On the island of Montserrat in the Caribbean, St. Patrick’s Day is a 10-day celebration, complete with drag races and fashion shows. That’s because on Montserrat, St. Patrick’s Day is more than just a holiday, it commemorates Black history.
It was 1768, and Irish colonizers on Montserrat were celebrating St. Patrick’s Day. They had no idea that a group of enslaved Africans was preparing to strike a blow for freedom.
Unfortunately, someone told the authorities and nine leaders of the revolt were executed. Another 30 free and enslaved Black people were exiled or sold off the island. But their descendants have never forgotten them.
The locals now use St. Patrick’s Day to commemorate the failed uprising and the memory of those who died and reimagined the holiday as a way to celebrate Black history and resistance.
Our history is a powerful weapon for our liberation. The more we know, the more we understand and honor our resistance, power, and refusal to accept oppression.