ST. CROIX — Virgin Islanders of all ages celebrated the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Monday in both districts as marches culminated with rallies featuring keynote speakers.
Hundreds participated in the marches as students, marching bands, youth groups, community organizations, and fraternities and sororities united in honor of Martin Luther King Jr. Day.
Some students carried signs they made depicting images of King, while other signs included such words and phrases as “freedom,” “equality 4 all,” and “BLM,” an acronym for “Black Lives Matter.”
Social studies students from John H. Woodson Junior High School created posters about the civil rights movement they carried during the march and wrote essays about their dreams.
“Even though they haven’t met MLK, it makes them realize that his speech and his movement is still relevant up until today, and we’re still fighting for equal rights in this nation,” Erald Pecson, Woodson eighth grade social studies teacher, said.
The youth and adult groups on St. Croix marched from Sion Farm to Island Center for the Performing Arts, where guest speakers and student performers engaged the crowd for more than two hours during the 38th annual event organized by the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Civil Rights Committee.
Antoinette Rampersad, a founding member of the committee who serves as its chair, highlighted the importance of involving youth in the rally to showcase their talents and foster a sense of community.
“This event is to bring people together,” she said after the rally. “I like to see people happy.”
When it comes to organizing the event, Rampersad said her focus was on the next generation. She stressed that bringing the community together creates strength and fosters education.
“Education is knowledge and unity is strength, and so is love,” she said. “I don’t care what nobody say. I ain’t looking at the color. I’m looking at your heart.”
Youth entertained the attendees with dancing and singing.
Dance routines were offered by the St. Croix Central High School Carib Divas Dance Squad, Lew Muckle Quadrille Dancers, and Markeymah Cargile, who was crowned Miss St. Croix. Kaleb Joseph, of Lew Muckle Elementary School, recited King’s “I Have a Dream” speech.
There were singing performances by The Golden Voices from St. Croix Central High School; Noah Ramnarine Cebedo, 11, the 2024-2025 Crucian Christmas Festival Prince; and Alfredo Andrews Voices.
In a powerful keynote address at Island Center, Chenzira Davis-Kahina emphasized the ongoing relevance of King’s legacy of peace and civil disobedience while calling for community members to act. She reflected on King’s famous speeches, noting parallels between the challenges in the 1960s and the issues facing society today.
Davis-Kahina discussed local freedom fighters like Jay Antonio Jarvis, Hubert Harrison, and Eulalie Rivera, stressing the importance of youth leadership and actionable deliverables in education, health care, and economic development. She also mentioned former President Joe Biden’s pardon of the late civil rights leader Marcus Garvey, underscoring the need for accountability and respect for diverse cultures and identities.
“We will make sure that those that we engage as leaders are held accountable,” she said. “And more importantly, we’re going to make sure that our voices of these young people, when they come and they’re trying to express their concerns, their issues, we have to listen, not just hear them. We have to listen and take action.”
While the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Civil Rights Committee organized the event on St. Croix, fraternity brothers led the charge on St. Thomas.
The Theta Epsilon Lambda chapter of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity Inc. hosted the event on St. Thomas while honoring the legacy of King, who was a member of the Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity.
The St. Thomas participants marched from Market Square to Emancipation Garden, where the rally was held.
While commemorating King’s legacy as the keynote speaker on St. Thomas, Senate President Milton Potter reflected on the tragic killing of 17-year-old Kareem Pinney. A promising young athlete, former intern in Potter’s office, and student at the University of the Virgin Islands, Pinney was shot to death November 3, 2024 at Grandview Apartments housing community in Donoe. Potter called for unity and justice, urging the community to speak out against violence and honor Pinney’s memory by embodying King’s ideals of love, justice, and peace.
“Dr. King taught us that injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere,” Potter said. “We must not turn a blind eye to the violence and suffering that exists in our midst. We must not become numb to it. We must not get used to it. We must stand together united in our demand for justice, for accountability, and for a community where our children can grow up free from fear and violence.”
There were also performances on St. Thomas by the marching bands from Charlotte Amalie High School and Ivanna Eudora Kean High School.
Lieutenant Governor Tregenza Roach, while speaking during the rally, focused on an important message to take away from King’s life — his willingness to serve humanity despite the challenges. He questioned what Virgin Islands residents can give.
“Nobody’s asking for our lives,” Roach said. “They’re just asking that we work to make our community better, to sustain, to stay the awesome and wonderful people who we are that bring people to our shores in the millions, despite our small population, every single year. So, I want to challenge you, as you’ve been challenged before, to sustain, to keep anchor in that amazing past, in that amazing past that made us survive. We are here as a testament to incredible ancestry that kept us regardless.”
