>>> THE UPCOMING PROGRAM WAS PREVIOUSLY RECORDED.

THIS PROGRAM IS UNDERWRITTEN IN PART BY -- >> UNDERCOVER BOOKS AND GIFTS IS A PROUD SUPPORTER OF VIRGIN ISLAND PUBLIC BROADCASTING.

THIS INDEPENDENT BOOK STORE CARRIES A SELECTION OF BOOKS, GIFTS, AND FAIR TRADE PRODUCTS.

FOR MORE INFORMATION, VISIT THEIR WEBSITE AT WWW.UNDERCOVERBOOKS.COM.

>> AND VIEWERS LIKE YOU.

>>> 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, SHAWNA RICHARDS, A SOMETIME WRITER AND A LONGTIME READER.

I INVITE YOU TO JOIN ME AS WE EXPLORE "THE BOOKCASE" AND CELEBRATE VIRGIN ISLANDS´ AUTHORS AND THEIR TALENT.

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

A STORYTELLER LIVES IN EACH OF US, AND I´M SO EXCITED TO GIVE OUR HOMEGROWN STORY-TELLERS A CHANCE TO TELL THEIR STORY.

TONIGHT´S SELECTION FROM "THE BOOKCASE" IS CHRISTINA.

AND I AM SO HONORED TO WELCOME AUTHOR DR. BROWN.

THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE.

>> THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME.

I´M HONORED TO BE HERE.

>> SO, YOU´VE WRITTEN THREE BOOKS AND ARE CURRENTLY WORKING ON A FOURTH ABOUT THE CHRISTINA DISASTER.

CAN YOU GIVE US A LITTLE BACKSTORY ABOUT "THE CHRISTINA"?

>> "THE CHRISTINA" WAS A VERY SIGNIFICANT INCIDENT IN THE HISTORY -- I THINK IT´S SEEN AS "THE TITANIC" OF THE CARIBBEAN.

>> OH, WOW.

>> BECAUSE IT WAS AN AFTERNOON.

PEOPLE WERE LEAVING.

IT WAS GOING TO BE A HOLIDAY.

THE MONDAY WAS GOING TO BE A HOLIDAY.

AND WE HAD SOMETHING LIKE, OH, 300-SOMETHING PEOPLE ON A BOAT THAT WAS SCHEDULED TO CARRY 155.

AND THE BOAT SANK.

AND MANY PEOPLE COULDN´T SWIM, SO MOST OF THOSE PEOPLE DROWN.

THE ORIGINAL ESTIMATE WAS 350 PERSONS.

THE LATEST CHECK WE´VE GOT IS 240-SOMETHING ACTUALLY DIED.

AND 100, JUST ABOUT 100 PERSONS, MAYBE A LITTLE MORE THAN 100, BECAUSE I´VE MET PEOPLE IN ST. MARTIN AND ST. THOMAS AND SAYS I WAS ON THE BOAT, BUT NOBODY REMEMBERED TO PUT MY NAME THERE.

PEOPLE HAVE COME AT ME, I WASN´T THE MAN WHO DO THIS.

I WAS A YOUNG MAN AT THAT TIME AND SIMPLY CAME BACK AND SAID, OKAY, WE NEED TO WRITE THIS STORY, AND I WENT AND LOOKED AT ALL OF THE DOCUMENTS I COULD HAVE FOUND.

SO, I WASN´T RESPONSIBLE FOR IT.

>> BUT WHAT COMPELLED YOU TO WRITE THE STORY?

IS IT SOMETHING THAT HISTORY HAD FORGOTTEN OR THAT YOU JUST WANTED TO PRESERVE THIS HISTORY FOR FUTURE GENERATIONS?

>> YEAH, I WAS AFRAID OF THAT, BECAUSE THERE WERE TWO MAJOR INCIDENTS AND SINKINGS BEFORE.

ONE BOAT SANK AND A NUMBER OF PEOPLE DIED.

AND SOMEBODY WROTE A SONG ABOUT IT, BUT UNLESS YOU HEAR THE SONG, NOBODY KNOWS ABOUT IT.

THEN THERE WAS A MAJOR INCIDENT.

THERE WAS A MAJOR FORT.

WHEN THE FRENCH AND THE BRITISH WERE FIGHTING, THAT WAS BEFORE THE FRENCH CAME TO ST. CROIX, OR AFTER, I THINK, THEY CAME AND TOOK OVER ST. CROIX.

THE FORT WAS BUILT AS A MAJOR PROTECTOR OF THINKET, AND PEOPLE UP THERE DANCING ONE HOLIDAY, AND A NUMBER OF PEOPLE GOT KILLED THERE, AND NOBODY KNOWS THIS.

SO, AFTER "THE CHRISTENA," I WAS REALLY A STUDENT THEN, AND I WAS A STUDENT OF HISTORY IN THE UNITED STATES.

I STARTED IN PSYCHOLOGY BUT THEN I SWITCHED TO HISTORY.

AND THEN I GOT INTO ANTHROPOLOGY ALSO.

AND I BEGAN TO SAY, PEOPLE OUGHT TO WRITE THEIR OWN STORIES.

IT MUST NOT BE OTHER PEOPLE.

IN TIME, I REALLY STARTED TO SEE SOME STORIES THAT PEOPLE WROTE ABOUT IT, AND MOST OF THEM WERE WRONG.

THEY WEREN´T ACCURATE.

THEN I -- >> SO, FROM YOUR PERSPECTIVE, FROM YOUR PERSPECTIVE AS A CAREER EDUCATOR AND OPINION WRITER, A HISTORIAN, WHAT IS SO COMPELLING ABOUT THIS STORY?

LIVES WERE LOST, BUT WHY IS IT SOMETHING -- WHAT DRAWS YOU TO TELL THIS STORY?

YOU´VE TOLD IT.

YOU´VE WRITTEN THREE BOOKS.

WHAT IS IT ABOUT -- >> I LOST A NUMBER OF FRIENDS.

I LOST FAMILY MEMBERS.

AND THEN A YEAR AFTER, I LEFT TO STUDY IN THE UNITED STATES.

WHILE I WAS IN THE UNITED STATES, AS A GRADUATE STUDENT, I WAS WORKING WITH AN ENGLISH PROFESSOR, AND WE BECAME VERY GOOD FRIENDS.

AND WE WOULD TALK AND I WOULD TALK ABOUT IT, AND HE KEPT SAYING TO ME, WHY DON´T YOU WRITE?

WHY DON´T YOU WRITE?

ADMITTEDLY, I HAD BEGUN WRITING AT ABOUT 11 YEARS OLD.

I STARTED WRITING AS A POET.

>> OKAY.

>> I LIKED POETRY.

AND THEN ONE OR TWO TIMES, I WROTE SOME ARTICLES IN THE LOCAL NEWSPAPER.

THEN I WAS ABOUT 11 YEARS OLD.

BUT THEN WHEN I WENT TO THE STATES AND THESE GUYS STARTED TALKING, THE THING HAUNTED ME, "THE CHRISTENA" HAUNTED ME QUITE A BIT.

I COULDN´T GET AWAY FROM IT.

AND THEN I SAID, AFTER MY FRIEND SAID TO ME, WHY DON´T YOU WRITE, IT DAWNED ON ME, MAYBE I SHOULD WRITE ABOUT "THE CHRISTENA," SO I MADE UP MY MIND AND STARTED TO RESEARCH.

I RESEARCHED IT FOR ABOUT FIVE YEARS.

>> AND NOW HERE WE ARE IN THE YEAR 2020.

THAT IS THE 50th ANNIVERSARY -- >> 50th, MM-HMM.

>> -- OF "THE CHRISTENA" DISASTER.

AND STILL THERE ARE SO MANY -- DO YOU FEEL LIKE YOU HAVE TOLD ALL OF THE STORIES ASSOCIATED WITH "THE CHRISTENA"?

>> NO, BECAUSE INTERESTINGLY, I WAS TALKING WITH SOME PEOPLE JUST A FEW WEEKS AGO, BACK IN AUGUST, AND THEY SAID, THERE ARE THINGS I DIDN´T LEARN, I DIDN´T KNOW, I HADN´T HEARD ABOUT.

ONE OF THE FASCINATING THINGS WAS THE PEOPLE WHO WENT ON THE BOAT AND THEN THE PEOPLE WHO LEFT THE BOAT, PEOPLE WHO -- I HAVE A VERY GOOD FRIEND, HE´S NOW A PROFESSOR IN THE UNITED STATES.

HE WAS JUST THE MORNING TO GO ON THE BOAT, AND HIS MOTHER WOKE AND SAID TO HIM, I DON´T FEEL LIKE YOU SHOULD GO ON THE BOAT TODAY.

TAKE YOUR CLOTHES OFF.

AND I´VE HEARD SO MANY STORIES LIKE THAT.

AND JUST RECENTLY, I RAN INTO SOME OTHER PERSONS WHO SAY TO ME, THEY WERE SUPPOSED TO BE ON THE BOAT.

THERE´S ONE FRIEND OF MINE WHO WAS SUPPOSED TO BE ON THE BOAT.

SHE WAS WAITING FOR THE TAXI, AND THEN THE PHONE WOULDN´T CALL THE TAXI.

AND THEN WHEN SHE DID GET A TAXI AND WENT TO THE PIER, THE BOAT WAS GONE.

INTERESTING INCIDENTS AND JUST THINGS.

>> THINGS THAT CAN´T BE EXPLAINED.

>> CAN´T BE EXPLAINED, THAT´S CORRECT.

>> SO, THERE ARE SO MANY STORIES TO TELL WITH "THE CHRISTENA," IN THE HOPES OF AVERTING ANOTHER TRAGEDY -- >> I THINK PEOPLE SHOULD KNOW THIS STORY, AND THAT WAS PART OF IT.

IF YOU KNOW WHAT HAPPENED, THEN IT WOULDN´T HAPPEN -- YOU WOULDN´T LET IT HAPPEN AGAIN.

>> MM-HMM.

>> SO, THAT WAS PART OF IT.

BUT THEN IT WAS REALLY FASCINATING TO TALK WITH PEOPLE WHO TOLD YOU THEIR INDIVIDUAL STORIES.

THERE WAS THIS LADY, SHE HAD, I THINK IT WAS FIVE CHILDREN, WITH HER, AND SHE LOST ALL OF THEM.

SHE LOST ALL OF THEM.

AND THEN WHILE SHE WAS IN THE WATER HOLDING A BAG WITH SOME BIRD FOOD, BECAUSE BIRD FOOD FLOATS IN WATER -- SHE WAS HOLDING THE BAG -- SHE HEARD SOMEBODY CRYING OUT AND SAYING "SAVE ME, SAVE ME!"

AND SHE WENT OVER AND SAID, YOU JUST DON´T HOLD ME, BUT HOLD ONTO THE BAG.

AND BOTH OF THEM WERE ABLE TO -- >> AND THE BIRD FOOD WOULD KEEP THEM AFLOAT.

>> RIGHT, RIGHT.

>> THAT´S FASCINATING.

>> BUT YEAH, SO MANY INTERESTING STORIES.

A FEW YEARS AFTER I WROTE THE STORY, I WENT BACK.

EVERY NOW AND THEN, I GO BACK FOR THE MEMORIAL DAY, WHICH IS AUGUST THE 1st.

AND I WAS ON THE BOAT, AND THEN I MET A YOUNG LADY WHO TOLD ME THAT HER MOTHER DIED ON THE BOAT.

AND SHE WROTE A LETTER TO HER MOTHER.

>> BUT ISN´T AUGUST 1st ALSO A VERY SIGNIFICANT DAY IN ST. KITTS?

>> WELL, IT´S THE AUGUST MONDAY.

IF IT COMES ON -- IF AUGUST 1st COMES ON A MONDAY, THEN IT IS.

BUT THAT DAY, IT WAS COMING ON THE -- THE 3rd WAS THE CRITICAL DAY.

BUT THAT LADY TOLD ME ABOUT -- SHE WROTE A LETTER TO HER MOTHER, YOU KNOW, BECAUSE HER MOTHER DIED WHEN SHE WAS YOUNGER, ON THE BOAT.

>> WHEN YOU WERE A YOUNG MAN GROWING UP IN ST. KITTS NEVIS, DID YOU HAVE ANY EXPOSURE TO VIRGIN ISLANDS LITERATURE?

>> NOT TOO MUCH.

UNFORTUNATELY -- ONE OF THE VERY UNFORTUNATE THINGS WHICH I´VE FOUND AND WHICH I TRY TO -- WHEN I FIND THESE THINGS, I TRY TO CHANGE THEM AS MUCH AS I COULD.

ALTHOUGH WE CONNECTED HISTORICALLY, WE DON´T STAY IN TOUCH IN TERMS OF EDUCATION.

WHEN I WAS TEACHING HERE, IT WAS AMAZING TO ME SO MANY CHILDREN IN SCHOOL COULDN´T TELL YOU THE CAPITALS OF CARIBBEAN ISLAND.

AND I GUESS YOU WILL FIND THE SAME SHALLOWNESS IN THE ISLANDS IF YOU TALK ABOUT THE VIRGIN ISLANDS.

BECAUSE SOME YEARS AGO, I MET A HISTORIAN, A CARIBBEAN HISTORIAN, AND WE WERE TALKING.

AND I SAID, DO YOU KNOW THAT THE LABEL -- THE FIRST LABEL MOVEMENT, THE FIRST ORGANIZED LABEL MOVEMENT IN 1915 WAS IN ST. CROIX?

AND HE WAS SHOCKED.

HE DIDN´T KNOW THAT.

AND SO, THINGS LIKE THIS, WHEN I WRITE, I PUT THESE THINGS OUT ABOUT THE VIRGIN ISLANDS, BECAUSE MOST OF US DIDN´T KNOW ABOUT 1733.

>> SO, WHAT DO YOU THINK THAT OUR COMMUNITY CAN GAIN FROM A GREATER EXPOSURE TO VIRGIN ISLANDS WRITERS, OR JUST A CARIBBEAN TO CARIBBEAN AUTHORS?

>> I THINK CARIBBEAN PEOPLE SHARE A COMMON HISTORY, AND IT´S JUST SO UNFORTUNATE THAT WE GET PUSHED INTO LITTLE CORNERS, AND WE DON´T COME TOGETHER.

ONE OF THE BOOKS I´M WRITING -- RIGHT NOW I´M WRITING THREE BOOKS.

>> OKAY.

>> OKAY?

>> BUT ONLY ONE OF THEM IS ABOUT "THE CHRISTENA."

>> ONE OF THEM IS ABOUT "THE CHRISTENA."

ONE BOOK I´VE UPDATED IS MY BOOK "FROM COMMONER TO KING," WHICH WAS A MAJOR ONE OF MY WRITINGS.

IT´S ABOUT CARIBBEAN POLITICS.

>> OKAY, WHICH ARE ALWAYS FASCINATING.

>> FASCINATING.

AND WHEN YOU LOOK AT CARIBBEAN POLITICS TODAY, THE WAY THAT -- IT´S SAD THE WAY THAT IT BEGAN, WHEN YOU TALK ABOUT PEOPLE LIKE THE CHAMPIONS OF CARIBBEAN HISTORY WHO WERE OUT THERE AND WERE THERE FOR THE PEOPLE, NOT FOR THEMSELVES.

JACKSON AND THOSE GUYS.

INTERESTINGLY, AFTER D. HAMILTON JACKSON STARTED HIS LABOR UNION HERE, HE PLANNED TO GO DOWN TO ST. KITTS TO HELP THEM THERE.

AND WHEN THEY HEARD, WHEN THE WHITE PLANTERS HEARD ABOUT THIS IN ST. KITTS, THEY PUT IT IN THE NEWSPAPERS -- THIS MAN COMES HERE, WE´RE GOING TO LOCK HIM UP.

AS LONG AS HE COME ON THE ISLAND, WE´RE GOING TO ARREST HIM, OKAY?

AND I´M SAYING, IT IS FASCINATING, IF WE CAN FIND OUT, WE CAN STAY IN TOUCH AS CARIBBEAN PEOPLE WITH A COMMON HISTORY COMING FROM AFRICA, AND IT IS AMAZING HOW MANY OF US ARE RELATED, BECAUSE PEOPLE CAME HERE FROM THE ISLANDS.

THE FIRST BLACK PEOPLE IN ST. CROIX WERE FROM ST. KITTS.

>> AND IN YOUR BOOK, THERE ARE SOME REFERENCES TO THE SLAVE TRADE.

>> YES.

>> TO THE ENSLAVEMENT OF BLACK PEOPLE.

>> YES.

>> AND CREATING THE LINKAGE, THE LINK BETWEEN "THE CHRISTENA" AND THE PASSAGE OF PEOPLE, AND ALSO THE SLAVE TRADE AND THE PASSAGE OF PEOPLE, WHICH I THOUGHT WAS A, YOU KNOW, VERY THOUGHT-PROVOKING -- >> I THINK PEOPLE SHOULD KNOW THEIR HISTORY.

IT´S VERY IMPORTANT.

PEOPLE SHOULD KNOW THEIR HISTORY.

BECAUSE YOU ARE WHERE YOU ARE BECAUSE OF HISTORY.

AND YOU SHOULD HAVE A SENSE OF THAT HISTORY.

IF WE HAVE NO SENSE OF OUR HISTORY, WE HAVE NOTHING.

>> SO, IN WRITING "THE CHRISTENA," WHICH IS NOT JUST A STORY ABOUT A TELLING OF THE DISASTER, OF THE INCIDENT, AND IN TELLING THIS STORY, YOU ALSO BRING IN SOME SIGNIFICANT REFERENCES TO THE POLITICS AT THE TIME.

>> YES.

>> AND WAS THERE ANY WAY THAT YOU COULD HAVE TOLD THE STORY OF "THE CHRISTENA," WITHOUT TELLING THE STORY OF THE POLITICS AT THE TIME?

>> THE POLITICS ARE PART OF IT, BECAUSE THERE WAS INTENSE RIVALRY BETWEEN ST. KITTS AND NEVIS.

AND NEVISIONS WERE CONVINCED THAT THE GOVERNMENT WAS RESPONSIBLE FOR THE DEATHS FROM "THE CHRISTENA" -- THE BOAT WASN´T PROPERLY MAINTAINED, OR THEY KNEW ALL ALONG THAT MORE PEOPLE THAN SHOULD BE ON THE BOAT WERE ON THE BOAT.

AND THEN THE GOVERNMENT IN ST. KITTS WAS AWARE OF ITS RESPONSIBILITY AND WANTED TO DUCK OR DENY.

AND SO, THEY STAYED AWAY FROM IT.

THEY DIDN´T -- UP TO NOW, ONE OF THE BIG THINGS THAT CAME OUT THIS YEAR IS THAT FINALLY, THEY´RE GOING TO BUILD A MONUMENT TO "THE CHRISTENA" IN ST. KITTS.

BECAUSE THE GOVERNMENT THAT WAS THERE AT THE TIME, I THINK, STAYED AWAY FROM IT.

SO, WE HAVE MONUMENTS IN NEVIS, NONE IN ST. KITTS.

BUT THE PEOPLE WHO DIED WERE BOTH ST. KITTISIANS AND NEVISIONS.

THE FIRST YEAR EVERYBODY HAD A CEREMONY IN ST. KITTS AND IN NEVIS, BUT NOWADAYS, THE CEREMONY IS IN NEVIS.

SO, THAT WAS POLITICS -- >> STILL SO MANY STORIES TO TELL.

SO, YOU´RE WRITING A FOURTH BOOK ABOUT "THE CHRISTENA."

ARE YOU SELF-PUBLISHED?

>> INITIALLY, BUT I´VE GOT PEOPLE WHO ARE INTERESTED IN MY WORK AND THEY´RE TRYING TO PUBLISH FOR ME NOW.

>> SO, WHEN YOU STARTED WRITING, TELL US A LITTLE BIT ABOUT YOUR WRITING PROCESS.

>> I STARTED WRITING AS A POET.

I LIKED WRITING POEMS AND CREATING STORIES.

WHEN I WAS IN SCHOOL, ONE OF MY TEACHERS IN THE SEVENTH GRADE -- INCIDENTALLY, I DIDN´T GO TO HIGH SCHOOL.

I WENT TO ELEMENTARY SCHOOL, AND THOSE DAYS, YOU STOPPED AT SEVENTH GRADE AND YOU´LL MAKE IT FROM THERE IF YOU WANTED TO GO ANY FURTHER, BECAUSE THOSE ARE THE DAYS WHEN YOU HAD THE BIG-SHOTS WENT TO HIGH SCHOOL AND THE POOR PEOPLE DIDN´T.

SO, I WAS NOT ONE OF THE BIG-SHOTS.

I DIDN´T GO TO HIGH SCHOOL.

BUT I HAD A WONDERFUL TEACHER WHO TAUGHT ME A LOT ABOUT SHAKESPEARE AND THOSE KINDS OF THINGS, SO I GOT EXCITED, AND I KEPT WRITING.

I STARTED PUBLISHING IN NEWSPAPERS.

AND THEN WHILE I WAS IN THE STATES, I MET A VERY GOOD FRIEND.

HE´S DEAD NOW.

HE WAS A PROFESSOR OF ENGLISH.

AND HE KEPT SAYING TO ME, WHY DON´T YOU WRITE?

WHY DON´T YOU WRITE?

AND WHEN I CAME BACK AND THERE WAS STILL SO MUCH ABOUT -- "THE CHRISTENA" SANK IN 1917, AND WHEN I CAME BACK IN 1918, THE INTENSITY, THE PAIN WAS STILL THERE, TEN YEARS AFTER.

AND I SAID, LET ME DOCUMENT IT.

SO, I STARTED DOING THE RESEARCH.

>> SO, ARE YOU A FULL-TIME WRITER?

>> MAYBE CLOSER TO IT NOW, BUT I ENJOY WRITING.

I REALLY ENJOY WRITING.

I WOULD STAY UP ALL NIGHT WRITING.

>> WHAT DOES YOUR WRITING PROCESS LOOK LIKE?

ARE YOU, YOU KNOW, ARE YOU PAPER AND PEN?

ARE YOU -- DO YOU PUT EVERYTHING DOWN IN YOUR COMPUTER?

WHAT DOES YOUR CREATIVE PROCESS LOOK LIKE?

>> ONCE I DECIDE ON A THEME, IN TERMS OF A TOPIC, I SIT DOWN AND LAY OUT THE -- WHAT DO I WANT THE CHAPTERS TO BE?

I DON´T NECESSARILY DO ALL THE DETAILS OF THE CHAPTERS.

I START WRITING.

AND YOU WRITE AND YOU EDIT.

YOU WRITE AND YOU EDIT.

RIGHT NOW, I´M DOING MY AUTOBIOGRAPHY, AND I´M IN THE PROCESS OF -- I´VE WRITTEN.

I´M NOW DOING THE EDITING.

BUT THAT´S HOW I WRITE.

>> SO, WHAT TIPS DO YOU HAVE FOR -- I ALWAYS ASK OUR AUTHORS WHAT THEY´RE READING.

BECAUSE I FIND THAT AUTHORS TEND TO READ A LOT OF OTHER AUTHORS.

SO, WHAT ARE YOU READING?

>> THE OTHER DAY I WAS READING SOMETHING, AND I FOUND OUT THAT CEOs READ ABOUT 50 BOOKS PER YEAR.

I DON´T READ THAT MANY, BUT I SEE THINGS THAT I´M INTERESTED IN.

I WRITE NONFICTION BOOKS, SO I READ MOST OF MY BOOKS ARE NONFICTION BOOKS.

NOW, RIGHT NOW, THERE ARE SO MANY BOOKS COMING OUT ABOUT TRUMP AND WHAT´S HAPPENING IN AMERICA, SO I READ THOSE.

I JUST BOUGHT A BOOK ABOUT CARIBBEAN HISTORY, BECAUSE THAT´S IMPORTANT TO ME.

>> RIGHT.

>> AND I THINK THERE IS ONE -- I READ AUTHORS I KNOW ALSO, LOCAL AUTHORS.

SO, I KEEP UP TO DATE AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE.

>> WHAT TIPS WOULD YOU HAVE FOR ASPIRING WRITERS?

>> MY THING IS THAT THERE´S A BOOK IN ALL OF US, AND I ENCOURAGE YOUNG PEOPLE TO WRITE.

I REALLY DO.

I WAS IN A CONVERSATION WITH A YOUNG MAN JUST THE OTHER DAY.

I SAID TO HIM, LOOK, LET´S GET TOGETHER AND I´LL WRITE SOMETHING WITH YOU, BECAUSE I KNOW YOU HAVE SOME TALENT, AND I THINK I´D LIKE TO SEE YOU WRITE.

AND ONCE YOU GET THAT IS SOMETHING, YOU COME OUT, AND WHETHER SOME PEOPLE WANT TO WRITE DOWN ALL THE CHAPTER, ALL THE NOTES AND EVERYTHING, BUT YOU DON´T -- YOU NEED QUIET TIME.

MOST OF MY WRITING -- I MEAN, AT THIS POINT, I CAN WRITING ANYPLACE.

>> OKAY.

>> I COULD SIT HERE AND WRITE OR I CAN -- IT DOESN´T BOTHER ME ANYMORE.

BUT I THINK QUIET TIME, IT HELPS YOUR THINKING IN TERMS OF YOUR CREATIVITY.

IN TERMS OF WHAT YOU PRODUCE.

I THINK THAT´S IMPORTANT.

>> WHAT DOORS HAS BEING A LIFELONG READER AND WRITER OPENED TO YOU?

>> MY WHOLE LIFE.

MY WHOLE LIFE.

I STARTED READING FROM -- AND I´M SAYING THAT IN MY AUTOBIOGRAPHY.

I DIDN´T LIKE SCHOOL.

>> REALLY?

>> I DIDN´T LIKE SCHOOL.

>> BUT YOU BECAME A CAREER EDUCATOR.

>> YEAH.

AS A MATTER OF FACT, I RAN AWAY FROM SCHOOL, WAS HIDING ONE DAY AND A MAN CAUGHT ME.

HIDING IN THE BUSH.

BUT THEN, THAT WAS IN LIKE THIRD GRADE.

WHEN I GOT TO THE FOURTH GRADE, I HAD A WONDERFUL TEACHER.

AND THEN THE LIBRARY CAME TO MY SCHOOL, AND I HAD AN OLDER SISTER WHO USED TO READ STORIES.

SHE WOULD GET BOOKS FROM THE LIBRARY AND SHE WOULD READ THAT ON SATURDAY NIGHTS.

MY MOTHER WOULD HAVE US ALL SIT AROUND AND WE WOULD LIE ON THE FLOOR AND MY SISTER WOULD READ.

AND IT FASCINATED ME.

SO, WHEN THE LIBRARY CAME TO THE SCHOOL -- >> SO, YOU WERE PULLED INTO THE RICH TRADITION OF STORY-TELLING FROM EARLY.

>> RIGHT, RIGHT.

>> MM-HMM.

>> SO THAT´S WHAT CAUGHT MY ATTENTION.

AND RIGHT NOW, I ENCOURAGE PEOPLE TO WRITE.

EVERYBODY HAS A STORY.

RIGHT NOW I´M WORKING WITH ABOUT THREE OLDER MEN, BUT THERE HAVE BEEN SIGNIFICANT PERSONS HERE IN THE VIRGIN ISLANDS, AND I´M TRYING TO WORK WITH THEM IN TERMS OF PUTTING BIOGRAPHY TOGETHER FOR THEM.

>> SO, EVERYONE HAS A STORY TO TELL, AND YOU SPENT SOME SIGNIFICANT TIME IN YOUR LIFE TELLING THE STORY OF "THE CHRISTENA."

>> YES.

>> SO, I WOULD LOVE FOR YOU TO SHARE A PASSAGE FROM "THE CHRISTENA," SO THAT OUR AUDIENCE CAN HEAR MORE ABOUT THIS STORY.

>> I´LL READ IT FROM THE FIRST BOOK, BECAUSE MANY PEOPLE SAID TO ME WHEN THEY READ THE BOOK, THEY CRIED.

THE FIRST BOOK OF "THE CHRISTENA."

AND THIS ONE IS ONE OF THE EARLY CHAPTERS.

THE ENCOUNTER BEGAN THE MOMENT "THE CHRISTENA" CAME TOWARDS THE OPEN CHANNEL.

THE FERRY WOULD TAKE ON ITS LIMIT OF WATER, AND NEITHER LOCK NOR PRITH COULD PREVENT DISASTER.

THE ACCIDENT OCCURRED ABOUT 1.5 KILOMETERS FROM NAGS HEAD.

IT MADE ITS FINAL ROLL, THEN THE NIGHTMARE BEGAN.

PASSENGERS FELL INTO THE SEA AS "CHRISTENA" BEGAN TO SINK.

FIRST, THE RIGHT SIDE, THEN HER STERN PLUNGED INTO THE SEA.

THE PEACEFUL SCENE CHANGED SUDDENLY.

PEOPLE WERE CRYING, PRAYING, SWIMMING, OR JUST LAYING THERE IN THE WATER.

OTHERS WERE CLINGING TO THE FERRY AS IT LINGERED ABOVE WATER, SINKING SLOWLY.

SOME OF THE PASSENGERS WERE ALREADY DEAD, HAVING BEEN TRAPPED INSIDE BY THE PRESSURE OF WATER.

AT THE CABIN DOOR -- OR AS THE CABIN DOOR SLAMMED SHUT, THE PASSENGERS WHO HAD BEEN FEASTING INSIDE CALLED IN DESPERATION FOR HELP.

BUT IN THE CONFUSION, NO ONE COULD HELP THEM.

>> AND FROM HEARING THAT, I CAN UNDERSTAND WHY YOU CALLED IT THE "TITANIC" OF THE CARIBBEAN.

>> YES, IT WAS.

BECAUSE IT WAS THE FIRST TIME FOR A LONG TIME IN THE CARIBBEAN THAT SO MANY PEOPLE DIED IN AN INCIDENT LIKE THAT.

THERE HAVE BEEN RECENT INCIDENTS -- I DON´T KNOW IF YOU´RE FOLLOWING THE HAITIANS, PEOPLE LEAVING HAITI, ET CETERA.

>> RIGHT.

>> THEY´VE HAD SOME ACCIDENTS.

I THINK THERE WAS ALSO AN ACCIDENT IN ST. VINCENT SOMETIME RECENTLY.

BUT IN TERMS OF THAT NUMBER OF PERSONS, 240-SOMETHING, 250 PERSONS DYING IN THE WATER LIKE THAT, HADN´T HAD THAT FOR A LONG TIME, SO THAT´S WHY PEOPLE SAW IT AS THE "TITANIC" OF THE CARIBBEAN BECAUSE OF THE NUMBER.

>> AND I CAN IMAGINE THE APPRECIATION OF THOSE FAMILIES WHO FEEL THAT THEIR LOST ONES´ STORIES ARE BEING TOLD AND THAT THEY´RE REMEMBERED IN A WAY.

>> INTERESTINGLY, THIS HAS BEEN SO MOVING TO PEOPLE THAT THEY DON´T WANT TO READ ABOUT IT, THEY DON´T WANT TO HEAR ABOUT IT.

AND PEOPLE -- I KNOW ONE TIME, A GUY CAME TO NEVIS AND WANTED TO PUT TOGETHER A PLAY.

AND PEOPLE TOLD HIM, NO, YOU DON´T DO THAT HERE.

WE DON´T WANT THAT.

PEOPLE COULDN´T LOOK AT THIS AND SEE THE STORY BEING PLAYED IN -- >> BUT THE STORY IS BEING TOLD IN THE ORAL TRADITION.

>> YES, IT´S IN ORAL TRADITION.

>> RIGHT, BUT JUST NOT -- BUT PRIOR TO YOUR "CHRISTENA," JUST NOT DOCUMENTED.

>> DOCUMENTED, YEAH.

NOW THERE ARE A NUMBER OF BOOKS ABOUT IT.

MINE IS JUST PROBABLY THE MAIN ONE.

>> WHAT IS THE KEY MESSAGE OF "THE CHRISTENA" DISASTER?

>> ONE, THAT THE BOAT SANK AND A LOT OF PEOPLE DIED.

TWO, THERE IS POLITICS IN EVERY ASPECT OF LIFE, UNFORTUNATELY.

THREE, PEOPLE HAVE TO BE CAREFUL.

FOUR, YOUR PEOPLE YOU KNOW WHO ARE RELATED TO YOU, YOU CHERISH THEM, BECAUSE IT´S GOOD WHEN PEOPLE DEAD THAT WE SING AND WE DANCE AND WE TALK ABOUT THEM, BUT IT´S BETTER TO HAVE PEOPLE ALIVE AND SHOW THEM THAT YOU LOVE AND CARE ABOUT THEM, BECAUSE IT´S VERY PAINFUL WHEN THEY´RE LOST.

>> RIGHT.

SO, WHAT IS NEXT FOR YOU?

AS A WRITER?

>> OKAY.

AS I SAID, I´M RIGHT NOW -- >> YOU´RE WRITING YOUR AUTOBIOGRAPHY.

>> MY AUTOBIOGRAPHY.

THE BOOK "FROM COMMONER TO KING," WHICH WAS WRITTEN IN -- PUBLISHED IN 1992.

AS A MATTER -- THIS ONE WAS PUBLISHED IN 1985.

>> OKAY.

>> OKAY?

THE FIRST BOOK OF "THE CHRISTENA," BUT PEOPLE KEEP ASKING FOR "FROM COMMONER TO KING."

I´VE GOT CALLS FROM CALIFORNIA, PEOPLE ARE SAYING -- >> SO ARE YOU GOING TO REPUBLISH IT?

>> I AM REPUBLISHING.

AND SEE, I´VE BEEN USED FOR UPDATING BOOKS, BECAUSE WHEN YOU WRITE A BOOK IN THE 1980s, AND ESPECIALLY IF IT´S POLITICAL, WHAT´S HAPPENING WITH THE POLITICS BETWEEN THEN AND NOW?

AND SO, I AM DOING THAT.

MY BIOGRAPHY -- MY AUTOBIOGRAPHY.

AND AS I SAID, THE 50th ANNIVERSARY OF "THE CHRISTENA," I´VE GOT THAT ONE.

>> AND THEN YOU´RE ALSO MENTORING OTHER WRITERS.

>> AND I TRY TO TALK WITH OTHER PEOPLE ABOUT -- >> TELL THE STORY.

>> YES, BECAUSE WE SHOULD.

WE SHOULD.

CARIBBEAN PEOPLE DON´T WRITE AS MUCH AS THEY SHOULD.

AND WE´VE GOT A LOT OF STORIES.

AND MY THING IS, I DON´T WANT OTHER PEOPLE TO COME IN AND TELL MY STORY.

>> MM-HMM.

>> WE IN THE CARIBBEAN -- YOU LIVE IN ST. CROIX, YOU SHOULD TELL YOUR STORY, YOUR STORIES ABOUT YOUR CARNIVAL AND WHAT HAPPENED HERE.

WHEN SOMEBODY COMES IN, THEY CAN´T DO TO THE SAME FEELING, THE SAME EMPATHY, THAT YOUR PEOPLE ARE DOING, AND THAT´S WHY I WRITE CARIBBEAN STORIES, CARIBBEAN HISTORY, BECAUSE I´M A CARIBBEAN MAN.

I´M BORN IN NEVIS HERE, BUT I´M CARIBBEAN PERSON.

>> CARIBBEAN PERSON.

AND WOULD THAT BE YOUR FINAL WORDS TO OUR AUDIENCE TODAY, TO TELL THEIR STORIES?

>> YES.

I THINK IT´S IMPORTANT PEOPLE TELL THEIR STORIES.

IT´S CRITICAL THAT WE LEAVE MESSAGES, STORIES, FOR THE PEOPLE WHO COME AFTER US, BECAUSE HISTORY HAS A POWERFUL IMPACT IN TERMS OF INFORMING PEOPLE AND HELPING PEOPLE TO KNOW ABOUT YOUR PAST.

>> AND ON THAT NOTE, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR JOINING US, DR. BROWN.

>> THANKS FOR HAVING ME.

I APPRECIATED BEING HERE AND SPEAKING WITH YOU.

>> IT´S BEEN A PLEASURE.

TO LEARN MORE ABOUT OUR LOCAL TALENT, DR. WHITMAN BROWNE, AND FOR MORE DETAILS ON "THE CHRISTENA" DISASTER OR ANY OF THE BOOKS FEATURED ON THIS PROGRAM, VISIT WWW.WTJX.ORG.

WE THANK YOU FOR JOINING US AND LOOK FORWARD TO SEEING YOU NEXT WEEK, WHEN WE TAKE ANOTHER BOOK OFF OF "THE BOOKCASE."

THANK YOU.

♫♫ ♫♫ >>> THIS PROGRAM WAS UNDERWRITTEN IN PART BY -- >> UNDERCOVER BOOKS AND GIFTS IS A PROUD SUPPORTER OF VIRGIN ISLANDS PUBLIC BROADCASTING.

THIS INDEPENDENT BOOK STORE LOCATED IN CHRISTIANSTEAD CARRIES A SELECTION OF BOOKS, GIFTS, AND FAIR TRADE PRODUCTS.

FOR MORE INFORMATION, VISIT THEIR WEBSITE AT WWW.UNDERCOVERBOOKSSTCROIX.COM.

>> AND VIEWERS LIKE YOU.

>> ONE IN THREE ADULTS HAS PREDIABETES.

THAT MEANS IT COULD BE YOU.