Emancipation remembered
During the August Emancipation Festival, we hope all residents will participate in the festivities while bearing in mind the reason for the annual celebration.
On Aug. 1, 1834, the Emancipation Proclamation took effect, making slavery illegal in the Virgin Islands and the rest of the British empire. One hundred and twenty years later, in 1954, the VI’s first annual Festival was held to commemorate the occasion.
Certainly, there is still cause for jubilation — not only because of Emancipation itself, but because of the territory’s subsequent progress. The 2007 addition of a human rights chapter to the Constitution might be seen as one recent fruit of the Emancipation promise.
After the Festival Village opens tomorrow, the subsequent activities will include something for everyone. Residents should make every effort to take part: attending as many events as possible, and playing an active role in participatory activities like the August Monday Parade.
Besides the celebratory events, though, we hope everyone will also make an effort to attend some of the more solemn activities that are scheduled. An annual prayer service, for example, will be held at the Sunday Morning Well, one of the many locations where the Emancipation Proclamation was read to the public in 1834.
Recently, we were pleased to hear Festival organisers pledge to make every effort to start events on time. Considering the late starts that have plagued past Festivals, we hope they will succeed, and that attendees will come on board by arriving in a timely manner.
In recent years, police have rightly stepped up Festival security following a 2007 Rise and Shine Tramp brawl that left two young men dead. This year, we hope they will continue to do so, as dangerous fights have occurred even with the extra police presence.
A truly safe Festival, however, will require a collaborative effort. To that end, we call on all participants to enjoy themselves in a safe and responsible manner.
With these considerations in mind, we wish everyone an enjoyable, safe and meaningful August Emancipation Festival 2011.