The Odyssey of Captain Healy

A chapter of African-American history that is virtually unknown today, the story of the 19th century "Ruler of the Arctic Sea," Captain Michael Healy, would make one heck of a movie in the tradition of Glory and Amistad. Healy, who kept a remarkable secret that he took to his grave, was born in Georgia to an Irish plantation owner and his black common-law wife. Because he was exceptionally light-skinned, Healy was able to pass as white, embarking on a career path that would have been closed to post-Civil War emancipated African-Americans. Healy loved the sea from the time he was a boy, and following training in the Naval Revenue Cutter service, went West and settled in San Francisco. He eventually became captain of his own ship and began to make numerous trips into the still unexplored Alaska Territory, establishing a reputation as a tough, but fair-minded skipper who cared for his men and for the Eskimos he was sent to help govern. The events that turned Michael Healy from hero to villain are brilliantly conveyed in this video through a mixture of historical photographs, archival motion pictures, and interviews with prominent historians. A prime example of just how fascinating history can be when told well. Aud: H, P. (J. Carlson)