Virgin Islands Humanities Council 2006 - Annual Report
"HUMANITIES: The Power to Transform"
Message from the Executive Director
In 2006, the Virgin Islands Humanities Council had a very productive and successful year. The “We the People” series of activities built great momentum for the Council by expanding the level of participation by the community in its programs, and attracting new cohorts.
The Virgin Islands Humanities Council:
Funded more than 12 organizations engaging Virgin Islanders in dialogue through exhibits, virtual preservation, book talks, oral history, education and media projects. Over 10,000 people of our diverse population were impacted through the Regrant Program.
Reached over 1,500 Virgin Islanders with our We the People Project, Virgin Islanders: A People’s Quest for Continued Self- Governance.
Partnered with libraries, museums, media, education and cultural institutions to bring valuable interactive exhibits and educational documentaries to school-age youth, adults, and institutions of higher learning.
Thank you for your support! I look forward to you participating and continuing to help us sustain and expand viable education and community development programs for our community in 2007 and beyond!
Best Wishes,
Mabel J. Maduro
Executive Director
Fiscal Report
Revenues 2006
VIHC Partnerships
In 2006 the Virgin Islands Humanities Council was privileged to partner with several organizations whose contributions made possible the following events.
The Department of Education partnered with the Council to disseminate “Transfer Day Perspectives” DVDs and study guides. This educational documentary, which gave eyewitness accounts and scholarly commentary on the March 31, 1917 Transfer of the Danish West Indies to the United States Virgin Islands was distributed to all the middle, junior and senior high school libraries in the territory. The Council is also grateful to the many private and parochial schools in the Virgin Islands that were very receptive to the “Transfer Day Perspectives” DVD and made it available to their students faculty and staff.
The TV2 / Talk2 staff and producers made possible the first event in our We The People programs. The Talk2 professionals graciously accepted our invitation to present “An Overview of the Virgin Islands Constitutional Conventions” to the Virgin Islands community.
The University of the Virgin Islands has been chosen to spearhead the educational campaign for the 2007 Virgin Islands Constitutional Convention, and the VIHC has been pleased to provide source materials, scholarly support for the development and execution of the university’s events.
Upcoming Events for 2007
January 1 Mini Grant Application Deadline St. Thomas
February Three Queens Chautauqua Series St. Croix
March 1 Mini Grant Application Deadline St. Thomas
April General Meeting St. Croix
May 1 Mini Grant Application Deadline St. Thomas
May Grant Workshop
May 22 Heath Award St. Thomas, St. John, St. Croix
July 2 Mini & Major Grant Application Deadline St. Thomas
July 21 General Meeting on Planning & Self Assessment St. Thomas
August Grant Workshop
September 3 Mini Grant Application Deadline
General Meeting St. Thomas
September
14 & 15 Cultural Heritage Tourism Conference St. Croix
October WTP Website St. Thomas
October Miniquest St. Thomas, St. Croix
November 1 Major & Mini Grant Application Deadline St. Thomas
December 7-8 Annual Retreat St. Croix
WE THE PEOPLE
The National Endowment for the Humanities in support of the “We The People” initiative awarded the Virgin Islands Humanities Council a grant of $30,980 on September 29, 2005. The goal of this project is to encourage and strengthen the teaching and understanding of American history and culture through which we ultimately define ourselves as Americans.
The Council’s project title is U.S. Virgin Islanders: A People’s Continued Quest for Self-Governance. As the discussions about the islands’ political status and constitution heighten, the Humanities Council continues to educate our citizens about issues that advance their understanding of self-determination. The VIHC presented four empowering WTP events: a live televised forum, a Chautauqua series, a website and a lecture.
“An Objective Overview of the Virgin Islands Constitutional - Conventions” February 28, 2006
The first We The People event, “An Objective Overview of the Virgin Islands Constitutional Conventions,” was a live televised forum on TV2 / Talk2 with host Attorney Amos Carty, Jr. The forum gave an objective overview of the previous Virgin Islands Constitutional Conventions. The panelists included Mr. Basil Ottley, Jr. – Political Analyst, Attorney Rosalie Simmonds Ballentine – Legal Scholar, Dr. Ruth Beagles – Former Convention Delegate, and Ms. Lorna Thomas – Board of Elections Representative. The live forum was intended to create public awareness on the past constitutions drafted for and by the people of the Virgin Islands.
“The Three Queens Chautauqua Series” - June 16, 17 & 23 2006
A Chautauqua series presented three of the six Virgin Islands “queens:” Queen Breffu of the St. John Revolt of 1733-34, Queen Mary of St. Croix’s Fireburn of 1878 and Queen Coziah, of the St. Thomas Mexican Silver Riot of 1892. A Chautauqua is a first person historical characterization or monologue based on biographies and historical information. It includes questions and answers during the performance. The Council contracted Per Ankh to produce the Chautauqua series presented on all three islands.
Heftel Lecture: “Women’s Suffrage and Role in Self-Governance” September 23, 2006
The VIHC established the Daniel L. Heftel Lecture in the Humanities in 1990 to provide a forum for exploring humanities topics of interest and concern to Virgin Islanders. The Council was honored to have two phenomenal women present for the 2006 Daniel L. Heftel Lecture held at the Frenchman’s Reef and Morning Star Marriott Beach Resort: Dr. Julianne Malveaux, economist, author and columnist, a leading-edge intellectual whose provocative, insight-filled observations are helping to shape public opinion in 21st century America, and Mrs. Ruth-Marie Moolenaar, an outstanding Virgin Islands educator, author and scholar whose pioneering work in cultural education still sets the standard today. Dr. Malveaux focused on American women’s suffrage, while Mrs. Moolenaar spoke on Virgin Islands suffragettes.
WTP Web Page November 2006
A new WTP web page has been created that has links to educational institutions and will provide excerpts, summaries and video images of all VIHC We The People events. The web page also contains a chronology of Virgin Islands historical events and persons pertinent to the quest for self-governance. A workshop will be conducted for public high school teachers on how to use the materials.
Humanist Award
The Humanist Award was established in 1992 to recognize Virgin Islanders who have made exemplary contributions to the cultural life of the community through the Humanities. The 2006 recipient, Mrs. Uller F. Muller is an exemplary educator and community activist. Mrs. Muller was inspired to become an educator. Upon graduation she was promptly assigned to teach at Abraham Lincoln School. Next she was appointed principal and teacher at her alma mater, James Monroe Rural School, and from there she went on to Nisky Elementary School. Her tenure at these schools spanned over 39 years of service to the students of the Virgin Islands. During that time she enrolled in local teachers institutes, received a Bachelor of Arts degree from Hampton University and a Masters of Arts degree from New York University.
Mrs. Ulla F. Muller receives 2006 Humanist Award from
VIHC Chair, Sheena Conway, Esq.
Mrs. Muller continues to serve her community through various volunteer organizations such as the American Red Cross, Volunteers in Public Schools and V.I. Commission on the Status of Women. The Virgin Islands Humanities Council deeply appreciates the contributions of Mrs. Muller to the Virgin Islands community.
In memory of Mrs. Geraldine Heath
September 9, 1928—December 21, 2005
Mrs. Heath’s passion to educate and empower others continues to thrive through the...
Heath Award for Teaching Excellence
The Heath Award, established in 2003, recognizes the achievement of two public school teachers of grades K–12, one from the St. Thomas/St. John district and the other from the St. Croix district, who have exhibited outstanding ability and unfailing dedication to teaching the humanities.
Ms. Sandra Reed has 16 years of teaching experience and is involved in numerous church and civic organizations that mentor children. Ms. Reed is a member of the Mongo Niles Cultural Dancers and has used her experience as a quadrille dancer to direct the Lockhart Quadrille Dancers—a youth quadrille group that is in high demand in the community. Ms. Reed’s life reflects her commitment to the youths and Virgin Islands culture.
Mr. Gerard Emanuel has been teaching on both the university and high school levels for over seven years. At the St. Croix Central High School he teaches Caribbean History, Comparative Government, Street Law and World History. Mr Emanuel instructs Central High students in the Superior Court’s Moot Court Competition, coaches school-aged youths, speaks at various historical or political events, participates in humanities projects, and provides research and source materials for various publications. It is clear to see that Mr. Emanuel has dedicated his life to researching, preserving and promoting the culture and heritage of the Virgin Islands.
Community Grants Program
Humanities programs were conducted throughout the Virgin Islands community. The VIHC awarded $42,694.46 to support over 11 humanities programs territory-wide. The VIHC awards teacher incentive, mini grants and major grants and conducts grant-writing workshops to assist first-time applicants.
Major Grant Awards
The “Virtual Preservation of Colonial Structures” project was accomplished in conjunction with the V.I. National Park, The Friends of the V.I. National Park and the University of Maine. The project captured the construction, images, topography and location of a water-drawing windmill on Leinster Bay, St. John on cutting edge virtual software. The project included a workshop to train and demonstrate the virtual preservation software.This project was awarded $10,000. Project Director: Karen Brady
The Friends of the Denmark Society was awarded $10,000 to produce an educational documentary based on the life and impressionist renderings of Hugo Larsen while he lived in the Virgin Islands. The project is entitled “Danish Artist Hugo Larsen’s Cultural Portrait of Our Islands 1904-1907.” The educational documentary will have a study guide and will be disseminated to the territory’s school, public and university libraries. Project Director: Nina York
Mini Grant Awards
The Caribbean Museum Center for the Arts mounted “Transfer,” an interactive exhibit and panel discussion centered on three themes: history, identity and migration. CMCArts was awarded $3,500 for this project, which included a video recording of Transfer Day and passport images of persons migrating from the Virgin Islands circa 1917. Project Director: Janet Cook-Rutnik
“We are Culture Bearers Too! Youth Preserving Culture” was a media project awarded $3,497.46 this year. The Charles H. Emanuel School production team trained, filmed and edited a documentary on cultural games of the Virgin Islands. The culture bearers taught the production team how to make the traditional toys and play the games, which they, in turn, taught other students. Project Director: Joan Keenan
In March the Association of Concerned Native Virgin Islanders received $3,500 to teach foster children and their parents about quadrille. “Passing on the Torch Quadrille Workshop” was successful at teaching the history and steps of quadrille so much so that the children were able to participate in the carnival parades. Project Director: Patricia Rogers
The Strength to Strength Center coordinated the “Dollar Fe Dollar Historic and Cultural Walking Tour.” This project was awarded $3,500 to retrace the historically significant sites that led up to the Coal Carriers Strike led by Queen Coziah in 1892. Over 50 people participated in this walking tour. Project Director: Ayesha Morris
The VIHC awarded “Becoming American Bookshelf @ Your Library” $3,500 to conduct book talks with elementary and junior high school students. Members of the Charlotte Amalie and Ivanna Eudora Kean High Shool book clubs will conduct the book talks.
Project Director: Rachelle Shells
“Tumbando Cana…Raising Cane” was the theme of an interactive exhibit presented by the Caribbean Museum Center for the Arts. Artists from the Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico displayed works, participated in “artist talks” and a panel discussion with local scholars. This project was awarded $3,500.
Project Director: Gerville Larsen
Teacher Incentive Grant Awards
The Charlotte Amalie High School was awarded $750 to research “Connecting Caribbean Place Names,” through Santos – the small wooden religious statues named after various saints. The advanced placement art students traveled to Puerto Rico, visited the museums, met Santos carvers and presented their findings to the AP Spanish and art students. Project Director: Susan Edwards
The Montessori School invited two culture bearers to sing, play and talk about Quelbe music. The project entitled “The Quelbe Traveling Exhibit at Montessori” was awarded $200 to present the official music of the Virgin Islands to 350 students. Project Director: Marcella Jennings
Saints Peter and Paul School was awarded $750 to give second-grade students a tour of four historical sites in Charlotte Amalie. The “Who Am I” field trip was a culmination of lessons on customs, identity, culture and immigration. Project Director: Patricia Rogers
2006 VIHC SUPPORTERS
Ruth Moolenaar
Ulla F. Muller
West Indian Company
Michael Banzhaf Gallery
First Bank
Banco Popular
Fintrac
VICA
Beverly Biziewski
Frederica W. Graneau
Dr. Roberta Knowles
Center for Black Music Research
Dr. Elizabeth Rezende
Rita I. Coll
Deverita Carty-Sturdivant
Sheena Conway
Dennis Parker
Yvonne Rivera
The Kreke Corporation
Magda Smith
Paul E. Francis
Patricia Jones
Marjorie Petersen
THANKS FOR JOINING US AS WE CONTINUE TO:
Tell our stories
Preserve our traditions and
Develop an informed citizenry