Fireburn

Fireburn We passionately honor the proud Virgin Islands’ heritage and celebrate its unique culture. 🇻🇮🔥❤️

01/01/2026
May our beautiful, gentle, talented and loving sister, Elisa McKay, rest in peace. We were blessed to have met her!
15/12/2025

May our beautiful, gentle, talented and loving sister, Elisa McKay, rest in peace. We were blessed to have met her!

This February and March - Black History and V.I. History months - the Source is proud to profile and celebrate Virgin Islands culture bearers, filmmakers, jo...

Today is Contract Day, marking the 1878 Fireburn in St. Croix. On this day, Queen Mary Thomas and other courageous men a...
01/10/2025

Today is Contract Day, marking the 1878 Fireburn in St. Croix. On this day, Queen Mary Thomas and other courageous men and women rose up against oppressive labor contracts, sparking the largest labor revolution in Danish colonial history. Their courage reminds us that freedom, justice, and dignity are worth fighting for.

May we carry their legacy forward in how we live and lead today. ✨🇻🇮

09/09/2025
Blessed Emancipation Day to the US Virgin Islands. This page comes out of the student illustrated book - Island Alphabet...
03/07/2025

Blessed Emancipation Day to the US Virgin Islands. This page comes out of the student illustrated book - Island Alphabet: Discovering the Virgin Islands Letter by Letter.

09/04/2025

🎉 Phase 2 of the Island Alphabet Project 📚✨

We’re thrilled to share the highlights from Phase 2 of Island Alphabet: Discovering the Virgin Islands Letter by Letter—a vibrant ABC book created in partnership with third-grade students from Claude O. Markoe, Alfredo Andrews, and Ricardo Richards Elementary Schools.

In this phase, students were celebrated with a joyful pizza party and received their very own copies of the book—along with bookmarks, t-shirts, and water bottles to honor their contributions! 📖🎨🍕

Thanks to generous funding from CFVI (with support from NEH and the Resist Foundation), we will also distribute copies of the book to every public elementary school library and Little Free Library throughout the U.S. Virgin Islands. 🇻🇮

This project is a beautiful example of what can happen when culture, creativity, and community come together. 💛

📍 Watch the recap video and see the magic for yourself!
📕 Want your own copy of the book? Order here:
👉 www.fireburnheritage.org/products or in person at Museum Center for the Arts

We’re thrilled to announce that we have an official Instagram page dedicated to our journey of bringing the Fireburn to ...
09/12/2024

We’re thrilled to announce that we have an official Instagram page dedicated to our journey of bringing the Fireburn to life as a feature film! 🎥✨ Follow us at for updates, behind-the-scenes content, and news as we work toward sharing this powerful story with the world. 🇻🇮🔥🇻🇮

A HUGE thank you to the incredibly talented Nugent for creating this stunning poster. 🔥 His work perfectly captures the resilience and courage of those who lived through The Fireburn. Your artistry is helping us honor this history and share it in a truly impactful way. 🎨💡

Join us on this exciting journey by following our page and helping us spread the word. Together, we can keep the spirit of the Fireburn alive and bring this pivotal story to the big screen!

07/12/2024

🔥 Exciting News! 🔥

We’re thrilled to announce that we have an official Instagram page dedicated to our journey of bringing the Fireburn to life as a feature film! 🎥✨ Follow us at for updates, behind-the-scenes content, and news as we work toward sharing this powerful story with the world. 🇻🇮🔥🇻🇮

A HUGE thank you to the incredibly talented Brad Nugent for creating this stunning poster. 🔥 His work perfectly captures the resilience and courage of those who lived through The Fireburn. Your artistry is helping us honor this history and share it in a truly impactful way. 🎨💡

Join us on this exciting journey by following our page and helping us spread the word. Together, we can keep the spirit of the Fireburn alive and bring this pivotal story to the big screen!

https://youtu.be/BwLW4-t8Ps8View the Recap by clicking on the link!
29/11/2024

https://youtu.be/BwLW4-t8Ps8
View the Recap by clicking on the link!

In this video, we’re sharing an exciting recap of the first phase of the Virgin Islands Cultural Literacy Initiative, a project that started with my selectio...

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USVI St. Croix Commemoration of 1878 Labor Revolt Inspires Release of Fireburn The Screenplay

St. Croix local residents and visitors of all ages recently commemorated the yearly observance of the 1878 “Fireburn,” a violent labor revolt that forever changed the economy, culture, and life of current-day US Virgin Islands. Those in attendance were challenged to answer the question, “Why was there a violent uprising on October 1, 1878, 30 years after slavery had been abolished?’”

Angela Golden Bryan’sFireburn The Screenplay: A story of passion ignited, based on the history of St. Croix is a historical fiction set in post-emancipation Danish West Indies that seeks to answer this question. It is written in a refreshing screenplay format and weaves a tale of passion, purpose, and revenge, giving a glimpse into the unfair and oppressive working conditions that prompted four women to rally other laborers and say, “No more!” Bryan was inspired to write about the Fireburn because she grew up hearing tales about her great-great grandmother Moriah’s participation in the event. “This is Caribbean history, but it is also my family’s history,” said Bryan. “It represents my passion to encourage others to embrace their dreams, connect with others, and just go for it.”

The Honorable Myron D. Jackson, Senate President, 32ndLegislature of the Virgin Islands, St. Thomas, USVI, said, “The desperate cry of Fireburn resonates with any person or people whose freedom, creativity, authenticity, or passion has been squelched by others... it encourages the reader to go back and fetch universal lessons learned, helping create an even better future for all.”

Because Fireburn The Screenplaydepicts a true and significant event in a condensed and entertaining manner, Dr. Gloria Ayot, author and former educator on St. Croix, endorses Bryan’s Fireburnas a tool for educating individuals on this era of St. Croix’s rich history. “Bryan’s vivid descriptions, humor, and historical references make this a must-read for young and old alike,” she said. “I recommend this book to teachers as well as individuals who would like to know more about the culture and history of the Virgin Islands.”