Groups from South America moved North through the Caribbean Islands. Each successive group killed or enslaved the prior settlers. Eventually Europeans arrived and killed and enslaved some more. Lots of death and conquering. The Good Ol’ Days.
The Danish arrived and put down roots in the 1670s. They built Fort Christian and rum houses.
The Danes started growing tobacco, coffee, cotton and sugar. St. Thomas was a true melting pot with French, British and Dutch folks making up most of the non-slave population.
St. Thomas had large plantations staffed mainly with African people and also a sprinkling of indentured folk from various European countries.
Then things got interesting. There was a lot of interracial sex. Not saying it was all consensual, but generations later, St. Thomas has more skin tone shades than just about anywhere in the world. A rainbow of melanin.
Charlotte Amalie’s deep harbour and questionable governance helped make St. Thomas a pirate den back in the early days. Captain Kidd, Jean Hamlin and other scalawags had their way with her loose shores. But eventually she became a bit more respectable and focused on farming and trade.
After too many Africans in St. Croix broke curfew and got rowdy in 1848, so slavery was abolished. So St. Thomas became a utopia. Actually that didn’t happen just yet. For now, everybody had to learn how to live peaceably together. Not easy but the island enjoyed a bit of an economic boom around this time since it was a free port.
Steam ships from all over the world passed through Charlotte Amalie Harbour. They came for trade, repairs and refueling. The small island was as close to a melting pot as you could find. A rising tide lifts all ships.
During and after the Civil War, Abraham Lincoln was hoping to buy St. Thomas. But sadly he died prematurely. Later, during World War I, the US decided to buy the islands. They feared a German presence close to home – a kinda Cuban-Missle-Crisis vibe was going on. Didn’t want the enemy in their backyard.
The Virgin Islands were sold to the United States on Transfer Day, 1917. Most of the white, Danish people left for their ancestral lands. The black, mulatto, quadroon, octaroon, creole and white people that remained were now American citizens. Say “farvel” to the Danish Crown and let freedom ring!
The Virgin Islands became “America’s Paradise” and utopia ensued. Actually that came later. But cruise ships started to arrive from all over the world to see this island’s perfect water and beaches. We’ve seen Oprah, Paul McCartney, Bill Gates, Jimmy Buffet and many more on these shores. And then in 2009, I showed up.
Today St. Thomas is still here and is dominated by tourism. We are still known for our beaches and water. But our history is probably the coolest part.
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