Virgin Islands history will soon be returning to the territory from Denmark, thanks to an agreement between that country and Gov. Charles Turnbull.
During his visit to Denmark last month, Turnbull and officials from the Danish government agreed to a multi-year project that will survey, preserve and place on microfilm all records that relate to the Danish West Indies that are in Denmark, the V.I. and the United States.
The Danish government is putting up $300,000 for the project through the end of 2000. The initial effort in what is expected to be a four to five-year undertaking will be to survey records called the West Indian Local Government Archives.
"As part of the project, the Virgin Islands government will survey all existing archives deposited in the territory," said Myron Jackson, director of the V.I. State Historic Preservation Office.
The Department of Planning and Natural Resources will conduct the survey in the territory. Erik Gobel, a senior archivist at the Danish National Archives, has been appointed project director.
Though many historical records are archived by the Danish and V.I. governments, there are many still housed in churches and local collections, Jackson said. Efforts will be made to survey those as well.
"The Virgin Islands may represent a small portion of the projects," Jackson said. "However, it is a significant and necessary link to the collections housed in Denmark and the Untied States."
The second phase of the project, starting in 2001, will be to place on microfilm all Danish West Indian records.
