St. John-based non-profit St.JanCo invites the public to join it at 6 p.m., Friday, Nov. 30, at Bajo El Sol Gallery for the final event in their Freedom Month Series, which is a panel discussion on freedom in the U.S. Virgin Islands.
November is a significant month in the U.S.V.I. (formerly the Danish West Indies). During this time, Virgin Islanders commemorate the robust contributions that the people of these islands made, and continue to make, to transnational struggles for freedom and justice. Nov. 1 is Liberty Day, also known as D. Hamilton Jackson Day or Bull and Bread Day. Nov. 23 is Freedom Fighters Day, which commemorates the 1733 uprising against slavery in St. Jan, Danish West Indies. In November of 1493, the Indigenous people of Ay Ay (St. Croix) fought against Christopher Columbus’s expedition.
Given these and other acts of resistance, St. JanCo asks the public to join in a dialogue on freedom in theory and praxis. This panel will convene scholars, artists and activists in the territory to discuss topics related to this vibrant legacy.
The panellists will include:
Dr. Marilyn Krigger: professor emerita at the University of the Virgin Islands and author of the book “Race Relations in the U.S. Virgin Islands.”
Dr. Hadiya Sewer: visiting scholar at the Center for the Study of Slavery and Justice at Brown University and St. JanCo president.
Dr. ChenziRa Davis Kahina: UVI professor and director of the Caribbean Cultural Center
Admission is free and refreshments will be served. Bajo El Sol Gallery is located in Mongoose Junction upstairs from Sun Dog Cafe and Vibe Jewelry.
St.JanCo is a 501c3 registered non-profit that aims to preserve the identities, cultures and histories of the people of St. John by creating spaces for community engagement, knowledge dissemination and economic development
