Gov. Albert Bryan Jr. is paying homage to two Virgin Islands icons during the month of August and has issued proclamations that recognize Indigenous Virgin Islanders, servicemembers, farmers, and human resources professionals and that support community-building activities, Government House announced.
Bryan proclaimed Aug. 7 “Melvin Evans Day” in the U.S. Virgin Islands in recognition of former Gov. Melvin H. Evans, who was born on Aug. 7, 1917, in Christiansted, St. Croix. Evans made history by being the last appointed governor of the U.S. Virgin Islands by President Richard M. Nixon and the first popularly elected governor of the U.S. Virgin Islands, serving from 1971 to 1975, according to the press release.
Bryan proclaimed Aug. 3 “Edward Wilmot Blyden Day” in observance of the native son’s 192nd birthday. Blyden, who was born on St. Thomas on Aug. 3, 1893, was an educator who espoused the philosophy of negritude, Pan-Africanism, African nationalism, and African Christian theology. Blyden emphasized the need for unity among Black people and his accomplishments are an example of the linkages between Virgin Islanders and the people of Africa, the press release stated.
Recognizing Aug. 6 as “National Night Out” in the U.S., Bryan proclaimed Aug. 3 as “V.I. National Night Out.” The Law Enforcement Planning Commission and the U.S. Virgin Islands Juvenile Justice State Advisory Board (SAG) are sponsoring territory-wide community-building campaigns, including a Gospel Explosion on St. Thomas slated for Aug. 10 and Gospel Explosions on St. Croix and St. John in September, the release stated.
Bryan proclaimed the annual observance of “International Day for the World’s Indigenous People” on Aug. 9 as an occasion for Virgin Islanders of Indigenous Amerindian Caribbean descent to reaffirm their patriotic ties to the original peoples of the Caribbean and the United States of America, it said.
Acknowledging that farmers markets contribute to the economic and social vitality of communities, Bryan has proclaimed the week of Aug. 4 – 10 “National Farmers Market Week in the U.S. Virgin Islands.” In his proclamation, Bryan wrote that “farmers markets continue to provide access to safe and nutritious food in the face of market disruptions while also shortening supply chains and reinforcing a competitive food system benefitting producers and consumers,” according to the release.
In his proclamation declaring Aug. 7 as “Purple Heart Day” in the U.S. Virgin Islands, Bryan noted that more than 1.8 million Purple Heart medals have been presented to servicemembers since the award was created in 1782. “We remember and salute the servicemen and servicewomen who have been wounded or killed in action as well as the families who also bear the emotional and physical loss because of war,” Bryan wrote.
Noting that the U.S.Virgin Islands and the British Virgin Islands are home to the newest chapter of the Society for Human Resource Management and the first in SHRM’s history to blend two sovereign nationalities as one chapter, Bryan proclaimed the week of Aug. 19 – 23 as “SHRM Virgin Islands HR Week” in the US Virgin Islands, the release stated.
