Happy Asian American, Native Hawaiian, & Pacific Islander Herit

Discover a valuable gem of information on Richard Etheridge and his all Black crew of surfmen in the U.S. Life-Saving Service (LSS) on Pea Island, North Carolina. Fire on the Beach: Recovering the Lost Story of Richard Etheridge and the Pea Island Lifesavers (335 pages, 2002, hardcover) by David Wright & David Zoby is an excellent book. The authors did an exceptional amount of research to provide many historical details on the topic. I am very appreciative of their work.

The book is divided into three sections about Richard Etheridge’s life. The first part focuses on his early life as a slave in North Carolina and his Union Army enlistment into 36th U.S. Colored Troops (USCT). He fought against the southern Confederacy during the American Civil War (1861-1865). The book also pays homage to the 54th Massachusetts Colored Volunteer Infantry Regiment featured in the movie Glory (1989). The second part is an introduction to the Life-Saving Service (LSS) in North Carolina. The LSS was an early forerunner to the U.S. Coast Guard Service. The third part reveals the life of a surfman with all its challenges and the heroism of the Pea Island crew.  

The historical details cover the experiences of Black Civil War soldiers (e.g. lower wages compared to White soldiers, racism on the battlefield & in the military ranks, and their ability to liberate other slaves, including their wives, children, and other family members.) There are highlights of the Reconstruction period (1865-1877) and how the advances of African-American freedmen, fell victim to anti-Black socio-political sabotage to maintain racism as the status quo. The Black Pea Island surfmen would go on to to rescue the crew of the E.S. Newman amid extremely hazardous conditions. On March 5th, 1996 they were rewarded for their ingenuity and brave rescue of the E.S. Newman with the Gold Life-Saving Medal, given posthumously by the U.S. Coast Guard.  

Unfortunately, half-truths and racist tropes still exist today about the plight of enslaved Africans in America. African Americans are the ancestral survivors of these people who fought against the inhumanity of chattel slavery (1619-1865, 246 years), when they could and the best they could. That part of the story needs to be told more often. And this book does a good job revealing that side of the story. African Americans participated in their own liberation from chattel slavery when they could through various means: as run away fugitives, plantation slave revolts, lawsuits, and enlistment into the Union Army during the American Civil War.   

Finally, I remember many years ago the artist formerly known as Prince claimed unfair dealings in the music industry was a form of slavery. He even wore the word “Slave” on his face in public. This is not a comparison of chattel slavery to unfair contractual dealings. Because these two issues are very different. But there is recognition of a common thread of similarity when people feel entitled to own other people. So, when statements are made to degrade the dignity and plight of enslaved Africans due to ignorance, racist half-truths, or attention-seeking behavior, remember these people had a nation and laws working against them while living in a foreign country. A lot of food for thought. I appreciate the outstanding research done in this book to help restore the dignity of these remarkable people. And tell their side of the story.

Book Quotes:

“Hurricanes and nor’easters could rise up from the Atlantic with no warning, stunning and destroying whole fleets at once.”

“And the black troopers put their confidence in their officers. One, First Lieutenant James Backuss, was excused from the fight because of lameness…but he disobeyed orders to stay with the men and lead them into battle. It was men liked Backuss who exemplified what was best about the white officers.”

“Blacks made up about 11 percent of the Union Army when the fighting ended. By the fall, with the large numbers of white volunteer regiments demobilized, the percentage of USCT jumped suddenly to 36 percent of the active forces.”

*Reposted book review article from the May 2024 Edition.

*Note: I have already read Sink or Swim: African-American Lifesavers of the Outer Banks by Carole Boston Weatherford (96 pages, 1999) for young readers. To view this book review in the August 2020 Edition, click here.

1.) Outer Banks Coastal Life: Richard Etheridge: An Outer Banks Hero (2018) 
https://outerbankscoastallife.com/richard-etheridge-outer-banks-hero/

2.) The Outer Banks Voice: New Bridge Dedicated to OBX Hero Capt. Richard Etheridge (2018)

https://www.outerbanksvoice.com/2018/02/21/new-bridge-dedicated-to-obx-hero-capt-richard-etheridge/

3.) Country Living: The 35 Most Beautiful Lighthouses in America  
https://www.countryliving.com/life/travel/g2422/the-30-prettiest-lighthouses-in-america/?slide=35