The third week in May is African Heritage Week. It will be marked on African Liberation Day with a ceremony beginning at 3:30 p.m. on Tuesday, May 25 on the grounds of the Legislature Building.
African Liberation Day was first declared on May 24, 1963 when African Heads of State founded the Organization of African Unity in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. The purpose of the day is to raise consciousness about the struggles of people of African descent, according to a release from the Legislature.
Gov. Alexander Farrelly signed a bill into law in 1989 proclaiming the week as African Heritage week in the Virgin Islands. Two years later the Legislature amended the bill to designate May 25 as African Liberation Day.
There will be presentations by Senate President Vargrave Richards, Solomon Kabuka, representing the African Association of St. Thomas, K. Leba Ola-Niyi, representing the Pan African Support Group, Latifah Chinnery-Madir and Sen. Adelbert M. "Bert"Bryan.
The keynote speaker will be Ama Dou Leigh, international representative of the All African Peoples' Party.
Additionally the day is set aside to encourage all people to join organizations that support the liberation, development and progress of African people and the human race in general.