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  Evans, Melvin Herbert
CANDIDATE DETAILS
AffiliationRepublican  
 
NameMelvin Herbert Evans
Address
Virgin Islands, , United States
EmailNone
WebsiteNone
Born August 07, 1917
DiedNovember 27, 1984 (67 years)
ContributorThomas Walker
Last ModifedMr. Matt
Apr 27, 2012 08:12pm
Tags Black -
InfoMELVIN HERBERT EVANS

Physician, Governor, Ambassador

Born: St. Croix (1917 - 1984 )



Melvin Herbert Evans has earned special recognition in the history of the Virgin Islands as the last presidentially appointed governor, the first elected governor, and the first Virgin Islander named ambassador to the island nation of Trinidad and Tobago. In addition, he has served as the territory's second elected Congressional Delegate and as Commissioner of Health.

Born to Charles Herbert and Maude Rogiers Evans on Christiansted, St. Croix, August 7, 1917, he attended the local schools on St. Croix. After completing the tenth grade he traveled to St. Thomas to complete high school since schools on St. Croix did not offer a program extending beyond the tenth grade. In 1935 he graduated from Charlotte Amalie High School as Valedictorian of his class and four vears later completed studies at Howard University, Washington, D.C., graduating rnngna ciam laude. He continued his studies and bv 1944 earned his medical degree, also from Howard University.

Following his internship in New York City he returned to the Virgin Islands and was appointed physician-in-charge of the Frederiksted Hospital. He was invited by the United States Public Health Service to serve as senior assistant surgeon. After two years in this position (1948-1950) he returned to the Virgin Islands and was appointed chief municipal physician for St. Croix. During this time he doubled as Assistant Commissioner of Health for the Virgin Islands.

He subsequently assumed full responsibility of the Health Department when he was appointed commissioner in 1959. He retained the position until 1967.

In 1969 Evans was appointed governor of the Virgin Islands following the inauguration of a Republican president, Richard M. Nixon, and the resignation of Governor Ralph M. Paiewonsky a Democrat.

With this appointment, he also gained the distinction of being the last appointed governor. He was inaugurated by William H. Hastie, chief judge of the Third Circuit Court of Appeals and the first Black governor of the Virgin Islands (1946-1949) and first Black judge of the U.S. District Court of the Virgin Islands, 1937.

The political maturity of the Virgin Islands was evidenced with the passage of the Elective Governor Act, passed by Congress in August 23, 1968. Virgin Islanders were given the right to elect their own governor in 1970. On November 3,1970, three well-qualified Virgin Islanders vied for this position--

Dr. Melvin H. Evans, Cyril E. King, and Senator Alexander A. Farrellv, Esq. Since none of the candidates won the necessary 50% + 1 of the votes in the general election, a run-off election was called.

On November 17,1970, the run-off election was held. Mr. King garnered 7,452 votes while Dr. Evans received 8,259 votes to become the first elected governor. In his four-year term he concentrated on reducing the negative social elements, such as crime, drug traffic, and the flow of illegal aliens. He concentrated heavily on road improve-ment, education, housing and improving the economy.

Defeated in his re-election bid in 1974, he was given a special assignment from the U .S. Department of State to conduct a speak-ing tour of five African countries. At the end of this assignment he re-entered Johns Hopkins University for refresher courses and returned to private practice on St. Croix.

Three years later, he re-entered the political arena in the race for delegate to Congress. Running against Janet Watlington, he won in a resounding victory. At the end of his two-year term, he returned home.

It was not long after that in 1982 that he was appointed U.S. Ambassador to the Caribbean nation of Trinidad and Tobago. He served in this capacity until his death on December 1, 1984.

Apart from his political contributions, Dr. Evans was foremost a physician, skilled in surgery and later in cardiology, providing health care to a large number of Virgin Islanders from his private practice and public health services. He was also involved in civic affairs and served as president of the St. Croix Chamber of Commerce (1977-1978), Republican National Committeeman of the Virgin Islands (1976-1977), and chairman of the Board of Trustees of the College of the Virgin Islands (1962-1969).

He was honored by Virgin Islanders on three outstanding occasions: the St. Croix Campus of the University of the Virgin Islands was named in his honor, a highway on St. Croix is named the Melvin Evans Highway, and a bill making his birthday a local holiday was passed by the local Legislature. The bill was vetoed by Governor Juan Luis who "did not think it appropriate." Because of its controversial nature, the governor's veto was sustained.

He was married to the former Mary Phyllis Anderson and from this union there are four sons: Melvin Herbert Jr., Robert Rogiers, William Charles, and Cornelius Duncan.

Some of his professional affiliations included the American Medical Association; the American Association of Public Health Physicians, of which he was a charter member; the National Medical Association; and the Pan American Medical Association.

Dr. Evans died of a heart attack on November 2-1,198.4, on St. Croix.

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DISCUSSION
Importance? 9.00000 Average

FAMILY

INFORMATION LINKS
RACES
  12/01/1981 US Ambassador to Trinidad & Tobago Won 100.00% (+100.00%)
  11/04/1980 USVI Delegate to the US House Lost 46.96% (-6.09%)
  11/07/1978 USVI Delegate to the US House Won 52.14% (+4.77%)
  11/05/1974 USVI Governor Lost 24.20% (-16.41%)
  11/17/1970 USVI Governor Won 52.57% (+5.14%)
  11/03/1970 USVI Governor Won 32.88% (+0.00%)
  06/30/1969 USVI Governor Won 100.00% (+100.00%)
ENDORSEMENTS