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St. Croix’s Emancipation Day Stars in CNN Report

St. Croix’s Emancipation Day observance was the focus of a CNN iReport that aired over the July 4th weekend, the Tourism Department said in a press release issued this week.

The feature began when journalist Tracy Bymoen visited the U.S. Virgin Islands on a Tourism Department press trip for CNN iReport in February 2013. According to the press release, she was inspired by the territory’s rich history. She was particularly interested in the territory’s July 3 Emancipation Day observance.

Her report at "July 3, Emancipation Day on US Virgin Islands, Honors Black History" takes a look at the story of the slave revolt, which led to the end of slavery in 1848.

"The most interesting thing I learned was how well people mobilized for a rebellion, which ultimately led to a revolution," Bymoen said. "It’s especially interesting in light of the recent modern people’s revolutions in countries like Brazil, Egypt and Turkey."

Pictured in the slideshow are Christiansted National Historic Site ranger Benito Vegas, Crucian Heritage and Nature Tourism Director Frandelle Gerard and cultural author V. Celeste Fahie. All worked with Tourism to escort Bymoen through Fort Frederik, Fort Christiansvaern, Free Gut and other historic and cultural sites around the island while sharing the historic narrative behind each landmark. A quadrille dancer is also featured in the slideshow wearing a traditional costume at the Agrifest celebrations.

This editorial coverage on the destination will be seen by the more than 700,000 unique visitors who flock to this leading news site each month.

This Emancipation Day feature is the latest of three CNN iReports posted by Bymoen. On Feb. 20 a video report entitled "US Virgin Islands: Heritage Remembered on St. Croix" was posted to the site. The four-minute report includes a lengthy interview at the Agrifest with St. Croix Landmarks Society’s Executive Director Sonia Jacobs Dow, who explains the plethora of resources made available to people interested in genealogy research by the society through its libraries and museums.

Bradley Christian, president of the St. Croix Heritage Dancers, also explains the cultural significance of the quadrille dance.

In "Dancing for Freedom, Dancing for Identity," a follow-up video report posted on Feb. 28, St. Thomas resident MaryAnn Golden Christopher, along with a fellow dancer and two drummers, demonstrate the traditional bamboula dance in front of the Legislature Building in Charlotte Amalie and explain the cultural importance of preserving the tradition.

"To keep our heritage alive we must lend our support to the journalists who are interested in telling its stories," Assistant Tourism Commissioner Brad Nugent said.

"We couldn’t be more pleased with the outcome of Tracy’s experience here in the U.S. Virgin Islands and look forward to welcoming more members of the media and blogging community who seek to investigate and tell our story," he said.

CNN iReport is the news network’s online citizen journalism initiative – a community of global citizens who contribute stories, photos and video footage of breaking news and events from their own towns and around the world.

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