Evans



	EVANS, MELVIN HERBERT Physician, Governor, Ambassador 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 years later completed studies at Howard University, Washington, D.C., graduating magna cum laude. He continued his studies and by 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 - .