The horrific history of slavery in the Virgin Islands is well known and universally deplored.  These islands have a proud history of resistance, rebellion, and cultural preservation.  On the island of St Jan, in Coral Bay, the first successful rebellion by enslaved African people in the Caribbean took place in 1733.  In the Virgin Islands we celebrate freedom from colonial repression and enslavement.

So it is with great shock and horror that we find merchants in the Virgin Islands who are today, in the 21st century, still profiting from the spoils of slavery.  In St Thomas artifacts of the trade in enslaved African people are for sale in antiquities shops.  We, the undersigned, believe that the trade in any artifact of institutionalized human suffering should be banned in the US Virgin Islands.  We implore the Governor and the 32nd Legislature of the USVI to enact legislation to this effect.  We also demand that until such legislation is in effect all individuals immediately cease the trade in these artifacts of human suffering.