Liberty Day: U.S. Virgin Islands
Celebrating the life and work of David Hamilton
Jackson
by Liz Olson
Held as a public holiday
in the U.S. Virgin Islands annually
on 1 November, Liberty Day commemorates David Hamilton Jackson and the
institution of Free Press in the Danish West Indies, now the U.S. Virgin
Islands.
As a territory of Denmark, the Danish West Indies were
under severe censorship on all publications. David Hamilton Jackson, who was
born in St. Croix in 1884, petitioned
the King of Denmark for freedom of press. Jackson was successful in his
efforts to remove strict censorship in the Danish West Indies that had been
in place in 1779. He started the first free newspaper, the Herald,
and helped organize the first labor union in the Danish West Indies during
the early 20th century.
“Liberty Day” is
celebrated on 1 November—the day Jackson printed the first addition of
the Herald in 1915—in appreciation of his efforts on behalf of
the people.
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