Emancipation Vigil Staged in St. James

The now customary Emancipation Vigil Ceremony formed part of this year’s observance of Emancipation Day by St. James on August 1.

The event, staged Sam Sharpe Square, Montego Bay, and was attended by several notable guests.

Heading these were Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of National Security, Hon. Dr. Horace Chang, who is Member of Parliament for St. James North Western where Montego Bay is located, and Custos Rotulorum for the parish, Bishop the Hon. Conrad Pitkin.

Also attending was Mayor of Montego Bay and St. James Municipal Corporation Chairman, Councillor Richard Vernon.

The Vigil involved the reading of the Emancipation Proclamation and lighting of the accompanying symbolic flame at midnight on July 31 by Bishop Pitkin.

Organised by the Jamaica Cultural Development Commission (JCDC), the event commemorates the historic announcement of freedom for enslaved people on August 1, 1834.

The Vigil symbolises the igniting of the flames of freedom, a tribute to the resilience and bravery of plantation slaves in Kensington, St. James, and other parts of Jamaica.

Councillor Vernon underscored the event’s significance, noting that the ceremony is a symbolic reenactment of the historic moment when the Proclamation of Freedom was read.

“So it is a tradition that we continued to practice over the years. Each year we do it as a symbolism of what we experienced in our history and what we should not forget,” he added.

The organisers encourage more people to engage in the observance of Emancipation Day and Independence Day (August 6), emphasising that these celebrations as vital elements of Jamaican identity and heritage.