Morris Fidanque de Castro (February 5, 1902 – December 9, 1966) was the first native Governor of the United States Virgin Islands and a lifetime government servant for the territory. Early life De Castro was born in Panama City, Panama. Although he was Jewish, de Castro attended Roman Catholic High School of St. Thomas. His father was merchant David de Castro and his mother was Adah Fidanque. Immediately after graduating high school, de Castro obtained a job working as a clerk in the island's sanitation office. Over the years, de Castro remained in government and gradually rose through the ranks until he was appointed as the Commissioner of Finance in 1934. In 1939, de Castro was briefly made acting governor while Lawrence William Cramer was attending hearings in Washington, D.C.. This role usually fell to the government secretary, such as Robert Herrick in 1935, but de Castro given the position instead. During his brief tenure, the United States Virgin Islands was honored by an "unofficial" state visit by Frederick IX of Denmark, then still the Crown Prince, and his wife, Ingrid of Sweden. Over the years, de Castro continued to be a prominent choice whenever an acting governor was necessary. In 1944, he was promoted from Commissioner of Finance to an assistant to Governor Charles A. Harwood. In 1945, he was made government secretary and held that position until he was appointed full governor by President Harry S. Truman on February 28, 1950. (He was inaugurated March 4.) Though he was aware that he was under consideration for the position (he had been again made acting governor in the interim), he did not campaign for it though he indicated that he would take it, if offered. De Castro's appointment was considered by many as a symbol that the United States wanted increased self-government for its territories. Governor of the United States Virgin Islands As governor, de Castro worked to increase the self-sufficiency of the islands. Almost immediately after his appointment, he signed a law that stiffened penalties and enforcement for discrimination in the territory, largely in response to a growing problem of private "clubs" and resorts which increasingly catered exclusively to mainland whites, rather than locals. He also campaigned with the federal government to allow the territory to keep the tax revenue collected on the export of rum. Previously, this had been collected by the federal government to offset the