The Liberty Day, also called Bull and Bread Day, honors the life and legacy of St. Croix labor leader, community activist, journalist and newspaper publisher, David Hamilton Jackson.
Since Nov. 1, 1927, the day Mr. Jackson gave one of his most memorable speeches, the celebration has taken place. The holiday, also known as D. Hamilton Jackson Day, is marked by a traditional feast of roast beef and bread at the Grove Place park where the annual event is held.
This year, guests can expect commemorative speeches, musical performances and more.
Senator Myron Jackson, a culture icon and historian, said of David Hamilton Jackson, “His life and his contributions are remembered, as well as those who worked with him to achieve the benefits of their toil, sacrifice and labor.”
Born and raised on St. Croix to a family of educators, D. Hamilton Jackson in 1915 travelled to Denmark and successfully advocated for the repeal of a 1779 ordinance which blocked the publication of non-government subsidized newspapers. Hamilton Jackson was also at the forefront of co-founding the first labor union in 1913 which fought for increased rights for workers and organized several successful strikes. He advocated for the transfer of the territory from Denmark to the United States. Over the course of his life from 1884 to 1946, he was known as a distinguished leader with exceptional oratorical skills, and ability to successfully fight for labor and social reforms.
“We’re at 102 years after these islands have been sold and we have a deeper appreciation as the descendants and citizens of these beloved islands,” said Senator Jackson. “Our ancestors’ acts to be free men and women within western society and their acts for self-determination should be a mantra for us today and for generations to come to continue to persevere.”
Act No. 7771 appropriated $10,000 from the Department of Education’s cultural education budget for the digitization of The Herald. Through a collaboration between the Department of Planning & Natural Resources and the Digital Library of the Caribbean, electronic copies of the historic newspaper can be found at http://dloc.com.
Governor Bryan on Thursday issued the traditional proclamation that declares Nov. 1 D. Hamilton Jackson Day. In a release issued to the press, Mr. Bryan said, “We stand on the shoulders of D. Hamilton Jackson in a continual quest for better education and training, rewarding employment and the best possible entrepreneurial opportunities for the people of the territory. The Bryan-Roach Administration is also committed, just as was this Virgin Islands icon, to preserving the civil rights of our residents and freedom of the press in our territory.”
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