State of the Territory | Navigating the Path to Self-Determination in the U.S. Virgin Islands: Part 1

In her bi-weekly column, “State of the Territory,” former Sen. Janelle K. Sarauw delves deeper into issues of concern for V.I. residents.

As a proud native of the Virgin Islands of the United States, I find our enchanting archipelago, nestled at the eastern boundary of U.S. territory within the expansive Caribbean region, to be a source of immense pride. Comprising St. Thomas, St. John, and St. Croix, our islands form the genesis of the Leeward Islands within the Lesser Antilles, playing a crucial role in the intricate tapestry of the Eastern Caribbean.

This profound attachment to the Eastern Caribbean can be attributed to several influential factors. First and foremost, by 1965, more than half of our workforce consisted of immigrant labor from the British islands of the Eastern Caribbean, including Anguilla, Antigua, Barbados, Dominica, Grenada, Montserrat, Nevis, St. Kitts, St. Lucia, St. Vincent, and Trinidad. These migrants brought with them a rich cultural heritage, making significant contributions to our social, economic, and political life. Elements like rounders, cricket, carnivals and festivals, culinary delights have their origins in the Eastern Caribbean, leaving a lasting imprint on our culture.

Moreover, our geographic proximity to the British Virgin Islands allowed for the seamless movement of people between our islands and our British neighbors. Historically, this close relationship resulted in a significant portion of our population having ancestral ties to the British Virgin Islands. By the time the U.S. acquired our islands in 1917, approximately 21 percent of our population had British Virgin Islands roots, with over 60 percent of St. Thomas’ current population tracing their heritage back to the British Virgin Islands. The blending and intermingling between immigrants from the British Eastern Caribbean and native Virgin Islanders occurred naturally due to shared customs, physical characteristics, language, traditions, race, and ethnicity.