Governor calls on Virgin Islanders to preserve the legacy of General Buddhoe, Admiral Martin King and the thousands who demanded emancipation
“Today, the people of the Virgin Islands gather in solemn remembrance, profound gratitude and enduring pride as we mark 178 years since our ancestors rose together and demanded freedom from the brutal and oppressive system of chattel slavery. On July 3, 1848, thousands of enslaved men and women converged on Frederiksted and stood before Fort Frederik, refusing to accept another day of bondage and indignity.
At the forefront of that uprising stood General Buddhoe, whose leadership and resolve helped turn generations of suffering into a united movement for liberation. Beside him stood Admiral Martin King and other courageous organizers who carried messages between estates, rallied their fellow laborers and helped summon a people to freedom.
We honor them, along with the countless women and men whose names were never recorded, but whose footsteps filled the streets of Frederiksted and whose collective courage changed the destiny of these islands.
The proclamation issued that day made emancipation the law, but our ancestors were its true authors. Freedom was not handed to them. They demanded it, stood together and made the continuation of slavery impossible.
Their victory belongs to every Virgin Islander, as does the responsibility to carry their work forward.
Emancipation Day must be more than a remembrance of the past. It must be a summons to the present.
The struggle before Fort Frederik reminds us that the work of each generation is to build upon the progress of those who came before. Today, that means continuing to move our islands forward by expanding opportunity, strengthening education, preserving our culture, supporting our families and working together to shape a brighter future for every Virgin Islander.
Our ancestors did not risk everything merely so that future generations could survive. They struggled so that we could live with purpose, shape our own destiny and build a society grounded in the dignity and freedom they fought to secure.
As the conch shells sound and we reflect on July 3, 1848, let us speak the names of General Buddhoe and Admiral Martin King with reverence. Let us remember the organizers, laborers, mothers, fathers and children who stood together against one of humanity’s greatest evils.
Let us continue to honor their victory by preserving their legacy, strengthening our communities and carrying the spirit of emancipation forward.
May their courage continue to guide us, their unity continue to inspire us and the spirit of emancipation remain alive in every Virgin Islander who believes our greatest chapters are still ours to write.
On behalf of the Bryan-Roach administration, I wish Virgin Islanders at home and abroad a reflective, meaningful and proud Emancipation Day.”
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