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Race in the Colonial Past and Present: Virtual Conversation with La Vaughn Belle and Jeanette Ehlers

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ASF presented a virtual conversation between artists Jeanette Ehlers and La Vaughn Belle on “Race in the Colonial Past and Present,” moderated by Ursula Lindqvist, exploring the history of Denmark's colonial presence in the mid-17th century and how it has since affected representation. In 2018, Virgin Islands artist La Vaughn Belle and Danish artist Jeannette Ehlers created the monumental public sculpture entitled I AM QUEEN MARY, the first collaborative sculpture to memorialize Denmark’s colonial impact in the Caribbean and those who fought against it. In this program, listen to the two artists discuss colonialism and how commemorative representations can impact the public discourse surrounding Danish colonial history. What do these representations mean for people of African descent living in the Nordic Countries? What do they mean to the Virgin Islands? And how can they intervene in the historic, current and future relationship between Denmark and the Virgin Islands?

Material Type: Lecture

Author: Scandinavia House

Virgin Islands Cultural Notebook: Denmark Vesey

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Denmark Vesey worked as a carpenter and was formerly an enslaved person. Vesey was born in the Danish West Indies, which are now known as the Virgin Islands of the United States. Vesey allegedly plotted an enslaved uprising in Charleston, South Carolina, in 1822 to coincide with Bastille Day. Vesey patterned his movement after Haiti's successful 1791 slave revolt.

Material Type: Diagram/Illustration

Author: Stephanie Chalana Brown

Virgin Islands Cultural Notebook: Virgin Islands Puerto Rican Friendship Day

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Friendship Day between the Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico is a public holiday observed in the United States Virgin Islands on the second Monday of October. The holiday was established in 1964 by Governor Paiewonsky to recognize Puerto Ricans who live in the Virgin Islands or have made significant contributions to the territory. The date was chosen to coincide with Columbus Day, as it was seen as "an ideal day for recognizing Americans' solidarity with the Caribbean.

Material Type: Diagram/Illustration

Author: Division of Virgin Islands Cultural Education

Virgin Islands Student Cultural Notebook Edition 4: 1848 Emancipation

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 It was determined in 1847 that future children born to enslaved laborers would be free, and that slavery would be abolished totally in 1859. Instead of agreeing to the deal, the enslaved began mobilizing, and on July 3rd, 1848, an estimated 8,000 enslaved individuals demanded their freedom 1848, an estimated 8,000 enslaved individuals demanded their freedom in Frederiksted in front of Fort Frederik

Material Type: Diagram/Illustration

Author: Stephanie Chalana Brown

Sea Walls St Croix Artists for Oceans

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Sea Walls St Croix Artists for Oceans was brought to St. Croix by the PangeaSeed Foundation in partnership with Clean Sweep Frederiksted to empower our community to create meaningful environmental change for our Oceans through ARTivism, education and science. The public artworks serve as educational tools and conversation-starters addressing marine environmental issues relevant to the local community. The goal is to ignite ownership for the sustainability of natural resources. ​ The first Sea Walls: Artists for Oceans project took place on St. Croix, US Virgin Islands in December 2019. PangeaSeed’s team of international and local artists gathered on St. Croix, over a period of ten days, to create a series of culturally sensitive public artworks to help raise environmental awareness and add vibrancy to the community still recovering from the effects of Hurricane Maria, a category-five hurricane that struck the island in September 2017. ​ Big Blue & You served as the official youth education partner to Pangeaseed Foundation during SeaWalls St. Croix. The program Big Blue & You also hosted "Art by the Sea Pop-Up Festival" where they combined kid-friendly ocean art projects with marine science learning experiences facilitated by local experts. You can see more about Big Blue & You's mission on their website - bigblueandyou.org

Material Type: Activity/Lab

2024 VI History Month - Environmental Stewardship Program Challenge:

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The "Cultivating Our Culture, Conserving Our Land" challenge is an initiative tailored for classrooms throughout the Virgin Islands, encouraging them to engage in environmental stewardship activities interwoven with the cultural heritage and history of the territory. This challenge aims to inspire classrooms to develop and execute projects addressing local environmental issues while highlighting the cultural and historical significance of the Virgin Islands. It also fosters a deeper understanding among students of their role as stewards of both their natural and cultural heritage. By encouraging collaboration, creativity, and critical thinking in solving environmental challenges with a cultural perspective, the challenge provides a unique platform for holistic learning and community engagement.Challenge submissions due on April 19th, 2024Submittal form here

Material Type: Activity/Lab

Author: Stephanie Chalana Brown