As various groups in the Virgin Islands and abroad observe Black History Month, February is an opportune time for the territory to recommit to remembering its past year-round.
Unfortunately, this is by no means an easy endeavour. The general dearth of written records in the VI is greatly exacerbated for people of African descent, who form a majority of the population. Many VI families would struggle to trace their roots further back than oral history allows.
This is a plight faced by slaves’ descendents across the Western Hemisphere, and it is part of the reason that Black History Month was officially established in the United States in 1976.
To be sure, much of the VI’s past is extremely painful to face. But it would be naïve to imagine that the negative effects of slavery and other horrors do not live on today. And to exorcise such trauma, the past must be remembered, studied and properly understood.
To that end, we are encouraged by several initiatives that have been gaining momentum in recent years:
• An annual ceremony is held each February to honour enslaved Africans who lost their lives in the Middle Passage.
• Much diligent research has gone into books, films and other works designed to shed light on important events from the VI’s past.
• The territory has shown an increasing interest in honouring historical figures who made a positive difference.
• Classes in VI studies are now taught at high schools and the H. Lavity Stoutt Community College.
• Myriad efforts are in the works to protect and restore historical landmarks and documents alike.
Such endeavours should be celebrated, supported and expanded upon.
After all, plenty of work remains to be done. Much of the territory’s history is still shrouded in mystery. Meanwhile, documents and other physical records are literally disintegrating at an alarming rate, and some leaders seem indifferent to this urgent problem.
True reform will mean a change in thinking at all levels of society. Volunteer groups, which have spearheaded many of the abovementioned initiatives, no doubt will need play a major role. Government will too, particularly in forwarding education initiatives and in passing relevant legislation.
Ultimately, it is up to everyone in this community to ensure that the territory comes to terms with its past. The future depends on it.
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