Opinion

Wait, Is It Time For A 21st Century 'Fiyah Bun' In The Territory?

First off, put down the box of matches and slowly step away from the gallon of gasoline. Lord, have mercy. This post is not about burning down the place...at least not in the same way our brave Crucian ancestors took action against their Danish oppressors. For the record, here's a little history on that... Fireburn 1878 Just three days ago,October 1, marked the 136th anniversary of the historic 1878 ‘Fireburn’ labor revolt in Frederiksted, St. Croix, which saw three women, traditionally known as ‘queens’–Queen Mary Thomas, Queen Mathilda Macbean and Axeline “Queen Agnes” Salomon–organizing a significant uprising against the oppressive conditions under which they worked for their white Danish employers. Under the leadership of the three heroines, much of St. Croix’s west end was torched in a blaze that lasted for five days. The women were eventually captured and imprisoned in Denmark, but their efforts would forever change the fate of black workers on St. Croix. Reenactment of the...