This Month in Caribbean History – August

Posted on 15. Aug, 2009 by admin in Arts and Culture

Emancipation Day – The Slavery Abolition Act 1833 ended slavery in the British Empire on August 1, 1834.

Emancipation Day is widely observed in the British West Indies during the first week of August. In many Caribbean countries the Emancipation Day celebration is a part of Carnival.

• Barbados: The celebration includes various events held at Emancipation Roundabout in St. Michael. This parish is the site of a statue honoring Bussa, the leader of the slave revolt at Bayley’s Plantation.
• Bermuda: Celebration usually occurs on August 2, despite August 1 being the national holiday. On the island the holiday is better known as the first day of “Cupmatch”, an annual two-day cricket competition between the St. George’s and Somerset cricket clubs.
• Guyana: August 1st. It’s the day Guyanese celebrate the abolition of slavery. Many people wear traditional African attire and attend an exhibit at the National Park.
• Jamaica: August 1st
• Trinidad and Tobago was the first country in the world to declare a national holiday to commemorate the abolition of slavery. Emancipation Day is celebrated on August 1st.
• The Turks and Caicos Islands observe Emancipation Day on August 1st.
Some countries observe the holiday as August Monday.
• Anguilla: In addition to commemorating emancipation, it is the first day of “August Week”, the Anguillian Carnival celebrations. J’ouvert is celebrated on this morning, as Carnival commences.
• Bahamas: Celebrations are mainly concentrated in Fox Hill Village, Nassau, a former slave village whose inhabitants, according to folklore, heard about their freedom a week after everyone else on the island.
• British Virgin Islands: The first Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday of August are celebrated as “August Festival”.

Bussa statue in St. Michael, Barbados

Trinidad and Tobago: Independence Day August, 31, 1962

Turks and Caicos Islands: Constitution Day Turks & Caicos, 30 August 1976
The Turks and Caicos Constitution was introduced 30 August 1976; suspended in 1986; restored and revised 5 March 1988.

Jamaica: Marcus Garvey’s Birthday – August 17, 1887. The birthday of Jamaican-born Marcus Garvey, the founder of the Universal Negro Improvement Association the predecessor to all following civil rights organizations.

Haiti: August 1, 1934. The US ends occupation of Haiti (been there since 1915).

Jamaica: August 6, Jamaica Independence Day. Jamaica gains Independence from the United Kingdom in 1962.