Emancipation Day in the U.S. Virgin Islands commemorates the abolition of slavery in the former Danish West Indies (now the U.S. Virgin Islands) in 1848. This historic day marks a powerful moment of liberation and resistance, especially for the islands of St. Croix, St. Thomas, and St. John.

When is Emancipation Day?

Emancipation Day is observed every year on July 3.

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

The History of Emancipation Day?

The islands of St. Croix, St. Thomas, and St. John were part of the Danish West Indies, a colony of Denmark from the 1600s. Enslaved Africans were brought to the islands to work on sugar plantations, enduring brutal conditions and harsh treatment. Several slave revolts occurred in the 1700s and 1800s, including the 1733 uprising on St. John, which was one of the longest-lasting revolts in Caribbean history.

On July 3, 1848, thousands of enslaved people on St. Croix, led by Moses Gottlieb, known as General Buddhoe, marched to Fort Frederik in Frederiksted. Armed with tools, firebrands, and determination, they demanded their freedom, threatening to destroy the town if they were not emancipated.

Facing pressure, the Danish Governor General Peter von Scholten proclaimed the freedom of all unfree in the Danish West Indies. This decision immediately ended slavery for over 30,000 enslaved people.

Though emancipation was declared, true freedom was limited: many formerly enslaved people were bound to labor contracts with poor wages and restricted rights. Full civil rights would only be slowly granted in the following decades.

General Buddhoe, despite his leadership, was later arrested and sent into exile by the Danish authorities.

Emancipation Day is a public holiday in the Virgin Islands, observed especially on St. Croix. Emancipation Day is more than a historical date, and it honors those who fought for freedom and reminds future generations of the power of collective action.