Governor Bryan Commemorates 147th Anniversary of Contract Day - Government of the United States Virgin Islands
Governor Bryan Commemorates 147th Anniversary of Contract Day - Government of the United States Virgin Islands Governor Bryan Commemorates 147th Anniversary of Contract Day - Government of the United States Virgin Islands Government of the United States Virgin Islands Home Governor Albert Bryan Jr Pressroom Executive Orders The Cabinet Government of the United States Virgin Islands Home Governor Albert Bryan Jr Pressroom Executive Orders The Cabinet © 2026 Government of the United States Virgin Islands Governor Bryan Commemorates 147th Anniversary of Contract Day Search Latest Comments No comments to show. September 30 U.S. Virgin Islands — Gov. Albert Bryan Jr. today released the following statement in observance of 147th anniversary of Contract Day: “On Oct. 1, 1878, Mary ‘Queen Mary’ Thomas, Mathilda ‘Queen Mathilda’ McBean and Axelline ‘Queen Agnes’ Salomon stood against an unjust system that bound workers under the harsh terms of the Labor Act of 1849. Contracts renewed only once a year left laborers with meager wages and little dignity. …
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Governor Bryan Commemorates 147th Anniversary of Contract Day - Government of the United States Virgin Islands Governor Bryan Commemorates 147th Anniversary of Contract Day - Government of the United States Virgin Islands Government of the United States Virgin Islands Home Governor Albert Bryan Jr Pressroom Executive Orders The Cabinet Government of the United States Virgin Islands Home Governor Albert Bryan Jr Pressroom Executive Orders The Cabinet © 2026 Government of the United States Virgin Islands Governor Bryan Commemorates 147th Anniversary of Contract Day Search Latest Comments No comments to show. September 30 U.S. Virgin Islands — Gov. Albert Bryan Jr. today released the following statement in observance of 147th anniversary of Contract Day: “On Oct. 1, 1878, Mary ‘Queen Mary’ Thomas, Mathilda ‘Queen Mathilda’ McBean and Axelline ‘Queen Agnes’ Salomon stood against an unjust system that bound workers under the harsh terms of the Labor Act of 1849. Contracts renewed only once a year left laborers with meager wages and little dignity. On that day, the people rose, and the fires that spread from Fort Frederik through the west of St. Croix carried with them a clear message: Virgin Islanders would no longer suffer in silence. “Today, 147 years later, we honor the legacy of those queens and the countless laborers whose courage lit the path toward fairness and justice. Their struggle is not a relic of the past. It is a reminder that progress comes when people demand dignity, and when leaders act with courage to deliver it. “In our time, we see that legacy in the work we continue to do. We have expanded pathways to homeownership, making it possible for Virgin Islanders to claim a stake in the land their ancestors fought to till. We have advanced initiatives to diversify our economy and strengthen our workforce, ensuring that opportunity is not limited but shared. We have championed projects that give Virgin Islanders the tools to rise, not just for today, but for generations to come. “Contract Day reminds us that the flame of Fireburn is still alive. It burns not with destruction, but with the light of justice, progress and resilience. Let us carry that light forward as we continue to build a Virgin Islands rooted in fairness, opportunity and the dignity of work. “Today we honor Queen Mary, Queen Mathilda, Queen Agnes, Susanna ‘Bottom Belly’ Abrahamson, Rebecca Frederik and all who stood in defiance. Their courage is our inheritance, and their legacy is our charge.” ### TAGS No tags CATEGORIES Uncategorized Previous Next Comments are closed © 2026 Government of the United States Virgin Islands.