Odyssey of Captain Healy

The life of one of the most famous men on the Pacific Coast during the 19th century is profiled. As captain of a U.S. Marine Revenue cutter, Captain Michael Healy stood for law and order along the treacherous 30,000-mile coast of the Alaska territory; he also kept a closely guarded secret: he was the son of an African-American slave. Using 19th century footage of old San Francisco, and interviews with longshoremen and historians, the program tells the dramatic tale of a fascinating man who was haunted by demons, and, in the end, charted a destructive life course that ended with a heart attack in 1905.

10.1 and 36.2