Governor General, Sir Patrick Allen has officially declared 27 December as Sam Sharpe Day in commemoration of the National Hero, the Right Excellent Samuel Sharpe, who led the war for Emancipation. The request of the Cabinet and is in keeping with the policy of the Ministry “to promote the knowledge and memory of those who have contributed to the development of Jamaica [and] the Right Excellent Samuel Sharpe stands tall among such men.”
The Emancipation War of 1831-1832 began under Sam Sharpe’s leadership on December 27, 1831 and called for enslaved people to refuse to work after the Christmas break unless they were being paid and to prepare to fight in case the plantation owners tried to force them to continue working as slaves. Sam Sharpe was a major catalyst for the abolition of slavery in the British Empire.
Culture Minister, Olivia Grange, released a statement in which she said:
“Sam Sharpe Day, each year, will be an occasion to reflect on and celebrate the unflinching courage and bold resolve of these our ancestors, led by Sam Sharpe, who gave their lives for our freedom. His life, commitment, and ultimate sacrifice should inspire Jamaicans to commit to nation-building, to see ourselves as our brothers’ and sisters’ keeper, and to promote the wellbeing and welfare of all Jamaicans.”
