[Congressional Record Volume 170, Number 40 (Wednesday, March 6, 2024)]
[House]
[Page H828]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                CELEBRATING VIRGIN ISLANDS HISTORY MONTH

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The Chair recognizes the gentlewoman from 
the Virgin Islands (Ms. Plaskett) for 5 minutes.
  Ms. PLASKETT. Mr. Speaker, this week heralds Virgin Islands History 
Month. It is the beginning of a monthlong celebration in the Virgin 
Islands of our history.
  My being on the House floor as a representative, representing my 
people of the Virgin Islands, is the culmination of generations of 
people's work. My presence here is built upon the indomitable spirit of 
Virgin Islanders whose legacies are woven into the very fabric of our 
culture--marked by their bravery, visionary leadership, and profound 
sacrifice.
  Our homeland is a mosaic of rich cultures and a history as diverse as 
its people, a history that is not just defined by the actions of a 
select few but a legacy that elevates the collective greatness of all 
Virgin Islanders. Above all, we are about self-determination that has 
been a chronicle of epic feats.
  As early as 2200 B.C., the Virgin Islands was originally settled by 
pre-Colombian indigenous groups. In 1493, we had the first instance of 
self-determination on our island as Columbus' expedition encountered 
strong resistance from a Carib war party at Salt River Bay on the 
island of St. Croix, preventing his men from establishing a foothold.
  Over the next 200 years, control of the islands shifted among various 
European nations. The Caribs fought colonization, launching relentless 
raids until they were completely eradicated by 1590.
  This enduring resistance is a hallmark of our ancestral legacy. 
During 1733, the enslaved also uprose on the island of St. John.
  The Akwamu kings and Queen Breffu of present-day Ghana galvanized 
enslaved people on St. John to seize control of the island for over 6 
months in their pursuit of self-liberation. This valiant act of 
defiance forced Danish authorities to call the Spanish Armada and the 
French fleet to quell the rebellion and reassert control.
  This weekend, we celebrated their decision to commit collective 
suicide rather than go back into slavery. The burning desire for 
freedom and the belief that such should be a birthright, no matter the 
fabricated classification of their oppressors, was not lost in the 
passing of time.
  On the island of St. Croix in 1848, enslaved individuals initiated an 
armed insurrection that ultimately led to their emancipation. This act 
of strategic ingenuity positioned the Virgin Islands as one of only two 
instances in the Western Hemisphere where enslaved people successfully 
fought for and gained their freedom through an organized revolt.
  Although Virgin Islanders obtained liberation, they soon discovered 
that their emancipation and equality were not synonymous.
  In 1878, in a revolt over labor laws, which left them pretty much as 
enslaved peoples living on plantations, a rebellion was led by what we 
call Queens Mary, Matilda, Agnes, and Susannah.
  Even though the movement resulted in bloodshed, their deaths were not 
in vain. Their struggles and sacrifices for improved working conditions 
served as a foundational influence on the 1892 Coal Workers' Strike 
spearheaded by Queen Coziah. This was a pivotal source of inspiration 
to stand against oppression and fight for greater opportunities.
  We continue to fight in the Virgin Islands, and although we still 
face hardships such as our continued battle to attain the fundamental 
and constitutional rights denied by the Insular Cases, rights that are 
given to all Americans except those who live in territories, we are in 
an era that will be a catalyst to spur on the next revolution.

  To stop now, even for a moment, would be sacrilege to the countless 
sacrifices and bloodshed of our ancestors. We must not take for granted 
the gifts that they have given us through their bloodshed. We must 
fight on for full equality, self-determination, and our own liberation.

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