This type of female had been early trailblazers on the path to an effective Virgin Islands where women provides independence, equivalence and you can stamina

Honoring Around the globe Ladies’ Day and you can VI History Week, we are reflecting about three daring female so you can exactly who brand new Area owes an excellent higher personal debt. There can be continue to work becoming over, which is why we review to gain inspiration and you may reassurance throughout the Virgin Islanders who have moved before all of us.

King Mary

Mary Thomas, labeled as King Mary, (california. 1848–1905) is among the management of your 1878 “Fireburn” work riot, otherwise uprising, into the area out of St. Croix.

Mary Thomas is actually of Antigua and found its way to St. Croix in the 1860s to take run this new plantations within the the fresh isle. Following the 1848 emancipation regarding enslaved Africans regarding Danish West Indies, an enthusiastic 1849 work legislation fixed salaries and you can work standards for everyone plantation experts and you will banned bargaining getting greatest earnings otherwise really works criteria. That it made plantation really works unsightly and many pros joined to depart the fresh new plantations together with islands, to find better criteria in other places. The us government responded towards the work shortage by simply making it much harder so you can getting specialists to exit the islands, requiring fitness certificates and you can billing costs getting passports. When earnings was to be discussed from the slide away from 1878, the brand new workers’ requires had been denied, and you can the latest harsh standards getting traveling was in fact enforced. That it sparked the therefore-titled Fireburn riots, that have been called the prominent work riot inside the Danish records, and when over 50 ranches was indeed burned.

On account of their unique character given that a commander from inside the uprising age getting known as “King Mary”. The workers selected their unique as well as 2 almost every other women, “King Agnes” and you will “King Matilda”, as “queens” to execute ritual and celebratory attributes from inside the uprising. King Mary is actually arrested and you can experimented with along with other management of your own work uprising. In the trial of your labor leadership Thomas is sentenced to help you passing getting arson and you may looting however, had their own sentence commuted so you’re able to lives imprisonment, and you will try relocated to Copenhagen and you can placed within Ladies’ Prison, Christianshavn when you look at the beautiful Nepali women date night 1882, however in 1887 are repaid so you can Christiansted, St. Croix to help you suffice with the rest of her phrase.

Anna Heegaard

Anna Heegaard remains an intriguing figure for the Virgin Islands records. She is credited which have improving requirements with the enslaved African and you will “Free Coloured” people of the Danish West Indies regarding 19th century once the a direct result their unique 20 12 months reference to the latest islands’ Governor General, Peter von Scholten.

According to Encyclopedia off Antislavery & Abolition, “Heegard undeniably swayed the latest path to own courtroom and societal equivalence to possess 100 % free black folk regarding Danish Western Indies.” Heegaard was born in St. Croix inside January away from 1790 to help you unmarried mothers also known as a great “free mulatto woman” and a great Danish Authorities clerk. She grew up with her mother and you may half siblings when you look at the Christiansted. Heegard relied on her wits and you can attraction to make liaisons which have St. Croix’s wealthiest and strong men, sooner or later crossing paths on Governor-General not long after his coming for the 1827. By that point, she had herself end up being a fairly prosperous lady.

Heegard and the Governor-Standard first started conference continuously to go over this new plight of your own Free Colored inhabitants and you can the woman is said to possess assisted your prepare a list of personal reforms that he presented to the brand new Danish King, which designated a percentage to study and you will would the new legislation to own personal justice to own non-whites on D.W.We. . Reforms on the “unfree” in the course of time incorporated – a managed amount of work day, reduce off corporal punishment, banning regarding societal slave auctions, an effective reprieve having women that are pregnant, facilities regarding colleges and you will housing advancements. Von Scholten along with did to help you elevator traps for free black colored and you can coloured somebody – place them in public positions and you can hosting racially incorporated social functions, to include his or her own dinner events presided more because of the Heegard. They lived just like the guy and you may partner for some from a couple of ily within the Denmark, and in the end the pair settled in the Bulows Minde House Family beyond Christiansted.