Emancipation Day is a public holiday in The Bahamas and it commemorates the official abolition of slavery in the British Empire in 1834 and honors the strength, survival, and legacy of enslaved Africans and their descendants.

When is Emancipation Day?

Emancipation Day is observed every year on the first Monday in August.

The following is the list of Emancipation Day from 2020 to 2049.

The History of Emancipation Day?

Before National Heroes' Day, October 12 was observed as Discovery Day, commemorating the arrival of Christopher Columbus in the New World in 1492. However, growing awareness of colonialism's impact and a desire to celebrate Bahamian identity and sovereignty led to a movement to replace Discovery Day.

This movement gained strength in the early 2000s, supported by civic leaders and advocates who argued that Bahamian citizens who advanced civil rights and national pride deserved public recognition more than a European colonizer.

In 2007, the Bahamas Parliament passed the National Heroes Act, which created a formal system of national honors, and officially recognized National Heroes' Day to be observed on the second Monday in October.

In 2013, the holiday was first officially celebrated, replacing Discovery Day in the calendar.