An Emancipation Day Message from Government House

This powerful act prompted Governor-General Peter Von Scholten to declare that "All unfree in the Danish West Indies are from today free."

Government House is the home and workspace of sitting governors in the U.S. Virgin Islands. Government House posted the note below on social media.

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Today, we jubilantly celebrate Emancipation Day in the Virgin Islands and honor our enslaved ancestors' heroic actions of 1848.

In Frederiksted, St. Croix, they courageously pulled up the whipping post and heaved it into the sea. This powerful act prompted Governor-General Peter Von Scholten to declare that "All unfree in the Danish West Indies are from today free." Their bravery marked a pivotal moment, liberating all those held in chattel slavery throughout these lands.

Take a moment to reflect on how far we've come and recognize how much further our journey goes.

Let’s keep moving forward with that same courageous spirit!