03/07/2022
Emancipation of the Danish slaves in the Danish West Indies.
On July 3, 1848, slaves carefully executed a yearlong plan to demand their freedom on the streets of Frederiksted town - and won.
According to historical accounts, the uprising by St. Croix slaves, particularly on the western end of the island, began on the evening of July 2, 1848, with hundreds of slaves assembling outside Fort Frederik, Frederiksted. The slaves declared they would not be working the next day and shouted for their freedom.
By the next morning thousands of slaves had gathered. Some 2,000 of them marched into Frederiksted from the northwest and north coast estates, joining others from Ham's Bluff and other estates along Centerline Road. According to historical accounts, by 10 a.m. about 8,000 slaves had gathered in front of the fort demanding their freedom.
Shortly after 1 p.m. on July 3, a message from the fort commander in Frederiksted reached Governor. General Peter von Scholten. It read: "All the Negroes in this part of the country are in revolt; all over, bells are ringing."
During the uprising, there were only a few reports of violence, thanks to Buddhoe (John "Buddhoe" Gottlieb, the free black who led the rebellion) who stopped the slaves from rioting and kept them focused on obtaining their freedom.
Messages were sent from Danish authorities to von Scholten, begging him to come to Frederiksted since it was clear that if the slaves became hostile, they would burn the town and kill every white person within reach.
The slaves gave von Scholten a 4 p.m. deadline to liberate them. Realizing that the slaves were serious and not just venting frustration, he ordered that his horse-driven carriage be made ready and he set sail for Frederiksted.
Von Scholten had no choice. Any refusal or delay would mean destruction of the towns and plantations and many would be killed. As soon as he arrived to Frederiksted he stood up and gave his proclamation:
“Now you are free, you are hereby emancipated.”
As the word "freedom" rang through the air, the former slaves rejoiced. Pandemonium broke out and there was singing and dancing in the streets and countryside.
Shortly thereafter, von Scholten was called back to Denmark. There, a humiliating and hard trial was brought against him, and he was at first denied his pension, although he was later cleared of the charges and acquitted shortly before his death.
Buddhoe's achievement with emancipation was a significant milestone for the struggle over freedom and labor rights. But the government at the time did not agree and shipped him off to Trinidad where he was told never to return to the Danish West Indies again. If he did he would be executed.
(Text copied/edited from webpage http://snwmf.com/phorum/read)
