Newspaper St. Croix avis (Christiansted, St. Croix [V.I.]), December 31, 1963 Saint Croix avis / Avis

Title

• St. Croix avis (Christiansted, St. Croix [V.I.]), December 31, 1963

Other Title

• Saint Croix avis
• Avis

Summary

• The St. Croix Avis (sn84037526) began publication in 1844 under the direction of editor and publisher Richard Hatchett in Christiansted, St. Croix (VI). It is a successor of the Royal Danish American Gazette (sn84037521), the first known newspaper published in the Virgin Islands. R. Hatchett published the Avis until the 1860s, under the authority of the Danish West Indian Government. The first digitized issue confirms that on January 3, 1865, the newspaper was edited by Hans Hatchett, and that it "published every Tuesday and Friday for the proprietress". The masthead includes a printed note in Danish during this time "Udgiver: Hans Hatchett - Trykt I Enken Harriet Hatchett's Bogtrykerri" which translates to "Publisher: Hans Hatchett - Printed in the widow Harriet Hatchett's printing house". Throughout its publication, issues of the Avis were formatted into three columns and were typically four pages in length, with an occasional addition of a fifth or sixth "supplemental" page. From its inception until 1917, the Avis published a considerable amount of its content in Danish, indicative of the island's Danish-speaking population of the time. Common Danish-language sections included Bekendtgorelse (Announcement), Proklama (Proclamation), Auktion (Auction), and Ansaettelser (Appointments). The shift to a primarily English-language publication began after the US purchased the Virgin Islands from Denmark in 1917. The St. Croix Avis reported on local weather and natural disasters. It frequently printed records of rainfall on the island, and coverage of hurricanes and their damage, not only as they occurred, but also on the anniversary of major events to acknowledge and observe past disasters and the damage left in their wake. Reports of natural disasters extended beyond the Virgin Islands and often included coverage of their impact throughout the Caribbean. The content of the St. Croix Avis offers a critical reflection of its unique importance as the first newspaper of the United States Virgin Islands. The paper catered to, reflected, informed, and represented the interests of all the individual governing nations of the region and their territorial residents. Perspectives are many and varied: from the delightful excursion into the social media of the day when library books were recalled through newspaper announcements, employees disputed termination causes in the media, to reports about the presence of yellow fever and cholera as they plagued the Caribbean and Latin America, to coverage of the imposition of property taxes with respect to "king" sugar. The Avis' journalists often compared what was happening in the European governed territories regarding slavery on the island and its management, reflecting more on the economic advantages that are critical to understanding the "why" of slavery. The paper provides a rich diversity of reporting picked up from national and international correspondents and the Avis' own contacts in Cuba, Latin America, and Europe. These reports demonstrate the anxieties of residents, preoccupations of the U.S. mainland with social and economic conditions, and challenges in the territory.

Names

• University of the Virgin Islands

Place of Publication

• Christiansted, St. Croix [V.I.]

Dates of Publication

• 1844-current

Created / Published

• Christiansted, St. Croix [V.I.], December 31, 1963

Headings

• -  Christiansted (United States Virgin Islands)--Newspapers
• -  Saint Croix (United States Virgin Islands)--Newspapers
• -  Charlotte Amalie (United States Virgin Islands)--Newspapers
• -  Saint Thomas (United States Virgin Islands : Island)--Newspapers
• -  United States Virgin Islands--Charlotte Amalie
• -  United States Virgin Islands--Christiansted
• -  United States Virgin Islands--Saint Croix
• -  United States Virgin Islands--Saint Thomas (Island)
• -  United States--Virgin Islands--Saint Croix--Christiansted
• -  United States--Virgin Islands--Saint Thomas--Charlotte Amalie

Genre

• Newspapers

Notes

• -  Daily (except Sunday), 1917-
• -  Aarg. 1, nr. 1 (Jan. 1, 1844)-
• -  Publishers: Hariet Hatchett, 1864- ; Peter Hatchett, 1867-1868; Hans Hatchett, 1869-1872; Lauritz Holm, 1872-1873; Christian Dahl, 1874-1876; Julius Knuthsen, 1877; John T. Quin, 1878-1879; A. Paludan Muller, 1878-1879; Albert Hanschell, 1880-1883; John T. Quin, 1884-1916; Canute A. Brodhurst; G. Johansen; Fred Clarke; Rena Brodhurst, <2001>.
• -  Also issued on microfilm from Library of Congress, Photoduplication Service.
• -  Archived issues are available in digital format from the Library of Congress Chronicling America online collection.
• -  Danish and English, 1844-; English, .
• -  Published by the authority of the Danish West Indian Government, 1844-1917.
• -  Latest issue consulted: 157th year, no. 68 (Mar. 23, 2001).

Medium

• 4 pages

Call Number/Physical Location

• Newspaper

Library of Congress Control Number

• sn84037526

Online Format

• image
• pdf
• online text

Reel Numbers

• 0051717032a

LCCN Permalink

• https://lccn.loc.gov/sn84037526

Additional Metadata Formats

• MODSXML Record
• MARCXML Record

IIIF Presentation Manifest

• Manifest (JSON/LD)