Happy Emancipation Day Antigua and Barbuda

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Happy Emancipation Day!

August 1st 1834 marked the end of slavery in the British Empire, when the 1833 Abolition of Slavery Act came into force.

Emancipation Day meant, from then on, it would be illegal for Black people and their descendants (their children, grand children and great-grand children) to be bought and sold or kept as enslaved people.

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Emancipation Day is seen as one of the most significant commemorations in Caribbean history. It’s a celebration of freedom and liberation from a system of oppression and servitude.

While we know the significance of the day, there are a few items you may not know about the period leading up Emancipation.

Here are six things you probably didn’t know about Emancipation in the British Caribbean.

1. The Caribbean achieved emancipation before the United States did 

The 19th century saw the gradual evolution of emancipation sweep across the islands of the Caribbean well before the United States.

Britain was one of the catalysts in this process by first abolishing the slave trade in 1808, followed by apprenticeship and finally, emancipation in 1838.

Slaves in the United States were emancipated in 1865.

2. Slaves were emancipated but not free

Emancipation Day was officially declared on August 1, 1834, and was celebrated throughout the British Caribbean.

However, the newly ‘freed’ slaves were forced into a period of apprenticeship. Apprenticeship was touted as being a period to transition slaves into freedom while they earned a small stipend, however, there were little changes in treatment and working conditions under apprenticeship.

They were still expected to remain on the plantations and put in more than 10-hour days; absenteeism would result in imprisonment and the apprentices could still legally be flogged including females.

The scheme came to an end four years later after the Anti-Slavery Society petitioned and fought for its end. Parliament voted for complete emancipation (freedom without apprenticeship) to take effect from August 1, 1838.

3. Trinidad and Tobago is the first country in the world to declare Emancipation Day a national holiday 

Emancipation Day was first declared as a national holiday on August 1, 1985, in Trinidad and Tobago, replacing Columbus Discovery Day which marked Christopher Columbus’ arrival in Trinidad on July 31, 1498.

Trinidad and Tobago became the first country in the world to declare the day as a national public holiday.

4. There were two groups of freed slaves that existed before Emancipation

There were two ex-military groups who lived in freedom before Emancipation was officially declared.

One group was the Merikins. They were former slaves of the American south who fought with the British army in 1812 against the former colonies. For their service, they were rewarded with their freedom and land in the Princes Town and Moruga area.

The other group were Muslim soldiers born in Africa that served in the West India Regiment between 1793 and 1815. They were also granted their freedom and land in Cumuto, Valencia and Manzanilla.

5. Some slaves saw their freedom as early as 1834 

Most slaves were officially freed in 1838 following the apprenticeship period. The Abolition Act immediately freed few slaves except for in the cases of Antigua and Bermuda where the colonial governments rejected apprenticeship and fully emancipated slaves in 1834.

6. There were a number of ex-slaves that freed slaves

In addition to the Merikins and African-born Muslim soldiers, there was another group–the Mandingo–that was also free. They owned land, homes, grew their own crops and saved their money to purchase the freedom of their countrymen.

Jonas Mohammed Bath was one key figure in this movement. Today, Bath Street off Picadilly Street is named after him.

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9 COMMENTS

  3. EMANCIPATION DAY IS BEING CELEBRATED. Are we as a People really Emancipated? Are we as a People really FREE? FREEDOM is a reason to speak and write freely.The rights to express one self without fear of being muzzled like animals. Can we as Black People do that in ANTIGUA AND BARBUDA. Where we are supposed to have BLACK LEADERSHIPS IN PLACE.Think about it beyond the POLITICS of the day.

    • …” FREEDOM is a reason to speak and write freely.The rights to express one self without fear of being muzzled like animals”…
      Here in the deranged states of america one will be arrested and silenced for speaking out on certain issues regardless of our so called “1st amendment” rights to do so. Christian values have been largely outlawed as well.
      Freedom isn’t free, keep up the good fight.

  4. EMANCIPATION! WHAT EMANCIPATION! One big CHUPTZ
    A black Prime Minister who invite a Super power to colonize us!
    A black Prime Minister who sell off our land to the coloniser
    A black Prime Minister act in a vindictive manner if people don’t agree with him
    Give me a break! Give me an aspirin!

  5. …”EMANCIPATION! WHAT EMANCIPATION! One big CHUPTZ
    A black Prime Minister who invite a Super power to colonize us!”…

    And here in the USA (Deranged States of America) we sit and bleat like so many sheep while china gradually conquers us. God Bless the resistance forcesin Antigua!!

  6. Tessa family remained enslaved by GRIEF, TRAUMA, PAIN and HEARTACHE

    Worse now that he is running as a UPP candidate in her village

  7. Until we are able to say a categorical ‘No’ all that has controlled us for 400 years we are still awaiting emancipation. Until we believe that we are created in the image and likeness of our God, (black with kinky hair) we will continue to be subdued and controlled by the whiteman’s god. Each people have their God, looking like them except us former enslaved Africans, our god is still white, and his idols surround us as we bow down to them, begging for what was stolen from us. Emancipation is yet to come to us!

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