“In 1917, the U.S. bought the Dutch West Indies for $125 million and renamed them the U.S. Virgin Islands. WWI was underway, and Uncle Sam wanted the islands as a naval base to protect the strategically important Panama Canal. The U.S. government assigned the administration of the islands to the Department of the Navy.” -From, “Gangsters of Harlem”
Black History Fact Of The Day: The U.S. Virgin Islands
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