Emancipation Day is a public holiday in Jamaica, and it is observed on August 1 each year. The holiday commemorates the date when the Slavery Abolition Act of 1833 came into force, and Jamaica abolished slavery on August 1, 1834.
Jamaica became a British crown colony in 1656 and gained independence on August 6, 1962. As one of the British colonies, slavery was abolished in Jamaica in 1834. However, only children under six years of age were deemed to be free, all other slaves need to serve an apprenticeship period without pay as compensation to their owners. On August 1, 1838, the apprenticeship system finally ended and the slaves gained full emancipation.
Emancipation Day was discontinued as a national holiday in 1962 after Jamaica gained independence from the British. In 1998, it was reinstated as a public holiday.
The following is the list of Emancipation Day in Jamaica from 2022 to 2026.
| Holiday | Date | Weekday |
|---|---|---|
| Emancipation Day | Aug 01, 2022 | Monday |
| Emancipation Day | Aug 01, 2023 | Tuesday |
| Emancipation Day | Aug 01, 2024 | Thursday |
| Emancipation Day | Aug 01, 2025 | Friday |
| Emancipation Day | Aug 01, 2026 | Saturday |
Please check more public holidays in Jamaica: