Emancipation Day 2025, 2026 and 2027 in US Virgin Islands

While many Caribbean-island nations have a holiday called Emancipation Day, there are somewhat different histories behind each of these holidays. The 3 July Danish West Indies Emancipation Day observed in the US Virgin Islands is a rather unique story.

Year	Date	Day	Holiday
2025	3 Jul	Thu	Emancipation Day
2026	3 Jul	Fri	Emancipation Day
2027	3 Jul	Sat	Emancipation Day
Please scroll down to end of page for previous years' dates.

The Danes began colonising their half of the Virgin Islands in the mid-1600s, and by the 1670s, they were heavily involved in the slave trade. Slave labour was used to run the island’s sugarcane plantations, and slaves were treated very harshly. This led to a series of slave rebellions on the islands. For example, a revolt in 1733 lasted for six full months before being put down.

Finally, a “peaceful revolt” where slaves refused to work broke out in 1848. Finally, the governor, named Peter Von Scholten, declared all the slaves freed on 3 July. Thus, the slave population essentially forced the government to finally relent by making slavery impractical through constant revolts and the threat of revolt.

Emancipation Day celebrations are observed enthusiastically throughout the US Virgin Islands every 3 July. The whole week before Emancipation Day is now celebrated as Freedom Week. Saint John Festival and US Independence Day also blend into the overall time of celebration. This is a time of singing, dancing, historical re-enactments, parades, feasts, patriotism, and family togetherness.

Previous Years

Year	Date	Day	Holiday
2024	3 Jul	Wed	Emancipation Day
2023	3 Jul	Mon	Emancipation Day