.

IF YOU ARE ON A PLANTATION IN MISSISSIPPI OR ALABAMA AND YOU WERE UNHAPPY WITH YOUR CONDITIONS AND YOU RAN AWAY, WELL IT TOOK WEEKS, IF NOT MONTHS, TO PROGRESS THROUGH THE UNDERGROUND RAIL ROAD TO MAKE IT ALL THE WAY TO FREEDOM.

IN THE VIRGIN ISLANDS, IF YOUR MASTER, PER SE, UPSETS YOU, YOU COULD BE GONE THAT EVENING AND NEVER RETURN.

>> WHERE WERE THEY GOING?

WHERE WERE THEY GOING?

>> A LOT OF TIMES, THEY WOULD GO SOMEWHERE ELSE THAT WAS BETTER WORKING CONDITIONS.

AND IN THE ISLAND OF ST. CROIX, MANY WENT TO PUERTO RICO.

IT GOT SO BAD AS FAR AS SLAVES LEAVING THE ISLAND OF ST. CROIX AND TRAVELING TO PUERTO RICO THAT THE GOVERNOR OF THE VIRGIN ISLANDS PARTNERED WITH THE GOVERNOR OF PUERTO RICO TO SAY, COME ON, THIS IS RIDICULOUS.

ALL OUR WORKERS ARE LEAVING HERE AND WORKING THERE.

YOU HAVE TO GIVE THEM BACK.

PART OF THE AGREEMENT TO GIVE THEM BACK, THE SLAVES HAD ALSO BECOME CATHOLIC.

SO, BELIEVE IT OR NOT, PART OF THEIR AGREEMENT IN RETURNING THE SLAVES WAS THAT WE HAVE TO CONSTRUCT CHURCHES ON THE ISLAND SO THAT WE WOULD HAVE A PLACE TO WORSHIP.

SO, A LOT OF THE CHURCHES YOU SEE ON THE ISLAND TODAY ARE A DIRECT RESULT OF THE SLAVES BEING RETURNED FROM PUERTO RICO.

BUT THEY TRAVELLED ALL OVER, MOSTLY TO TORTOLA.

THERE´S ONE INSTANCE WHERE ABOUT 14 SLAVES RAN AWAY FROM A PLANTATION ON ST. JOHN AND WENT TO TORTOLA.

AND IT´S IRONIC.

YOU WOULD THINK WHEN SOMEONE RUNS AWAY, YOU DON´T KNOW WHERE THEY WENT.

THEY SPECIFICALLY PUT IN THE RECORD, I KNOW WHERE THEY ARE.

IT´S JUST THAT I CAN´T GET THEM BACK.

>> WAS THERE ANY ONE TEACHER OR ANY ONE EVENT THAT REALLY TRIGGERED YOUR INTEREST IN HISTORY?

>> YES.

FOLLOWING HURRICANE MARILYN IN 1995, I WAS VISITING MY MOM.

SHE HAD PUT A LOT OF DOCUMENTS AND PAPERS OUT TO DRY.

AND THERE WAS A BOOKLET THAT MY SISTER CALLED THE HISTORY OF THE VIRGIN ISLANDS LEGISLATURE.

AND I REACHED FOR THAT BOOK BECAUSE I KNEW HER PICTURE WAS IN THERE.

AND AS I WAS FLIPPING THROUGH THE BOOK, I FOUND HER PICTURE.

BUT THEN I ALSO FOUND ANOTHER PICTURE OF A GENTLEMAN.

AND IT SAID CONRAD.

AND IT SAID, FIRST PRESIDENT OF THE LEGISLATURE OF THE VIRGIN ISLANDS.

SO, I WENT TO MY MOM, AND I WAS LIKE, HEY, WHO´S THIS GUY?

AND THEY´RE LIKE, OH, THAT´S YOUR GREAT GRANDFATHER.

DIDN´T YOU KNOW?

I WAS LIKE, NO, YOU NEVER TOLD ME THAT.

SO, I KEPT GOING THROUGH THE PAPERS, LOOKING FOR MY YEARBOOK AND STUFF LIKE THAT.

I FOUND ANOTHER PIECE OF PAPER.

THIS ONE HAD A GENTLEMAN ON THE FRONT, AND IT SAID HE WAS YOUNGEST EVER ATTORNEY GENERAL WHEN HE WAS APPOINTED BY HOOVER AT THE AGE OF 28.

AND HE WAS ATTORNEY GENERAL FOR THE VIRGIN ISLANDS.

SO, I WENT TO MY MOM AND SAY, WHO´S THIS GUY?

THAT´S YOUR GREAT UNCLE.

DIDN´T YOU KNOW?

IT DAWNED ON ME, HOW MANY STORIES ARE OUT THERE THEY JUST ASSUMED WE KNEW BUT WE DIDN´T.

SO, I STARTED DIGGING IN TO FIND ANSWERS.

AND AS I DUG AND DUG AND DUG I FOUND A PLETHORA OF STORIES ABOUT VIRGIN ISLAND´S HISTORY AND THINGS THAT DON´T TYPICALLY SHOW UP IN OUR HISTORY BOOKS.

YOU KNOW, WHEN WE TALK ABOUT HISTORY OF THE VIRGIN ISLANDS, THERE´S A FEW DATES EVERYBODY GETS HIT WITH.

YOU GET THE SLAVE REVOLT, YOU GET 1848 EMANCIPATION, AND YOU GET 1917 TRANSFER DAY.

AND EVERYBODY GETS THE SAME THREE DATES OVER AND OVER, THE SAME STORIES.

BUT MY PASSION CAME FROM, WELL, THERE´S A WHOLE BUNCH OF STORIES THAT HAVE YET TO HAVE BEEN TOLD THAT -- >> WERE YOU FILLING IN THE BLANKS FOR THE YEARS IN BETWEEN?

>> YES.

AND THAT´S WHERE THE PASSION CAME FROM, TO FILL IN THE BLANKS.

OH, SO, THAT´S WHY THIS HAPPENED AND THAT´S WHY THAT HAPPENED.

EVEN LITTLE STORIES, LIKE, FOR CHRISTIANS ON THE ISLAND OF ST. THOMAS, IT WAS ORIGINALLY MEANT TO BE BUILT UP WHERE BLUE BEAR CASTLE IS.

THE WORKERS DECIDED IT´S TOO MUCH WORK TO DO IT ON THE HILL.

LET´S JUST DO IT ON THE BOTTOM.

AND THE OTHER THING IS THERE WAS SUPPOSED TO BE A WATER-FILLED MOAT AROUND FORT CHRISTIAN, AND THAT TURNED OUT TO BE TOO MUCH WORK.

THEY SAID, LET´S JUST FILL IT IN WITH CACTUS.

SO MANY LITTLE STORIES LIKE THAT.

IT´S WHAT MAKES US SPECIAL, WHAT ADDS A DIFFERENT ANGLE, A DIFFERENT VIEWPOINT ON THIS.

>> YOU TALK ABOUT WHAT ADDS FLAVOR TO THE STORY.

ALL OF YOUR WRITING SEEMS TO BE DEEPLY ROOTED IN HISTORY.

HAVE YOU WRITTEN ANY FICTION, OR ARE YOUR WORKS ALL NON-FICTION?

>> I HAVE ONE NON-FICTION -- I´M SORRY.

I HAVE ONE FICTION BOOK THAT I´VE WRITTEN.

IT´S CALLED "THE LEGEND OF -- AND THE SOLDIER GRAB."

AS A LITTLE KID WHO ARE HASN´T HEARD OF THE WOMAN?

EVERYONE HAS.

BUT I CHALLENGE YOU TO FIND A BOOK ABOUT HER.

THERE ARE NONE.

SO, I DECIDED, I´M GOING TO TAKE IT UPON MYSELF AND TELL ONE OF THE STORIES THAT I HAD LEARNED AS A KID AND SHARE IT.

SO, YES, ALTHOUGH I DO A LOT OF THE HISTORY AND RESEARCH AND STUFF LIKE THAT, I DECIDED, YOU KNOW, LET´S HAVE A LITTLE BIT OF FUN WITH TALL FOOT LADY AND ENTERTAIN THE KIDS THIS TIME.

>> RIGHT.

I DON´T EVEN REMEMBER THE FIRST TIME I HEARD ABOUT THE GOAT FOOT WOMAN.

I WAS DEFINITELY AN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL.

BUT, YOU KNOW, ALWAYS -- IF YOU WERE DOING SOMETHING BAD, OH, THE GOAT FOOT WOMAN IS COMING FOR YOU.

NEVER ANYTHING POSITIVE ASSOCIATED WITH HER AT ALL.

BUT WE HAVE QUESTIONS FOR YOU.

WHEN DID YOU FIRST START CALLING YOURSELF A WRITER?

WAS IT AT BOOK NUMBER ONE?

BOOK NUMBER THREE?

WHEN DID YOU MAKE THAT SHIFT AND SAY, WOW, I´M A WRITER?

>> THE FIRST BOOK THAT I WROTE -- AND I DON´T TALK ABOUT IT MUCH -- BUT IT´S CALLED -- AND IT´S ABOUT MY FAMILY AND THEIR LEGACY IN THE VIRGIN ISLANDS, GOING BACK SIX GENERATIONS.

IT TOOK ME ABOUT 25 YEARS TO WRITE THAT BOOK BECAUSE I WAS TRYING TO TELL THE STORY OF MY DAD AND MY GRANDFATHER AND MY GRANDMOTHER AND EVERYBODY IN THE FAMILY.

SO, I HAD TO BE SO DELICATE IN HOW I TOLD THIS STORY.

THAT ONE, I ACTUALLY ONLY DISTRIBUTE TO FAMILY AND FRIENDS.

MY FIRST TRUE BOOK THAT I PUT OUT THERE FOR DISTRIBUTION IS CALLED "THE DANGEROUS WEST INDIES IN BLACK AND WHITE."

THAT CAME OUT AROUND THE TRANSFER CEREMONY.

IT TAKES 500 IMAGES OF WHAT THE VIRGIN ISLANDS LOOKED AND FELT AND SMELLED LIKE IN 1917 WHEN THE TRANSFER WAS HAPPENING.

THEY SAY THAT A SUCCESSFUL BOOK SELLS 1,000 COPIES.

AND WHEN IT SOLD ABOUT 3,000 OR 4,000 COPIES, I KNEW I HAD -- I WAS ONTO SOMETHING.

SO, THAT´S WHEN I -- >> IS THAT WHEN YOU FIRST STARTED SAYING THAT YOU´RE A WRITER.

>> THAT´S WHEN I FIRST STARTED SAYING I´M A WRITER.

IF 4,000 PEOPLE THINK I´M A WRITER, I´LL GO AHEAD AND TAKE YOUR WORD FOR IT.

>> SO, NOW THAT YOU ARE A SELF-PROCLAIMED WRITER, WHAT IS YOUR PROCESS?

YOUR BOOKS ARE FULL OF RESEARCH.

DO YOU HAVE AN IDEA AND THEN RESEARCH?

OR DOES THE RESEARCH DRIVE EVERYTHING ELSE?

>> THE PASSION DRIVES EVERYTHING, BUT THE ABILITY TO TELL THE STORY WELL IS MY SECOND BIG DRIVING FACTOR.

PRIOR TO MY FIRST BOOK, I WAS IN DISCUSSION WITH HIM ON TELLING HIS STORY.

AND THAT´S A STORY THAT I WOULD HAVE LOVED TO HAVE WRITTEN, BUT IT DIDN´T HAPPEN.

NOW, STRUCTURALLY, THERE´S THE BEGINNING, THE FLOW, YOU KNOW, THE END, ALL OF THESE KIND OF THINGS, THE COPYRIGHT, ALL THE PIECES THAT PUT TOGETHER A BOOK.

BUT ULTIMATELY IT´S SOMETHING THAT HAS TO BE WITHIN ME, THAT PASSION OF A STORY THAT HASN´T BEEN TOLD.

SO, ONE OF MY BOOKS IS CALLED "THE COOL WOMEN OF ST.

THOMAS."

YOU MAY HAVE SEEN THE BLACK AND WHITE IMAGES OF WOMEN.

THEIR STORY WAS NEVER TOLD.

I DECIDED WE NEED TO TELL THIS STORY.

DIFFERENT ONE OF MY BOOKS IS CALLED "RESCUE A VIRGIN: A GUIDE TO VIRGIN ISLANDS SPORTS COLLECTIBLES."

EVERYBODY WILL TELL YOU HOW MANY GREAT ATHLETES WE HAVE HAVE THE VIRGIN ISLANDS.

MOST PEOPLE STOP AT ABOUT FIVE AND THEN THEY CAN´T NAME ANYONE ELSE.

THE BOOK HAS OVER 100 ATHLETES THAT HAVE EXCELLED AT THE HIGHEST LEVEL.

I WOULD LOVE TO WRITE A BOOK ABOUT ALIYAH BOSTON.

RIGHT NOW IF THERE WAS A BOOK ABOUT ALIYAH BOSTON OUT THERE, BOOKSTORES -- EXACTLY.

SO, EVERYONE IS SO PASSIONATE ABOUT HER RIGHT NOW THAT HER STORY WOULD BE GREAT TO TELL, TO INSPIRE SO MANY YOUNG VIRGIN ISLANDERS.

>> WHAT DO YOU THINK IS THE BENEFIT OF HAVING BOOKS LIKE YOURS THAT TELL OUR HISTORY AND SHARE OUR STORIES AVAILABLE TO OUR COMMUNITY?

>> IT IS SO IMPORTANT.

I THINK BACK TO THAT LITTLE BOY IN JUNIOR HIGH, THE FIRST TIME HE SAW THAT BOOK THAT SPOKE LIKE I SPOKE AND USED THE WORDS AND TERMINOLOGY THAT I USE.

THAT WAS SUCH A POWERFUL THING.

I -- IT TOUCHED ME SO HARD THAT I HAVE DONATED COPIES OF ALL MY BOOKS TO EVERY SINGLE PUBLIC AND PRIVATE ELEMENTARY, JUNIOR HIGH, AND HIGH SCHOOL IN THE VIRGIN ISLANDS, INCLUDING THE COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES OF VIRGIN ISLANDS.

HOWEVER, HURRICANE MARIA AND IRMA UNDID A LOT OF THAT, IN DESTROYING A LOT OF THE LIBRARIES AND STUFF LIKE THAT.

BUT THAT´S OKAY BECAUSE I STILL HAVE THAT DRIVE AND THAT PASSION.

I´M GOING TO SEND ANOTHER TRUCK LOAD OF BOOKS SO I CAN TOUCH AS MANY LITTLE KIDS IN THE VIRGIN ISLANDS THAT´S HOPING TO FIND SOMETHING TO READ BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, ANNE FRANK JUST ISN´T CONNECTING WITH THEM.

THEY JUST DON´T GET AMSTERDAM.

THEY JUST DON´T GET THE THIRD REICH.

YOU KNOW WHAT I´M SAYING?

IT´S A GREAT STORY.

IT´S A CLASSIC.

IT´S JUST IT DOESN´T CONNECT AS MUCH AS OUR STORIES CONNECT WITH US.

>> IN YOUR WRITING AND IN TALKING ABOUT THE MANY RUN AWAYS IN SEARCH OF SOMETHING BETTER, WAS THERE ANY ONE AD THAT TRULY RESONATED WITH YOU?

>> YOU KNOW, THE ONE THING THAT KIND OF JUMPED OUT AT ME THAT WASN´T EVEN REALLY A RUN AWAY AD, IT WAS A REPORT, A BANK REPORT, THAT SAID JANUARY 28, 1848.

IT SAYS ST. THOMAS SAVINGS BANK AND IT LISTS ALL THE DEPOSITORS IN THE BANK THAT MONTH.

IT LISTS SOME CLERKS, SOME BLACKSMITH, SOME POLICE.

AND THEY HAVE EIGHT UNFREE.

BASICALLY EIGHT PEOPLE THAT WERE ENSLAVED WALKED IN TO THE ST. THOMAS BANK AND OPENED AN ACCOUNT.

AND THAT SPEAKS SO MUCH VOLUME.

NOT ONLY DID THEY HAVE WEALTH -- MAYBE NOT A LOT OF WEALTH, BUT THEY HAD SOME WEALTH THEY NEEDED TO SAFEGUARD.

SO, THEY PUT IT INTO A BANK ACCOUNT.

ALSO IN HAVING A BANK ACCOUNT, IT KIND OF SAYS YOU´RE PLANNING FOR THE FUTURE.

YES, I MAY BE ENSLAVED TODAY, BUT I´M NOT GOING ANYWHERE.

THIS IS MY LAND.

THIS IS MY COUNTRY.

YOU KNOW, I´M GOING TO PUT THIS MONEY IN A BANK ACCOUNT AND MAYBE ONE DAY I´M GOING TO BUY A HOUSE OR BUY A BUSINESS OR DO SOMETHING.

BUT I´M GOING TO BE BIGGER THAN MY SITUATION IS TODAY.

>> AND I THINK THOSE ARE POWERFUL WORDS TO END ON THAT WE WILL BE BIGGER THAN OUR SITUATION IS TODAY.

IT HAS BEEN MY PLEASURE TO LEARN MORE ABOUT OUR -- TO LEARN MORE ABOUT "RUN AWAY VIRGIN," AND HEAR FROM ITS AUTHOR.

FOR MORE INFORMATION ON THIS BOOK OR ANY OF THE BOOKS FEATURED ON THIS PROGRAM, VISIT OUR WEBSITE AT WWW.WTJX.ORG.

WE APPRECIATE YOUR SUPPORT OF OUR LOCAL AUTHORS, AND WE´LL SEE YOU NEXT WEEK WHEN WE TAKE ANOTHER BOOK FROM "THE BOOKCASE."

♫♫ >>> THE VIEWS EXPRESSED ON THIS PROGRAM ARE NOT NECESSARILY THOSE OF WTJX, ITS BOARD, STAFF, OR UNDERWRITERS.