Month: July 2025

Today is V.I. Emancipation Day, a public holiday in the US Virgin Islands. Across the Caribbean, many countries mark the emancipation of the slaves brought by the colonial powers to work the land, as a public holiday. The most common date is August 1st, which is the anniversary of the abolition of slavery across the British Empire in 1834.

In the US Virgin Islands, the story of their Emancipation Day is a bit different – it’s not about some colonial power finally realizing that they shouldn’t do slavery. 

The Virgin Islands (St. Thomas, St. John and St. Croix) had been under Danish control since the middle of the 18th century. The islands were suited to sugar plantations, which meant they also need a large workforce, which was provided by slaves from Africa. The slaves vastly outnumbered the Danish settlers. Indeed, one of the first slave rebellions in the New World took place on St. John in 1733, when slaves took over the island for six months. The rebellion was quashed with help from the French.

As mentioned, the British had abolished slavery in 1834. The French followed suit in 1848. News of the emancipation of slaves in nearby French islands no doubt spread to the Virgin Islands and a non-violent slave rebellion erupted on St. Croix. Overwhelmed by 9,000 slaves demanding their freedom, the Danish Governor Peter von Scholten freed the slaves, stating that “all unfree in the Danish West Indies are from today emancipated,” despite the Danish Crown having said that the last slaves would be emancipated in 1859. 

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Housekeeper…

New Congressional Hats…

Cats…

Enjoy the long weekend, everyone!!!!

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Bruce! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EPhWR4d3FJQ

On this day in 1839, 53 Mende people who had been enslaved and transported from Africa to Cuba revolted as they were being transported to a sugar plantation and took control of La Amistad, a two-masted schooner on which they were being transported. The revolt began after Sengbe Pieh (also known as Joseph Cinqué) unshackled himself and the others on the third day. They took control of the ship, killing the captain and the cook. Two Africans were also killed in the melee.

Pieh ordered Ruiz and Montes to sail to Africa. Instead, they sailed north up the east coast of the United States, sure that the ship would be intercepted and the Africans returned to Cuba as slaves. The revenue cutter Washington seized La Amistad off Montauk Point on Long Island, New York.

Pieh and his group escaped the ship but were caught offshore by citizens. They were incarcerated in New Haven, Connecticut on charges of murder and piracy. The man who captured Pieh and his group claimed them as property. La Amistad was towed to New London, Connecticut, and those remaining onboard were arrested. None of the 43 survivors on the ship spoke English, so they could not explain what had taken place. Eventually, language professor Josiah Gibbs found James Covey to act as interpreter, and they learned of the abduction.

Two lawsuits were filed. The first case was brought by the Washington ship officers over salvage property claims, and the second case charged the Spanish with enslaving Africans. Spain requested President Martin Van Buren to return the African captives to Cuba under international treaty.

Because of issues of ownership and jurisdiction, the case gained international attention as United States v. The Amistad (1841). The case was finally decided by the Supreme Court of the United States in favor of the Mende people, restoring their freedom. It became a symbol in the United States in the movement to abolish slavery.

The US government did not provide any aid, but 35 survivors returned to Africa in 1842, aided by funds raised by the United Missionary Society, a black group founded by James W. C. Pennington.

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Nope…

A remote part of the outback…

THINKING OUTSIDE THE BOX…

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Yesterday was the birthday, in 1945, of American singer, songwriter and actress, Deborah Ann Harry (born Angela Trimble), best known as the lead vocalist of the band Blondie. Four of her songs with the band reached No. 1 on the US charts between 1979 and 1981. Born in Miami, Florida, Harry was adopted as an infant and raised in Hawthorne, New Jersey. After college she worked various jobs—as a dancer, a Playboy Bunny, and a secretary (including at the BBC in New York)—before her breakthrough in the music industry. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WGU_4-5RaxU

Today is Canada Day, the National Day of Canada. On June 20th 1868, a proclamation signed by the Governor General, Lord Monck, called upon all Her Majesty’s loving subjects throughout Canada to join in the celebration of the anniversary of the formation of the union of the British North America provinces in a federation under the name of Canada on July 1st 1867, with the passing of the North American Act of 1867. 

This was a true milestone in Canada’s history – this act resulted in the Federal Dominion of Canada with the joining of Canadian colonies (Ontario and Quebec) with Nova Scotia and New Brunswick. Originally called Dominion Day, the holiday was renamed in 1982, the same year that the Canadian constitution was patriated by the Canada Act, 1982, which severed the vestiges of legal dependence on the Parliament of the United Kingdom.

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Canada Cat…

BADA BING!

All you “summer is better than winter” people get outside and enjoy your hellscape.

I don’t think the U.S. can go to war with Iran and Los Angeles at the same time.

tRUMP: Iran made a very big mistake! Joe Smith: Did they elect you as president too?

What caused the invention of archery? “I really want to stab that guy but he’s way over there”.

If you miss the way things used to be, tax a millionaire, join a union, and buy local.

Don’t be sad on weekends. Cry during business hours and get paid for your depression.

My neighbor couldn’t afford his water bill, so I got him a get well soon card.

The despair you feel when important documents you held in your hands three days ago cannot seem to be found anywhere in the known universe.

The National Weather Service has just published instructions on how to bake lasagna in your mailbox.

I went for a run but came back after 2 minutes because I forgot something. I forgot I’m out of shape and can’t run for more than 2 minutes.

It will really be a smartphone the day I yell, “Where’s my phone?!” and it yells back, “Down here in the couch cushions!”

Am I supposed to pray over leftovers? Lord it’s me again, with the spaghetti from yesterday.

Three years ago my doctor told me I was going deaf. haven’t heard from him since.

I finally understand why I’m called a grown up. I groan every time I get up.

1970s creepy guys van = 2025 starter home.

It’s so hot outside, when I opened my front door, I thought I was checking on my brownies.

All it took for republicans to put their Islamophobia on full display was one Muslim winning a mayoral primary.

Despite getting trounced in the primary, Andrew Cuomo will stay in the race for NYC mayor as an independent. Well, if there’s one thing we know about Andrew Cuomo is that he does not respect the word “no”.

I went to the doctor because I kept waking up with scratches all over my body. He couldn’t find anything wrong with me. Turns out it was from Dorito crumbs in my bed.

People need to stop putting flyers on my car. No, I don’t want to see a band called “Parking Violation” at the Courthouse.

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Seattle is an interesting place…

Today is the birthday, in 1946, of June Montiero, singer, The Toys, 1965 US No. 2 & UK No.5 single ‘A Lover’s Concerto’). https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DtH8Oz3h5t8