Books

Whaling Captains of Color-America’s First Meritocracy 

Many of the historic houses that decorate Skip Finley’s native Martha’s Vineyard were originally built by whaling captains. Whether in his village of Oak Bluffs, on the Island of Nantucket where whaling burgeoned, or in New Bedford, which became the City of Light thanks to whale oil, these magnificent homes testify to the money made from whaling. In terms of oil, the triangle connecting Martha’s Vineyard to these areas and Eastern Long Island was the Middle East of its day. Whale wealth was astronomical and endures in the form of land trusts, roads, hotels, docks, businesses, homes, churches, and parks. Whaling revenues were invested in railroads and the textile industry. Millions of whales died in the 200-plus-year enterprise, with more than 2,700 ships built for chasing, killing, and processing them. Whaling was the first American industry to exhibit any diversity, and the proportion of men of color people who participated was amazingly high. A man got to be captain not because he was white or well connected, but because he knew how to kill a whale. Along the way, he would also learn navigation and how to read and write. Whaling presented a tantalizing alternative to mainland life. Working with archival records at whaling museums, in libraries, from private archives, and studying hundreds of books and thesis, Finley culls the best stories from the lives of over 50 Whaling Captains of Color to share the story of America's First Meritocracy.

Whaling Captains of Color – America’s First Meritocracy is published by the Naval Institute Press.

Historic Tales of Oak Bluffs

Skip Finley’s “Town of Oak Bluffs” columns in the Vineyard Gazette were widely popular thanks to his breezy style and historical content. In this curated collection, he presents a chronological telling of how the community became the welcoming seaside resort for a uniquely diverse group of residents and visitors, including five American Presidents. Discover how islanders like Ichabod Norton, Old Harry and Lucy Vincent Smith helped to define the island we know today. From the Panic of 1873 to the Inkwell and beyond, these witty and whimsical tales prove why this particular spot is featured in the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture.