Congresswoman Stacey Plaskett, who represents the U.S. Virgin Islands, this week offered a U.S. flag that flew over the USA Capitol to Raymond Williams and his household, of Grove Place in USVI, in recognition of their long-standing dedication to preserving Virgin Islands historical past and tradition.
The respect highlights the household’s many years of labor by the Grove Place Motion Committee, significantly their efforts in organizing Liberty Day and D. Hamilton Jackson Day celebrations.
David Hamilton Jackson was a pioneering labor chief, civil rights advocate, educator, and newspaper editor from the Danish West Indies (now the U.S. Virgin Islands). He performed an important position in advocating for the rights of the islands’ predominantly Black inhabitants throughout Danish colonial rule and is taken into account one of the necessary figures in Virgin Islands historical past.
Initially meant for presentation in the course of the 2024 Liberty Day ceremony, the flag was as an alternative handed over in a particular ceremony after the occasion was canceled resulting from inclement climate.
“Raymond and the Williams household embody the spirit of service and cultural preservation that makes our Virgin Islands group so particular,” stated Congresswoman Plaskett. “His household’s work with the Grove Place Motion Committee make sure that the tales and struggles of our ancestors, significantly the legacy of D. Hamilton Jackson, won’t ever be forgotten. This flag represents not simply the gratitude of Congress, however the appreciation of a whole group that benefited from his and his household’s dedication.”
Williams and his household have been central to Liberty Day observances honoring D. Hamilton Jackson, a pioneering labor chief.
The flag offered to the Williams household flew over the U.S. Capitol on November 1, 2024—Liberty Day within the Virgin Islands—at Plaskett’s request. It commemorates Jackson’s legacy and the continuing contributions of group leaders like Williams in upholding the territory’s cultural identification and quest for self-determination.
