We are so fortunate to have vital and active historical societies in the Tri-Towns, especially when they join forces to bring programming to those of us thirsty to learn more about our heritage.
On March 24, through the cooperative efforts of the Mattapoisett Museum and the Sippican Historical Society, a presentation offering insights into the lives of whalers of color was held featuring author Skip Finley.
Finley is a well-established broadcaster and columnist. At one point in his career, he was responsible for over 40 radio stations in 18 markets. He later became director of Sales and Marketing for the Vineyard Gazette and has written for the Gazette as well as regional publications.
But it is his ability to make the deepest of dives into seemingly endless historical documents and find the rare gems embedded there, bringing them into the light of modern day. His research into whalers and captains of color is one such endeavor.
Finley’s latest book, titled “Whaling Captains of Color – America’s First Meritocracy,” was the theme of his presentation. He fully and with joyful telling shared his discoveries about black and brown whalers who became captains.
Setting the tone for those years between 1750 and 1928, Finley made it clear just how difficult life was for people of color to attain wealth or even daily bread. But in New England the whaling industry did not discriminate so deeply based on a man’s skin tone, Finley explained. Yet there were categories, “Men were categorized … indigenous people, Africans, South Americans, Polynesians … they were shades of color.”
On some 2,700 ships that sailed in search of the precious prey, there were 15,000 voyages made during the whaling era, Finley said. A staggering 90 percent of the men working on the ships were men of color. Why? These were slaves that had found their way north or improvised farmers seeking better earnings. And they were men willing to try their hand at the most dangerous profession known at the time in order to ascend the economic gauntlets that existed. Of that 90 percent, 2,000 would become Captains.
The author reminded his audience throughout his talk that this was not a glamorous profession. It was filthy, there were poor quality supplies or no supplies at all, the ever-present danger of death by drowning or myriad other ways a person might be accidently injured or killed. And yet the money spurred them forward.
Finley talked about New Bedford’s Paul Cuffy, who left farming in Dartmouth to own his own ship, whaling between 1759 and 1792. It was a way to succeed financially, given that the owners and captains took the lion’s share of the profit. “Those 15,000 voyages produced a 4.7-percent return,” Finley stated. “Black-owned ships earned upwards of 11.8 percent … they outperformed three times the market.”
Black whalers became captains primarily through attrition but also based on performance. These men had to know all the jobs associated with whale hunting in order to run a successful voyage.
At the end of the whaling era, many old whale boats surrendered to salvage yards, but many others were purchased for pennies on the dollar by enterprising men of color who used them as packet ships, bringing much-needed goods to the Cape Verdean Islands.
“Theirs is a story of hope and promise,” Finley surmised as the hour came to a close. But he added, as if to etch into our memories a rather significant historical point for this area, “The last whaling ship was The Wanderer – it had a captain of color.”
To learn more about Skip Finley and his historical research, visit skipfinley.com.
Mattapoisett Museum and Sippican Historical Society
By Marilou Newell