Emancipation Day is a public holiday in Bermuda, observed on the Thursday before the first Monday of August. The holiday commemorates when the Slavery Abolition Act of 1833 came into force, and slavery was abolished in Bermuda in August 1834.
Bermuda is a British Overseas Territory in the North Atlantic Ocean. Spanish explorer Juan de Bermudez discovered it in the early 1500s, and the British started settling on the island in 1609.
Slaves were first brought to the island in the 1620s when Bermuda became a British colony. However, slaves never willingly accepted their status being slaves and that resulted in slave revolts and rebellions threatening their white owners.
Slavery Abolition Act 1833 received Royal assent in the British Empire and took effect in 1834. As one of the British colonies, slavery was abolished in Bermuda on August 1, 1834.
The following is the list of Emancipation Day in Bermuda from 2022 to 2026.
| Holiday | Date | Weekday |
|---|---|---|
| Emancipation Day | Jul 28, 2022 | Thursday |
| Emancipation Day | Aug 03, 2023 | Thursday |
| Emancipation Day | Aug 01, 2024 | Thursday |
| Emancipation Day | Jul 31, 2025 | Thursday |
| Emancipation Day | Jul 30, 2026 | Thursday |
Please check more public holidays in Bermuda: