Liberty Day

Today is Liberty Day in the Virgin Islands - a local holiday celebrating freedom of press. It is also known as D. Hamilton Jackson Day, in recognition of a labor leader, attorney, judge, and publisher who is said to be the one who convinced the Danish King in 1915 that the Virgin Islands should have the right to a free press. According to the Daily News article, upon Jackson's return to the Virgin Islands, he published the Daily Herald - the first newspaper without the Danish seal.

In honor of the publication, a bull was slaughtered and roasted, and roast beef and bread were given to the public to celebrate, which is why Liberty Day is also known as Bull and Bread Day.

All the local government employees have the day off, the banks are closed, and I guess everyone is eating bull and bread! (I think I'll pass on the bull foot soup but a johnny cake sounds yummy.) St. Croix seems to have the most celebrations for local events. They're celebrating Liberty Day with a parade and speeches by an elementary student, the governor, lieutenant governor and a senator. The person in charge of the committee hosting the activites said political candidates were free to roam the park and speak to the voters, but they should limit their comments to the subject of D. Hamilton Jackson.....