Today marks the 102nd anniversary of the transfer of the Danish West Indies to the United States of America. Fearing Germany’s advances on Denmark and its possessions, as well as protecting their route to the future Panama Canal, the United States purchased the Danish West Indies. They paid $25,000,000. At the time, the islands were in the most desperate economic situation. […]
DANISH West Indies
A Historical Account of the Slave Insurrection on St. John ~ 1733
Today marks the anniversary of one of the darkest days in St. John’s history. Below is an account of that fateful day found in a book entitled, A Historical Account of St. Thomas West India Islands by John P. Knox. The Slave Insurrection of 1733 By John P. Knox A large body of slaves had […]
New Book! ~ Runaway Virgins by Enrique Corneiro
Runaway Virgins I recently purchased this brand new book entitled, Runaway Virgins by Enrique Corneiro. It is incredibly moving! Enrique shared over 250 slavery-related advertisements that he curated from the old Danish newspapers to help shine a light on what life was like for the enslaved people of the Danish West Indies, now the US Virgin Islands. More than 300 specific […]
Who Was David Hamilton Jackson?
D. Hamilton Jackson D. Hamilton Jackson was an important figure in the struggle for increased civil rights and worker’s rights in the Danish West Indies. When the islands were under Danish rule, Jackson traveled to Denmark to petition for better living conditions for the working class. He specifically addressed the issues of: 🗞 Lowering the […]
My Emancipated Ancestors by Dr. Dante Beretta
My Emancipated Ancestors By Dr. Dante Beretta On Sunday evening, the 2nd of July 1848, the tutu sounded over western St. Croix. The tutu was a conch shell fashioned into a horn, which gave a clear loud sound that carried over long distances. Historically in the Danish West Indies, the tutu was used […]
Newly Discovered Camille Pissarro Painting Up For Auction!
Portrait of a Boy 1852 – 1855 This rare painting is an incredible find! It is a Camille Pissarro painting, truly a one of a kind original by the famed impressionist. It’s been examined first hand by the Wildenstein Institute and authenticated. Camille Pissarro Camille Pissarro was born on the island of St. Thomas in […]
Cultural Adaptation & Resistance on St. John Book by Karen Fog Olwig
Here’s an interesting book about the history of St. John that I’m planning on reading this summer. Below you’ll find the Amazon review with a link to the book. Three Centuries of Afro-Caribbean Life This book covers three centuries of St. John history from the plantation economy of the early 1700s through the peasant economy […]
190 Vintage Photographs of the Danish West Indies Up for Auction!
Vintage Photograph Album A rare album containing more than 190 vintage photographs from the Danish West Indies and US Virgin Islands is up for auction! They include photographs from the 1900’s to the 1920’s. This vintage photograph album portrays rare images from St. Croix and St. Thomas on Transfer Day 1917. Also included are images from […]