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83-654: Malik Sekou was born on January 8, 1964, on Saint Thomas, United States Virgin Islands , to Wally and Margaret Whitehead. He has one older brother, Tony Wally Whitehead, and three younger siblings, Sylvia, Kankan and Marvin. Malik and his older brother were raised in foster care in Saint Thomas by Guillermo and Rosita Cyntje. His three younger siblings were raised in Brooklyn , New York . Sekou attended Kirwan Terrace Elementary School and Wayne Aspinall Junior High, which

166-572: A Grammy Award for Songwriter of the Year, Non Classical at the 66th Annual Grammy Awards . Quadrille is the traditional folk dance of the Virgin Islands, and St. Thomas' variation is called the "Flat German Quadrille". The origin of this dance was in France in the 1700s. This dance was brought to the islands during their history under various nations, including France and England. Initially

249-578: A professor at the University of the Virgin Islands for twelve years, as of 2010. He has written extensively on topics pertaining to the Virgin Islands and the Caribbean , including law enforcement , the cost of living in the Virgin Islands, immigration and Cuba . He has previously worked as a researcher and analyst for the Legislature of the Virgin Islands . Additionally, Sekou is known as

332-652: A referendum on the sale held in Denmark in December 1916 in which voters approved the decision to sell. The deal was finalized on January 17, 1917, when the United States and Denmark exchanged their respective treaty ratifications. The United States took possession of the islands on March 31, 1917, and the territory was renamed the Virgin Islands of the United States . Every year, Transfer Day

415-575: A slave market . In 1685, the Danish leased part of the island to the Brandenburger Company , which was resold to the Danish in 1754, and was granted free port status in 1764. The land was divided into plantations and sugarcane production became the primary economic activity. As a result, the economies of Saint Thomas and the neighboring islands of Saint John and Saint Croix became highly dependent on enslaved African labor and

498-575: A bachelor's degree at the University of the Virgin Islands. He also joined the Virgin Islands Fire Service. Sekou received a bachelor's degree in social science from the University of the Virgin Islands in 1989. He obtained both his master's degree and doctorate in political science from the University of Delaware . Sekou is married to Sheree Bryant. The couple have one daughter, Aisha Sekou. Sekou has worked as

581-495: A dozen of the ringleaders shot themselves before the French forces could capture them. It is estimated that by 1775, slaves outnumbered the Danish settlers by a ratio of 8:1. After another slave rebellion occurred on St. Croix, slavery was abolished by Governor Peter von Scholten on July 3, 1848, now celebrated as Emancipation Day . Over the following years, strict labor laws were implemented several times, leading to

664-489: A few months of negotiations, a selling price of $ 25 million in United States gold coin was agreed, equivalent to $ 700 million in 2023 dollars. At the same time, the economics of continued possession weighed heavily on the minds of Danish decision makers, and a consensus in favor of selling emerged in the Danish parliament. The Treaty of the Danish West Indies was signed on August 4, 1916, with

747-617: A part of the U.S. Virgin Islands territory until 1996, when 50 acres (20 ha) of land was transferred to the territorial government. The remaining 200 acres (81 ha) of the island was purchased from the United States Department of the Interior in May ;2005 for $ 10, a transaction that marked the official change in jurisdiction. In 1966, Hess Oil began construction on an oil refinery. Until February 2012,

830-643: A political consultant . Sekou has been elected to the Virgin Islands Board of Education. He has unsuccessfully run for the Legislature of the Virgin Islands twice. In July 2010, gubernatorial candidate Kenneth Mapp's Search Committee recommended Sekou as his running mate for Lieutenant Governor in the 2010 gubernatorial election . Saint Thomas, United States Virgin Islands Saint Thomas ( Danish : Sankt Thomas , Spanish : Santo Tomás , French : Saint-Thomas )

913-764: A post on Saint Thomas in 1657. The first congregation was the St. Thomas Reformed Church, which was established in 1660 and was associated with the Dutch Reformed Church . Denmark-Norway 's first attempt to settle the island in 1665 failed. However, the Danes did resettle St. Thomas in 1672, under the sponsorship of the Glueckstadt Co., later the Danish West India Company . The first slave ships arrived in 1673, and St. Thomas became

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996-551: A public awareness campaign aimed at assisting the people of the United States Virgin Islands with their inalienable right to self-determination and in gaining a better understanding of the options for self-determination". In March 2023, a poll conducted by Suffolk University among USVI residents revealed 63% supported the territory becoming a U.S. state while 23% opposed. Respondents were also asked about becoming an independent country, which 58% rejected

1079-404: A source of entertainment on sugar plantations, it has evolved into a cultural emblem, primarily reserved for local holidays celebrating the Virgin Islands heritage. Originally performed by two couples, it has since expanded to involve four couples arranged in a square formation. The most notable clothing in St.Thomas, and the rest of the Virgin Islands is called the traditional V.I. Madras. Madras

1162-417: Is Stacey Plaskett , a Democrat. Like other territories, the U.S. Virgin Islands does not have U.S. senators . At the territorial level, fifteen senators —seven from the district of St. Croix, seven from the district of St. Thomas and St. John, and one senator at large who must be a resident of St. John—are elected for two-year terms to the unicameral Virgin Islands legislature . There

1245-469: Is a striped pattern that can be found on any piece of clothing with various different colors such as turquoise, royal blue, pink, white, yellow, green, and red. The four stripes seen on this pattern each represents one of the main U.S. Virgin Islands, St. Thomas, St. John , and St. Croix . The fourth stripe represents the unity between them. The U.S. Virgin Islands has a number of cultural events that engage both residents and visitors all year-round. Each of

1328-508: Is an unofficial "town" located on the East End subdistrict. Saint Thomas has a tropical savanna climate ( Aw according to the Köppen climate classification ) with a drier season and a wetter season. The temperature is warm year-round, with January and February, the coolest months, having average highs of 29.5 °C (85.1 °F) and average lows of 22.4 °C (72.3 °F). August has

1411-764: Is called "Rock City". The island has a land area of 32 square miles (83 km ). The island was originally settled around 1500 BC by the Ciboney people. Ciboney sites have been uncovered in Krum Bay. The island was later inhabited by the Arawaks and then the Caribs . Arawak sites have been uncovered in Magens Bay and Botany Bay, and Carib sites have been uncovered in Magens Bay. Christopher Columbus sighted

1494-406: Is located on the island. Of the three islands, St. Thomas is the second-largest, with St. Croix being the largest, and St. John , the smallest. As of the 2010 census , the population of Saint Thomas was 51,634, about 48.5% of the total population of the United States Virgin Islands. Crown Mountain is the highest point in Saint Thomas and in the entire United States Virgin Islands . Hence, it

1577-419: Is no limit as to the number of terms they can serve. The U.S. Virgin Islands have elected a territorial governor every four years since 1970. Previous governors were appointed by the president of the United States . The U.S. Virgin Islands have a Superior Court and Supreme Court . The District Court of the Virgin Islands is responsible for cases brought under federal law , and the U.S. attorney for

1660-677: Is now called Addelitta Cancryn Junior High School. He graduated from Charlotte Amalie High School in Charlotte Amalie in 1981. Sekou served in the United States Navy beginning in September 1981. He was a member of the erations Specialists in the USS Voge FF-1047 , before being honorably discharged in 1984. He returned to the United States Virgin Islands after his honorable discharge, where he began pursuing

1743-656: Is one of the Virgin Islands in the Caribbean Sea , and a constituent district of the United States Virgin Islands (USVI), an unincorporated territory of the United States . Along with surrounding minor islands, it is one of three county-equivalents in the USVI. Together with Saint John , it forms one of the districts of the USVI . The territorial capital and port of Charlotte Amalie

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1826-475: Is recognized as a holiday, to commemorate the acquisition of the islands by the United States. Rear Admiral James H. Oliver was the first American governor of the islands. Paul Martin Pearson , the first civilian governor, was appointed by Herbert Hoover and was inaugurated March 18, 1931. U.S. citizenship was granted to many inhabitants of the islands in 1927 and 1932. The Danish West Indian daler

1909-628: Is serviced by the Cyril E. King International Airport . Passenger and limited car-ferry services to neighboring islands such as Water Island, Saint John, Saint Croix, and the British Virgin Islands run regularly out of the Red Hook Terminal, Charlotte Amalie Terminal, and Crown Bay Marina. There are safaris, which are open air taxis, mounted onto the back of a pickup truck. The fare is typically $ 1 to $ 2 to go from one end of

1992-417: Is the wettest time of year because of tropical cyclones . November is the wettest month, receiving 152 millimeters (6.0 in) of rain on average over 17.8 precipitation days, the most of any month. March is the driest month, receiving 27 millimeters (1.1 in) of rainfall over 8.1 precipitation days, the least of any month. Saint Thomas is divided into the following subdistricts (with population as per

2075-645: Is thought to have been the first European to see the islands, giving them their current name. The Spanish later settled in 1555, with English and French settlers arriving on St. Croix from 1625. There followed a complex period in which the islands were disputed among Spain, France, Britain and the Netherlands. Denmark–Norway also took an interest in the islands, and the Danish West India Company settled on St. Thomas in 1672 and St. John in 1694, later purchasing St. Croix from France in 1733. The islands became royal Danish colonies in 1754, named

2158-742: Is usually the day before the Adults' Parade, and lasts for approximately 4 to 5 hours long, while the Adult Parade lasts all day long. Both parades feature performance troupes wearing colorful and sparkly costumes and decorated floats.These parades take place on Main Street in Charlotte Amalie. Carnival village United States Virgin Islands The United States Virgin Islands , officially

2241-431: The 1878 St. Croix labor riot . With the plantations no longer as profitable, Danish settlers began to abandon their estates, causing a significant drop in population and the overall economy. Additionally, the 1867 hurricane and earthquake and tsunami further impacted the economy. For the remainder of the period of Danish rule, the islands were not economically viable and significant transfers had to be made from

2324-650: The 2020 U.S. Census ): From 1796 a small Jewish community developed in Charlotte Amalie . It established the Beracha Veshalom Vegmiluth Hasadim , the second oldest synagogue in the United States. During the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries a group of French Catholic immigrants known as the Chacas came to St. Thomas from the St. Barthélemy islands to the east, forming one community of fishermen and one of farmers. The island

2407-538: The Anegada Passage , including Charlotte Amalie (the capital) and Christiansted . Like most Caribbean islands, most of the islands of the Virgin Islands, including St. Thomas and St. John, are volcanic in origin and hilly. The highest point is Crown Mountain on St. Thomas at 1,555 feet (474 m). The easternmost point of the United States is Point Udall (U.S. Virgin Islands) on St. Croix. St. Croix,

2490-636: The First World War . The transfer occurred on March 31, 1917. At the time of the US purchase in 1917, the colony did not include Water Island ; Water Island had been sold by Denmark to the East Asiatic Company , a private shipping company, in 1905. The company eventually sold the island to the United States in 1944, during the German occupation of Denmark . The federal government then used

2573-508: The Hovensa plant , located on St. Croix, was one of the world's largest petroleum refineries, refining 494,000 bbl/d (78,500 m /d), and contributed about 20% of the territory's GDP. The refinery ceased operation in 2012, and the facility stopped exporting petroleum products in 2014. In the final year of full refinery operations, the value of exported petroleum products was $ 12.7 billion (2011 fiscal year). Since refining ended,

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2656-417: The St. Thomas-St.John School District : Private schools: Parochial schools: There is one University in the U.S. Virgin Islands (HBCU) with two campuses, one in each district: " St. Thomas " is among the most recognisable instrumentals in the repertoire of American jazz tenor saxophonist Sonny Rollins based on a traditional calypso sung to him by his mother, Valborg Solomon Rollins, who

2739-608: The Virgin Islands of the United States , are a group of Caribbean islands and a territory of the United States . The islands are geographically part of the Virgin Islands archipelago and are located in the Leeward Islands of the Lesser Antilles . The islands have a tropical climate . The U.S. Virgin Islands consist of the main islands of Saint Croix , Saint John , and Saint Thomas and 50 other surrounding minor islands and cays . The total land area of

2822-478: The president of the United States . People born in the U.S. Virgin Islands derive their U.S. citizenship from congressional statute. The U.S. Democratic and Republican parties allow U.S. Virgin Islands citizens to vote in their presidential primary elections for delegates to the respective national conventions. The main political parties in the U.S. Virgin Islands themselves are the Democratic Party of

2905-633: The 17th and 18th centuries, a sizable Jewish community also began to settle on the islands. In 1733, St. John was the site of one of the first significant slave rebellions in the New World when Akan – Akwamu slaves from the Gold Coast (modern Ghana ) took over the island for six months. The Danish were able to defeat the enslaved Africans with help from the French in Martinique . Instead of allowing themselves to be recaptured, more than

2988-500: The 1954 Revised Organic Act of the Virgin Islands and have since held five constitutional conventions. As with other territories in the United States, the Virgin Islands elects a delegate who can participate in debates in the House of Representatives but cannot vote. Tourism and related categories are the primary economic activities. The islands were named Santa Úrsula y las Once Mil Vírgenes by Christopher Columbus in 1493 after

3071-497: The 34-million-barrel tank farm has operated as a crude oil and petrochemical storage facility for third-party customers. The refinery's closure provoked a local economic crisis. Following the acquisition of the 1,500-acre complex by ArcLight Capital Partners, LLC, in 2016, Limetree Bay Ventures, LLC, was formed, and is currently executing a project to refurbish and restart the refinery, with a processing capability of up to 200,000 bbl/d (32,000 m /d). Hurricane Hugo struck

3154-482: The African slave trade. Saint Thomas's fine natural harbor became known as "Taphus" for the drinking establishments located nearby. ("Tap Hus" translates as "rum shop" or "tap house" referring to the drinking establishments. ) In 1691, the primary settlement there was renamed Charlotte Amalia in honor of the wife of Denmark's King Christian V . It was later declared a free port by Frederick V . In December 1732,

3237-647: The British Virgin Islands. The territory consists of three main islands: St. Thomas , St. John , and St. Croix , as well as several dozen smaller islands . The main islands have nicknames often used by locals: "Twin City" (St. Croix), "Rock City" (St. Thomas), and "Love City" (St. John). The combined land area of the islands is roughly twice the size of Washington, D.C. . The U.S. Virgin Islands are known for their white sand beaches , including Magens Bay and Trunk Bay , and deepwater harbors along

3320-548: The Danish West Indian Islands ( Danish : De dansk-vestindiske øer ). Initially the currency was the Danish West Indian rigsdaler , replaced by the daler in 1849. The islands proved ideal for sugar plantations: sugarcane , produced by enslaved Africans, drove the islands' economy during the 18th and early 19th centuries. Other plantation crops included cotton and indigo dye . During

3403-420: The Danish state budget to the authorities in the islands. The United States began to take an interest in the islands, and in 1867 a treaty to sell St. Thomas and St. John to the U.S. was agreed but never effected. A number of reforms aimed at reviving the islands' economy were attempted, but none had great success. A second draft treaty to sell the islands to the United States was negotiated in 1902 but

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3486-732: The District of the Virgin Islands can bring federal criminal cases there. The Superior Court is responsible for hearing cases under U.S. Virgin Islands law at the trial level, and the Supreme Court is responsible for appeals from the Superior Court for all appeals filed on or after January 29, 2007. (Appeals filed prior to that date were heard by the Appellate Division of the District Court.) Appeals from

3569-403: The U.S. Virgin Islands in 1989, causing catastrophic physical and economic damage, particularly on the island of St. Croix. The territory was again struck by Hurricane Marilyn in 1995, killing eight people and causing more than $ 2 billion in damage. The islands were again struck by hurricanes Bertha , Georges , Lenny , and Omar in 1996, 1998, 1999, and 2008, respectively, but damage

3652-614: The U.S. Virgin Islands must be admitted to the Virgin Islands Bar through either a bar exam or meeting certain requirements for admission on the basis of experience in another reciprocal jurisdiction. The bar exam consists of a standard American Bar Association multistate exam and a local law essay exam. As in the mainland United States, attorneys practice in a variety of settings including private law firms, government, or corporate offices. On October 21, 1976, President Gerald Ford signed Pub. L.   94–584 authorizing

3735-639: The US to purchase the islands of Saint Thomas, Saint John, and Saint Croix. The islands now have an annual celebration in November to honor the legacy of David Hamilton Jackson. In 1917, Saint Thomas was purchased (along with Saint Croix and Saint John) by the United States for $ 25 million in gold ($ 595 million today), as part of a strategy to maintain control over the Caribbean and the Panama Canal during

3818-419: The USVI is not a state and Congress has not determined otherwise, the federal district court is an Article IV tribunal , subject to the authority of the United States secretary of the interior and without lifetime appointment for judges. Elements of Danish law have all been repealed, except for two 1914 laws having to do with customs and ship duties for St. Thomas and St. John. Attorneys who practice law in

3901-566: The Virgin Islands , the Independent Citizens Movement , and the Republican Party of the Virgin Islands . Additional candidates run as independents. At the national level, the U.S. Virgin Islands elect a delegate to Congress from their at-large congressional district . The elected delegate, while able to vote in committee, cannot participate in floor votes. The current House of Representatives delegate

3984-624: The Virgin Islands were damaged or destroyed and 13,000 of those buildings had lost their roofs. The Luis Hospital suffered roof damage and flooding, but remained operational. The U.S. Virgin Islands are in the Atlantic Ocean , about 40 miles (64 km) east of Puerto Rico and immediately west of the British Virgin Islands . They share the Virgin Islands archipelago with the Puerto Rican Virgin Islands of Vieques and Culebra (administered by Puerto Rico), and

4067-478: The Virgin Islands. However, in June 2009, Governor John de Jongh Jr. rejected the resulting constitutional draft, saying the terms of the document would "violate federal law, fail to defer to federal sovereignty and disregard basic civil rights". A lawsuit filed by members of the convention to force Governor de Jongh to forward the document to President Barack Obama was ultimately successful. President Obama forwarded

4150-590: The West End to the East End, and in recent years, Saint Thomas has become a busy cruise ship port and vacation venue. The island has a number of natural bays and harbors including Magens Bay, Great Bay, Jersey Bay, Long Bay, Fortuna Bay, and Hendrik Bay. Passenger ships dock and anchor in Long Bay and Crown Bay, near Charlotte Amalie. Ships dock at West Indian Company Dock and Austin Monsanto Dock. Red Hook

4233-546: The boundary of the North American Plate and the Caribbean Plate . Natural hazards include earthquakes , hurricanes and tsunamis. The U.S. Virgin Islands contain the Leeward Islands moist forests and Leeward Islands xeric scrub terrestrial ecoregions. The United States Virgin Islands experience a tropical climate , with little seasonal change throughout the year. Rainfall is concentrated in

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4316-456: The embargo of Americans on travel to Cuba , the U.S. Virgin Islands became a popular tourist destination. In 1970, Virgin Islanders elected their first governor, Melvin H. Evans , and from 1976 the islands began work on creating their own constitution. Water Island , a small island to the south of St. Thomas, was initially administered by the U.S. federal government and did not become

4399-685: The federal District Court are heard by the United States Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit , located in Philadelphia , Pennsylvania . District Court judges are appointed by the U.S. president, while Superior Court and Supreme Court judges are appointed by the governor. As of 2019, the USVI courts apply both American common law and the 2019 US Virgin Islands Code as passed by the territorial legislature . Because

4482-493: The first two of many Moravian Brethren missionaries came from Herrnhut Saxony in present-day Germany to minister to them. Distrusted at first by the white masters, they lived among the slaves and soon won their confidence. The first British invasion and occupation of the island occurred in 1801. The islands were returned to Denmark in 1802, under the terms of the Treaty of Amiens . Fire destroyed hundreds of homes in Charlotte Amalie in 1804. The second British occupation of

4565-405: The high-sun period (May through October), while in the winter the northeast trade winds prevail. Summer and winter high temperatures differ by 5 °F (3 °C) or less on average. The U.S. Virgin Islands are an organized, unincorporated United States territory . Although those born on the islands are U.S. citizens , U.S. Virgin Islanders residing in the territory are ineligible to vote for

4648-554: The highest average high of 32.3 °C (90.1 °F), with July, August and September all having the highest average low at 25.6 °C (78.1 °F). The highest temperature ever recorded was 37.2 °C (99.0 °F) on August 4, 1994, and June 23, 1996, which is the highest temperature to have ever been recorded in the United States Virgin Islands. The lowest recorded temperature was 11 °C (52 °F) in November. Saint Thomas receives 989 millimeters (38.9 in) of precipitation annually over 163.6 precipitation days. Autumn

4731-447: The hurricane, and estimates for St. John and St. Thomas were somewhat less. The hurricane killed two people, both in their homes: one person drowned and another was trapped by a mudslide. A third person had a fatal heart attack during the hurricane. The hurricane caused extensive and severe damage to St. Croix. After both hurricanes, the office of Virgin Islands congresswoman Stacey Plaskett stated that 90% of buildings in

4814-450: The island for military purposes until 1950 before finally transferring it to the territorial government in 1996. The United States granted citizenship to residents of the Virgin Islands in 1927. The U.S. Department of the Interior took over administrative duties in 1931. American forces were based on the island during the Second World War . In 1954, passage of the U.S. Virgin Islands Organic Act officially granted territorial status to

4897-419: The island in 1493 on his second voyage to the New World . He landed on the island of Saint Croix and then made his way to the other islands nearby at the start of the Lesser Antilles , and named them "Santa Ursula y las Once Mil Virgenes", after the legend of Saint Ursula and her 11,000 virgins. It was later shortened to " Las Virgenes", which means, "The Virgins". The Dutch West India Company established

4980-435: The island occurred from 1807 to 1815, after the Invasion of the Danish West Indies (1807) , during which they built Fort Cowell on Hassel Island . While the sugar trade had brought prosperity to the island's free citizens, by the early 19th century Saint Thomas was in decline. The continued export of sugar was threatened by hurricanes, drought, and American competition. Following the Danish Revolution of 1848 , slavery

5063-406: The island to the other. The Virgin Islands also has a public transit system called the Virgin Islands Transit, or VITRAN, which services a fare of $ 1. These buses are discounted for both senior citizens and students with valid ID's. The United States Virgin Islands is the only place under United States jurisdiction where the rule of the road is to drive on the left . This was inherited from what

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5146-421: The island's west end. The British Virgin Islands and the other two U.S. Virgin Islands, St. John and St. Thomas, were far enough northeast to avoid the worst from Maria, but were still massively impacted, with great destruction everywhere. A wind gust to 86 mph (138 km/h) was reported at St. Thomas. Weather stations on St. Croix recorded 5 and 10 inches (130 and 250 mm) of rain from

5229-516: The islands. There is a hip hop duo group called R. City , featuring brothers, Theron Thomas and Timothy Thomas . These brothers were born on the island of St. Thomas, and after graduating from high school on the island, they moved to the U.S. mainland to pursue their music careers. Their most notable song is " Locked Away ", featuring Adam Levine . R. City has collaborated with other artists, such as Rihanna , Miley Cyrus , Drake , Nicki Minaj , and many more. In February 2024, Theron Thomas won

5312-553: The largest of the U.S. Virgin Islands, lies to the south and has a flatter terrain because of its coral origin. The National Park Service manages more than half of St. John, nearly all of Hassel Island , and many acres of coral reef . There are several national park sites, such as the Virgin Islands National Park , Virgin Islands Coral Reef National Monument , Buck Island Reef National Monument , Christiansted National Historic Site , and Salt River Bay National Historical Park and Ecological Preserve . The U.S. Virgin Islands lie on

5395-411: The legend of Saint Ursula and the 11,000 virgins. The name was later shortened to the Virgin Islands . The U.S. Virgin Islands were originally inhabited by the Ciboney and Arawaks , with some scholars thinking that the islands were inhabited from as early as 1000 BC. The Kalinago (Island Caribs) arrived around the mid-15th century AD. Christopher Columbus, on his second voyage in 1493,

5478-424: The people of the United States Virgin Islands to organize a government pursuant to a constitution, which would be automatically approved if Congress did not act within 60 days. In 2004, an act was passed by the legislature of the Virgin Islands calling for a fifth constitutional convention, and 30 delegates to the convention were elected in 2007. On May 26, 2009, the convention adopted a proposed Constitution of

5561-455: The proposal to Congress in May 2010, along with a report noting concerns raised by the United States Department of Justice that the powers sought exceeded what would be considered allowable under territorial status and restating the issues noted by Governor de Jongh. A U.S. Congressional resolution disapproving of the proposed constitution and requesting that the Fifth Constitutional Convention reconvene to consider changes to address these issues

5644-430: The sale as did the inhabitants of the islands in a vote of 1,244 to 22. However, the proponents of the purchase in the United States failed to gain enough support to ratify the treaty. In 1915, David Hamilton Jackson traveled to Denmark and convinced the King of Denmark to allow freedom of the press in Saint Thomas, Saint John, and Saint Croix. He began the first newspaper in the islands, known as The Herald . Jackson

5727-469: The surrounding plantation land. A 1993 referendum on status attracted only 31.4% turnout, and so its results (in favor of the status quo) were considered void. No further status referendums have been scheduled since. The territory is classified by the United Nations as a non-self-governing territory . In 2016, the United Nations ' Special Committee on Decolonization recommended to the UN's General Assembly that this larger body should "actively pursue

5810-554: The territory is 133.73 square miles (346.36 km ). The territory's capital is Charlotte Amalie on the island of St. Thomas. Previously known as the Danish West Indies of the Kingdom of Denmark–Norway (from 1754 to 1814) and the independent Kingdom of Denmark (from 1814 to 1917), they were sold to the United States by Denmark for $ 25,000,000 in the 1917 Treaty of the Danish West Indies ($ 595 million in 2023) and have since been an organized, unincorporated United States territory . The U.S. Virgin Islands are organized under

5893-414: The three islands have different celebrations at different times of the year. Carnival Each year, the carnival on St. Thomas spans a month, kicking off with queen, prince, and princess shows, Calypso shows, Pan-O-Ramas, and J'ouvert . These events are typically held in April, then sometimes extends into the first week of May. The highlight of the carnival includes vibrant parades. The Children's Parade

5976-506: The three islands, allowing for the formation of a local senate. Full home rule was achieved in 1970. The post-war era also saw the rise of tourism on the island. With relatively cheap air travel and the American embargo on Cuba , the numbers of visitors greatly increased. Despite natural disasters such as Hurricane Hugo (1989), Hurricanes Luis and Marilyn (1995), and Hurricanes Irma and Maria (2017). Hotels have been built from

6059-693: The three main islands of the U.S. Virgin Islands is counted as a county equivalent by the U.S. Census Bureau, with the following FIPS codes: 78010 for St. Croix, 78020 for St. John, and 78030 for St. Thomas. While a Danish possession, the islands were divided into "quarters" (five on St. John and nine on St. Croix), which were further divided into many dozens of "estates". Estate names are still used to write addresses; estates and quarters are used in describing real estate, especially on St. John and St. Croix. More densely populated towns such as Frederiksted and Christiansted on St. Croix were historically referred to as "districts", in contrast to

6142-434: Was approved with nearly 72% voting in favor . Administratively, the U.S. Virgin Islands are divided into two districts : the St. Thomas and St. John district, and the St. Croix district. However, the U.S. Census Bureau divides each of the three main islands into three separate statistical entities (which are further divided into 20 subdistricts). Below is the U.S. Census Bureau's division model. Each of

6225-529: Was abolished and the resulting rise in labor costs further weakened the position of Saint Thomas's sugar producers. Given its harbors and fortifications, Saint Thomas still retained a strategic importance, and thus, in the 1860s, during the American Civil War and its aftermath, the United States government considered entering into a treaty with Denmark to buy the island and its neighbors from Denmark for $ 7.5 million. The Danish Landstinget agreed to

6308-432: Was born on Saint Thomas. The traditional music of the Virgin Islands is called quelbe , also known as scratch or fungi. This music style is performed using instruments made from gourds and everyday objects, with bands typically incorporating banjos, conga drums, washboards, triangles, saxophones, and flutes. In addition to quelbe, other music styles such as calypso , reggae , soca , and hip hop are also popular among

6391-446: Was defeated in the upper house of the Danish parliament in a tie vote (because the opposition carried a 97-year-old life member into the chamber). The onset of World War I brought the reform period to a close and again left the islands isolated. During the submarine warfare phases of the war, the United States, fearing that the islands might be seized by Germany as a submarine base, again approached Denmark about buying them. After

6474-570: Was not as severe in those storms. In September 2017, Category 5 Hurricane Irma caused catastrophic damage, particularly to St. John and St. Thomas. Just two weeks later, Category 5 Hurricane Maria ravaged all three islands. Sustained winds at the Sandy Point National Wildlife Refuge on St. Croix reached 99 to 104 mph (159 to 167 km/h) and gusted to 137 mph (220 km/h). Even stronger winds likely occurred somewhere across

6557-508: Was replaced by the U.S. dollar in 1934, and from 1935 to 1939 the islands were a part of the United States customs area . The 1936 Organic Act and the 1954 Revised Organic Act established the local government. Tourism began to develop following World War II , over time becoming the most important sector of the islands' economy. The Virgin Islands National Park was established in 1956 on St. John , and by 1959, after

6640-470: Was signed into law by President Obama on June 30, 2010. Months later, a federal lawsuit was filed in the federal District Court of the Virgin Islands . The lawsuit claimed that the United States had to provide U.S. Virgin Islanders with the ability to be represented in Congress and vote for U.S. president. It alleged that racial discrimination present in the all-white and segregated U.S. Congress of 1917

6723-467: Was the editor of The Herald , which had its office at 1B Kongens Gade in Christiansted . The newspaper's focus was civic and labor rights for local workers, and it published criticisms of the labor situation in the islands. After beginning The Herald, Jackson organized labor unions among the islanders for better working conditions. He was also instrumental in persuading the Danish to allow

6806-500: Was the impetus to deny the right to vote to a majority nonwhite constituency. The case was ultimately dismissed on August 16, 2012. The Fifth Constitutional Convention of the U.S. Virgin Islands met in October 2012 but was not able to produce a revised constitution before its October 31 deadline. On November 3, 2020, the Virgin Islands held a referendum on whether to convene a sixth constitutional convention. The proposal

6889-645: Was the then-current Danish practice at the time of the American acquisition in 1917. However, because the islands are a U.S. territory, most cars are imported from the mainland United States and therefore the steering column is located on the left side of the vehicle. The island has many regular private taxis from compact size to large vans, as well as open-air, covered trucks called "safaris" with bench seats. St. Thomas-St. John School District operates public schools. Elementary Schools: K-8 Schools : Lockhart K-8 School Junior High Schools: High Schools There are also several private and parochial schools in

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