Discovered archival pictures add new wrinkles to Pea Island story

Joan Collins is an everyday Coastal Review contributor on matters associated to Outer Banks historical past.

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In January 2024, I shared {a photograph} believed to have been taken a while within the Thirties of a time when the historic Pea Island Station was commanded by a white officer in cost. I had heard my father converse of getting served below a few white officers when he first reported to the station in February 1940. 

This additionally was earlier than his uncle, Maxie M. Berry Sr., proven standing on the far left in that picture and who started his profession there a number of years earlier, would later assume this position. The story has all the time fascinated me, because it represents a time when even these most conversant in the inspiring story of the historic station don’t typically take into consideration and even understand occurred. Still right this moment, many incorrectly consider that after Keeper Richard Etheridge took command in January 1880, the station remained staffed with an “all-Black” crew for 67 years, till March 1947 when my father, Herbert M. Collins, closed the doorways for the final time. Yet, this gorgeous {photograph} mirrored in any other case.

Although the {photograph} I shared then didn’t embody my father, one of many two males seated is Palmer Midgett, a reputation recognized as being an officer in cost in my father’s early U.S. Coast Guard data of his service at Pea Island. These data additionally mirror the title William Scarborough, the person believed sitting on the proper, as being an officer in cost whereas my father was there. At varied instances, each signed my father’s efficiency scores. So, you’ll be able to think about my delight when the {photograph} printed in my earlier January 2024 column first got here to my consideration. Although my father will not be proven, it is a vital reminder of his service at Pea Island and the service there of these earlier than him, together with his beloved uncle, Maxie M. Berry Sr.

With that background, think about how delighted I used to be to be taught of those newly found photos from an unprocessed portion of the “SR.44.47 Conservation and Development Travel Photograph Collection, State Archives of North Carolina.” These pictures have been found after an inquiry I had made when noticing a current State Archives Facebook post of a 1938 {photograph} that’s a part of this assortment. I rapidly acknowledged the {photograph} as one thing I had by no means seen. My pleasure was obvious once I telephoned Rebecca Stubbs, audiovisual archivist on the Division of Natural and Cultural Resources and urged her to dig deeper. I needed to be taught what further pictures is perhaps available that I had by no means earlier than seen in my years of researching this matter.

You may also think about my shock to be taught not just one further {photograph} existed depicting a time when a white commander was in cost, there have been a number of extra – 19 photos in whole. The white commander proven in a number of of the photographs additionally seems to be William Scarborough, one of many two officers in cost and talked about in my January 2024 article. Although the {photograph} in my earlier article was not amongst these new pictures discovered, it seems to have been taken on the identical day. Palmer Midgett is lacking from any of the brand new pictures discovered.

I’m thrilled to have been granted permission by the DNCR to share this thrilling information and this hyperlink, Pea Island US Coast Guard Station|Flickr, a digital album created for these 19 photos. However, just like the {photograph} printed in my January 2024 article, the who, when, and why these newly found pictures have been taken will not be recognized. The newly discovered photos have been found in tins after which digitalized to disclose what was enclosed. They are being made accessible to encourage continued consciousness and analysis in regards to the historic Pea Island station.

Today, whereas many now know the inspiring story of Keeper Richard Etheridge and the Pea Island Lifesavers about their most well-known rescue, the harrowing Oct. 11, 1896, rescue of the shipwrecked E.S. Newman’s crew, there are extra tales to inform.

The story of why my father reported to white commanders throughout his early service at Pea Island is one thing I’ve been trying to unravel lately, together with the story of “Checkerboard Crews,” racially blended crews that existed on the Outer Banks throughout the Pea Island station period.

Look right here for extra quickly on this and the fascinating story of George Pruden, the person additionally talked about in my earlier article. Pruden’s retirement in 1937, which he would later allege was pressured, broke the continual cycle of Black males being positioned in command on the Pea Island station after Etheridge’s command.