Willard John, who made the committee's living legends list, was honored during this year's Agriculture and Food Fair for his contributions. Above, Governor Bryan hands Mr. John an honorary plaque during the Feb. 2023 event.
In a celebration of culture, history, and achievement, the 175th Emancipation Commemoration Committee has revealed the winners of its "Living Legends of Culture" awards.
After a call to the community for nominations, the residents have made their choice, according to a release from the committee. The award recognizes individuals who have profoundly contributed to the enhancement, development, and achievement of the U.S. Virgin Islands.
The nomination process, which started in 2022, required nominees to be at least 30 years old with a minimum of 10 years of experience in their respective fields. Self-nominations and group nominations were not considered.
From June 9th to June 12th, the Virgin Islands community cast their votes to decide who would receive this esteemed recognition. The top 15 candidates from each district have been named as this year's "Living Legends of Culture."
FirstBank will sponsor the award ceremonies, which are set to take place on June 26th on St. John, June 28th on St. Thomas, and June 30th on St. Croix.
Selected as the "Living Legends of Culture" from the St. Thomas-St. John district are:
- Randolph and Randall Donovan
- Jose Raul Carillo
- Myron Jackson
- Verne Hodge
- Lawrence Sewer
- Glenn Davis
- Gilbert Sprauve
- Peter Holmberg
- Peter Bailey
- Marilyn Krigger
- Sele Adeyemi
- Malvern Gumbs
- Anna Francis
- Kuumba Ola-Niyi 1
- Edney Freeman
The community-chosen "Living Legends of Culture" from the St. Croix District include:
- Caroline Adams-Fawkes
- Tim Duncan
- Frances Molloy
- A.J Ventura
- Zahra O’Reilly Bates
- Gerard Luz Amwur James II
- Asta Williams
- Cedelle Petersen
- Rashidi Clenance
- Willard John
- Richard Schrader
- Dr. Olassie Davis
- Curliss Solomon-John
- Bradley Christian
- Jelani Ritter
For additional information on the 175th Emancipation celebrations, interested individuals can visit the VI175.com website or reach out by phone at 340-727-7175.
