We have to ‘be very mindful we are not in a new kind of slavery’- Dr Allison C. Flax-Archer
![Arthur William Hodge was a slave owner in the [British] Virgin Islands, who was hanged on May 8, 1811, for the murder of one of his slaves. Image@ Wikipedia](https://www.virginislandsnewsonline.com/cache/images/800x_u_Untitled_62.jpg)
Dr Flax-Archer gave the sobering message at the launch of her second edition of The Box- A Glimpse into Virgin Islands History at the Red Door Garden in Cappoon’s Bay on Tuesday, December 19, 2023.
‘Reading transcript of Arther Hodge will change one’s life’
Sharing a bit of Virgin Islands History that can be found in The Box, Dr Flax-Archer noted she read the transcript of the Arthur Hodge trial and found it intriguing and life-changing.
Arthur William Hodge was a slave owner in the [British] Virgin Islands, who was hanged on May 8, 1811, for the murder of one of his slaves.
He was the first West Indian slave owner to be executed for the murder of a slave considered his property, and perhaps the only British West Indian slave owner, or British subject, to be executed for murdering his slave.
Dr Flax-Archer, the Secretary General of the BVI National Commission for UNESCO, posited that reading the transcript will change one’s life, “as a Virgin Islander, as a person that resides in the VI and, it will change your life because you will no longer, if you are not a Virgin Islander, ask ‘What is the big deal?’ because it is a big deal.
“We have to remember where we came from and not forget that slavery was not so long ago, and be very mindful we are not in a new kind of slavery,” Dr Flax-Archer continued.
‘We have to be very conscious…’
She also urged the VI people to use their voices to affect change or oppose changes not in the best interest of the territory.
“So, we have to be very conscious of the things that are happening throughout this territory. We are doing a Constitutional Review, we need to be mindful.
“We need to speak up if there are things we don’t like…and I am not just talking about Virgin Islanders, indigenous, I am talking about people that live here and understand the history.
And you can’t know where we are going if we don’t know where we came from,” Dr Flax-Archer, who is the wife of Deputy Governor David D. Archer Jr, stated.
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21 Responses to “We have to ‘be very mindful we are not in a new kind of slavery’- Dr Allison C. Flax-Archer”
https://books.google.co.in/books/about/A_Report_of_the_Trial_of_Arthur_Hodge_Es.html?id=dubYCJeUqx8C&redir_esc=y
I do understand your deep concern in reference to the ongoing slave issues. May thanks for the us of a factual part of our Ancestors's history that should not be overlooked.
You did say that "We have to be very conscious... You also remind us of some important historical fact that is critically needed to be considered in our Construction Review exercise, so to speak.
Allow me, though, please, to tell you and all our citizens of the BVI that we are neither very few of our citizens are conscious and even fewer are careful. We do not have in place a strategic plan for our present, let alone our future.
Sadly it is true. In this world of rivals economic competition and we being on under the UK leadership, and we have mostly adopted, by practice, European Western culture, have no pretragetory path, we sway like drunks, being overdose with greed and care very little for our neighbors wellbeing, as it is in others countries of this world, so it is in the BVI.
There is a pretragetory path for all humans in place. It is as close to us as the air we breathe.
This is the core principle of preset contribution plan we desperately need to be reviewed: Love God as he loves us, ourselves and our neighbors, included.
Painful political games leads to the destination of regretful shame, sooner or later. The trajectory is already preset.
Happy remainder of this year to all and in the future years to come.
Moreover, Arthur Hodge was a horrible beast, the worst of the worst. He murdered a slave Prosper who let a mango fell to the ground. He had to be a horrible beast, for his fellow white planters, legislative members, etc who served as jurors on his murder case, convicted him and sentenced him to be hanged. It send shockwaves through the slave world, for it was the first time in the institution of slavery that a slave master was charged, convicted and sentenced to be hanged for murdering a slave. He was a beast.
Here is the real deal. Slavery is part and parcel of Virgin Islands [British] history. Nevertheless, most Virgin islanders treat the history and experience of Slavery as a sound bite, yesterday’s news. They are not really in tune with the horrific, dehumanizing,exploitation, rape, abuse, etc of our forebears. Most are onboard with the revising of the history of Slavery. Some may want not to remember, treating slavery as if it never happened, no big deal, but people of African descent should not forget it. We owe it to our forebears who in spite of a forceful rising tide fought back, and more important of all resist. Warriors as Christopher Fleming,?Theodolph Faulkner, Noel Lloyd and countless others come to mind.
Sadly, some of us want to treat the slave experience of our forebears as a passing wave or water under the bridge or spilled cow milk. However, what we are failing to see is that we the descendants of slaves in the Caribbean region/West Indies are still living through and enduring the legacies and pathologies of slavery. The intergenerational legacy of slavery persists.
The territorial flag of the Virgin Islands was adopted on 15 November 1960. The word ‘Vigilate’ on the VI coat of arms means, “Be vigilant.” Some of us try appeasement in dealing with the descendants of Slave masters. That is a behavior and recipe for being reenslaved. . Strive for equality and don’t buy into the social Darwinism crap. Remember ‘Vigilate.’ The Frig…. Out. Happy holidays!!!
And it stands to reason, that many of you, have employees, whose wages are not comparable to the cost of living standards, necessary to live in these islands.
And it stands, also, to reason, that many of you business-owning Virgin Islanders, are quite wealthy enough to pay COMFORTABLE living wages to your staff, and in many cases, do not do it!
Should we say that Virgin Islanders, are, in fact, complicit, and active participants, in the slavery-types of lifestyles, forced on the less than well-to-do employees, that so many of you employ?
AUSAR SAYS, YYEESSS!!!
Moreover, I believed Hodge’s fellow planters and legislative colleagues convicted him because the crime was horrific and beyond the pale that it was a bridge too far even for fellow White planters. That said the man was a brute and beast among brute and beasts. Further, was Arthur Hodge actually buried in the old HMP yard. It is my understand that in that time whites even if they were convicted murderers could not be buried in the same burial space as whites . Imagine that. I read something on line once saying he was buried somewhere else across the harbour. However, I search and search but can’t find it again. Does anyone have any info on this?
TO THIS DAY