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What is the Virgin Islands Transfer Centennial Commission

In 2014, Gov. John deJongh Jr. announced the names of 14 Virgin Islanders he had appointed to the Centennial Commission, a "special and temporary" commission established for "the purpose of formulating plans and making preparations to commemorate and celebrate the 100th Anniversary of the transfer of the Virgin Islands from Denmark to the United States of America,", in accordance with Act No. 7157, which was enacted in 2010 and amended in January to specify that the Centennial Commission must include six residents of St. Croix, six residents of St. Thomas and three residents of St. John, all to be appointed by the governor.

In addition, the commission is to include the presidents of two Virgin Islands organizations that foster the ongoing relationship between the Virgin Islands and Denmark. The legislation also provides that the president of the Legislature appoint two senators, one from each district.

"The Transfer Day Centennial is an opportunity to showcase the Virgin Islands on a grand scale and help others appreciate the contributions of Virgin Islands to the nation since we became U.S. citizens," deJongh said, adding that his vision of the Centennial celebrations includes “an open dialogue on the struggles that our ancestors overcame to ensure the liberties we enjoy today. Also part of these celebrations must be an exploration of our cultural inheritance from Denmark, the United States and Africa. By understanding our past, I am confident that we can foster a future of greater economic opportunity for all.”

Act No. 7157 established a separate fund within the Treasury of the Virgin Islands to provide resources for the Transfer Day anniversary celebration, which is to commence on or before Aug. 4, 2016, and terminate on Dec. 31, 2017.

WHAT IS TRANSFER DAY

The 31st of March is recognized every year as "Transfer Day" in the United States Virgin Islands. This day commemorates an event that occurred over nine decades ago, when the Danish West Indies were formally ceded to the United States by Denmark; thus, becoming the U.S. Virgin Islands, in exchange for twenty-five million dollars. The United States' interest in the Virgin Islands was primarily for their strategic location, while any economic benefits were secondary. The islands represented a much needed foothold in the Caribbean for the American navy, and later were looked toward as a base to guard the Panama Canal. American negotiations with the Danish government can be characterized as ones of strategic diplomacy. All offers of proposed purchase came on the heels of American military conflicts.

American interest in the Virgin Islands dates back to as early as the mid-1860's. At the eve of the Civil War, budding American imperialism, and the need for a Carribean naval base, prompted Secretary of State William H. Seward to begin to investigate the islands as a possible coaling station for U.S. naval and merchant vessels. On October 24, 1867, after nearly two years of extensive negotiation and a visit to the islands by Seward, himself, the Danish government ratified a treaty, in which Denmark would cede the islands of St. Thomas and St. John to the United States. The price was to be seven and a half million dollars in gold, provided the treaty received the consent of the islands’ population. Unfortunately, within a year the islands were visited by a hurricane, an earthquake, a tsunami and a fire.

By the end of the Spanish American War, Secretary of State John Hay expressed renewed interest in the Virgin Islands to the Danish government. Beginning on January 29, 1900, and over another two years a new treaty was negotiated, in which the Danish government would cede the islands of St. Thomas, St. John and St. Croix to the United States for the sum of five million dollars. The treaty was ratified by the U.S. Congress. However, the Danes returned the thirty year-old diplomatic insult, and neither house of the Danish legislature ratified the treaty.

Subtle efforts to negotiate the purchase of the Virgin Islands by the United States continued after the failure of the Treaty of 1902. However, by 1915 American interest had become heightened by fears of the impending crisis in Europe. The General Board, headed by Admiral Dewey informed Secretary of State Robert Lansing, that the purchase of the islands would not be advantageous as the site of an American naval base in light of the recent acquisition of Puerto Rico, but that the purchase would be wise in order to deter any other power from gaining bases in the Caribbean. Dewey, felt that this tactical defense of the Panama Canal was just politically by the Monroe Doctrine and by increased German efforts to consolidate the islands through commercial, diplomatic or perhaps even military means.

In March of 1916, Secretary Lansing sent a drafted treaty to the Danish Ambassador in Copenhagen Dr. Maurice Egan, offering twenty-five million dollars in gold coins for the islands, with instructions to deliver the proposal to the Danish government. On August 14, 1916, at the Biltmore Hotel in New York City, a revised treaty was signed by Danish Minister Constantin Brun and Secretary of State Lansing. The U.S. Senate approved the treaty on September 7, 1916 and by December 21, 1916 the Danish Rigsdag had approved the treaty as well. Finally, on January 17, 1917 the treaty ratifications were exchanged and the treaty finalized.

The official transfer of the Danish West Indies to the United States did not occur until 4:00 PM on March 31st, 1917, when a formal ceremony was held in the islands. At the State Department a U.S. Treasury Warrant for twenty-five million dollars was given to Danish Minister Brun.

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