In honor of In the world Ladies Time and you will VI Records Day, our company is showing around three fearless women to who the latest Region owes a good higher debt. You will find continue to work as done, this is why i review to get motivation and you can encouragement regarding the Virgin Islanders who have went in advance of all of us.
King Mary
Mary Thomas, known as Queen Mary, (ca. 1848–1905) try among frontrunners of one’s 1878 “Fireburn” work riot, otherwise uprising, for the isle regarding St. Croix.
Mary Thomas was out-of Antigua and you may found its way to St. Croix from the 1860s for taking work at the fresh ranches within the the fresh new isle. Following 1848 emancipation regarding enslaved Africans regarding the Danish Western Indies, a keen 1849 work rules repaired wages and labor criteria for everybody plantation pros and you may blocked negotiating to possess top wages otherwise functions criteria. It produced plantation functions ugly and several pros signed up to leave the newest ranches and islands, mongolian sexy women to seek greatest standards somewhere else. The government reacted to the labor shortage by simply making they more challenging so you’re able to to own pros to exit the islands, demanding health certificates and billing costs to have passports. Whenever earnings were to getting negotiated regarding slide away from 1878, the newest workers’ demands have been refused, and you can this new severe conditions to own traveling were enforced. That it sparked the very-titled Fireburn riots, which were known as premier labor riot for the Danish history, and you will during which more than fifty plantations was in fact burnt.
Because of their own character because the a leader inside uprising age to be known as “King Mary”. The staff selected their particular as well as 2 other feminine, “Queen Agnes” and you may “Queen Matilda”, because the “queens” to do routine and you may celebratory functions in the uprising. King Mary is actually arrested and you will attempted along with other leadership of your labor uprising. From the trial of your work leaders Thomas try sentenced to help you death for arson and you can looting but got their particular phrase commuted so you can existence imprisonment, and you will try moved to Copenhagen and you may place from the Ladies’ Jail, Christianshavn within the 1882, in 1887 is delivered back in order to Christiansted, St. Croix in order to suffice the remainder of their own phrase.
Anna Heegaard
Anna Heegaard stays a fascinating profile in the Virgin Countries record. She actually is paid which have boosting requirements to the enslaved African and you will “100 % free Coloured” society of your Danish Western Indies on the 19th century as a result of their unique 20 seasons relationship with this new islands’ Governor General, Peter von Scholten.
According to the Encyclopedia away from Antislavery & Abolition, “Heegard certainly swayed the fresh path to possess court and you will social equality to have totally free black group throughout the Danish West Indies.” Heegaard grew up in St. Croix in the January out of 1790 to solitary moms and dads known as a great “totally free mulatto woman” and you can an excellent Danish Regulators clerk. She was raised with her mommy and you can 1 / 2 of sisters when you look at the Christiansted. Heegard used their unique wits and you may attraction to make liaisons with St. Croix’s wealthiest and effective men, ultimately crossing pathways for the Governor-Standard soon shortly after their arrival into the 1827. By the period, she got by herself end up being a relatively successful lady.
Heegard while the Governor-General first started conference regularly to talk about the predicament of your Totally free Coloured inhabitants and you can this woman is considered have helped your prepare a list of personal reforms he presented to the fresh Danish Queen, who appointed a commission to analyze and you can perform this new rules to have societal fairness to possess non-whites throughout the D.W.We. . Reforms to your “unfree” eventually integrated – a regulated period of work day, reduce out of corporal punishment, banning out-of societal servant deals, good reprieve to have expecting mothers, facilities from colleges and you may casing developments. Von Scholten as well as has worked to help you elevator traps free of charge black and colored somebody – setting all of them in public areas ranking and you can hosting racially integrated public functions, to provide their own dining activities presided over of the Heegard. They existed once the guy and partner for the majority of a couple ily into the Denmark, and eventually the two paid during the Bulows Minde Home Household beyond Christiansted.