,,iv #aacth ,,congress #ast ,session ,h4 ,,con4 ,,res4 #ch ,,in ,,the ,,house ,,of ,,representatives ,may #bb1 #bjac ,mrs4 ,christensen submitted the following concurrent resolution2 which was referred to the ,committee on ,natural ,resources1 and in addition to the ,committee on ,foreign ,affairs1 for a period to be subsequently determined by the ,speaker1 in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned ,,concurrent ,,resolution ,recognizing and celebrating the #ajjth anniversary of the ,virgin ,islands becoming a part of the ,united ,states4 ,whereas on ,march #ca1 #bjag1 the ,united ,states ,virgin ,islands will celebrate #ajj years of being a part of the ,united ,states family1 having been purchased from ,denmark for #be1jjj1jjj for strategic reasons1 one of which was the defense of the ,panama ,canal2 ,whereas the ,united ,states ,virgin ,islands will use this anniversary to commemorate its history1 culture1 and diversity2 ,whereas one of the earliest historical accounts of the ,virgin ,islands begins with its aboriginal inhabitants on ,st4 ,croix who engaged ,christopher ,columbus on his second voyage to the ,new ,world in #adic2 ,whereas the #c largest ,virgin ,islands1 particularly ,st4 ,croix1 were ruled by #g flags over the #ejj-year history2 ,whereas ,denmark began acquiring the islands that were to become known as the ,danish ,west ,indies with the founding of its first permanent colony on the island of ,st4 ,thomas in #affe1 to be followed by the island of ,st4 ,john in #agag1 and the island of ,st4 ,croix in #agcc2 ,whereas in a #bej-year span of history1 ,denmark colonized the #c islands as a part of the sugar trade which included participation in the ,transatlantic ,slave ,trade and a plantation-based system which continued until the #ahdh slave rebellion and emancipation2 ,whereas the decline of the sugar industry in the ,virgin ,islands led to ,denmark seeking a buyer for the ,danish ,west ,indies2 ,whereas the ,united ,states seeking a strategic base to protect its assets in the ,caribbean1 to include the newly built ,panama ,canal1 purchased the ,danish ,west ,indies for #be1jjj1jjj in gold1 through the ,treaty of ,cession of #aiag1 which confirmed that the civil rights and political status of the inhabitants of the islands would be determined by the ,united ,states ,congress2 ,whereas the transfer of the ,danish ,west ,indies to the ,united ,states took place on ,march #ca1 #aiag1 with ceremonies on ,st4 ,thomas and ,st4 ,croix and this ceremony is commemorated yearly in the now ,united ,states ,virgin ,islands as ,transfer ,day2 ,whereas the people of the ,united ,states ,virgin ,islands are descendants of the ,european colonizers1 the enslaved ,africans1 the aboriginal inhabitants1 and people from all over the world1 most notably1 ,puerto ,rico1 the wider ,caribbean1 ,south ,america1 and the ,united ,states2 ,whereas the ,virgin ,islands history with the ,united ,states began as early as the ,american ,revolution when ,st4 ,croix-bred ,alexander ,hamilton rose to become one of the leaders of the revolution and the first ,secretary of the ,treasury of the ,united ,states2 ,whereas ,st4 ,croix plantation owner ,abraham ,markoe was a financier of the ,american ,revolution1 and designed the ,philadelphia ,light ,horse ,calvary's flag1 which may have served as the pattern for the #ac stripes in the present ,american flag2 ,whereas the ,danish ,fort in ,frederiksted was the first military institution to salute the new ,united ,states colors1 recognizing the independence of the #ac former ,british colonies2 ,whereas since the ,transfer in #aiag1 the people of the ,united ,states ,virgin ,islands1 have made significant contributions to the ,united ,states1 including-- 7#a7 ,alonzo ,g4 ,moron1 ,president of ,hampton ,university from #aidi to #aiei2 7#b7 ,alton ,a4 ,adams1 musician and first ,black bandmaster of the ,united ,states ,navy2 7#c7 ,arthur ,a4 ,schomburg1 bibliophile1 historian1 curator1 and activist who researched and raised awareness of the great contributions that ,african-,latin ,americans and ,african-,americans have made to society1 was known as the ,father of ,black ,history1 and his collection of literature and art is now part of the ,schomburg ,center for ,research in ,black ,culture at the ,new ,york ,public ,library in ,harlem2 7#d7 ,ashley ,l4 ,totten1 organizer and officer of the ,brotherhood of ,sleeping ,car ,porters and the leader of the ,american ,virgin ,islands ,civic and ,industrial ,association of ,new ,york2 7#e7 ,camille ,pissaro1 artist1 french impressionist painter1 born on ,st4 ,thomas of ,jewish linage where a royal ordinance made public in ,denmark in #ahad1 protected and liberated ,jews2 7#f7 ,casper ,holstein1 humanitarian and philanthropist1 dedicated his efforts to advocating for improving the standard of living for ,virgin ,islanders and a greater degree of self-government to the islands2 7#g7 ,claude ,a4 ,bennie ,benjamin1 musician1 composer1 and entertainer who composed musical themes for several ,walt ,disney movies2 7#h7 ,edward ,wilmot ,blyden1 intellectual1 educator1 linguist1 clergyman1 author1 statesman1 college president and father of ,pan-,africanism2 7#i7 ,honorable ,melvin ,h4 ,evans1 first elected ,governor of the ,united ,states ,virgin ,islands and ,ambassador to ,trinidad ,tobago2 7#aj7 ,honorable ,ron de ,lugo1 first ,delegate to ,congress of the ,united ,states ,virgin ,islands1 served #dj years in public service1 locally and nationally1 fought to increase the rights and privileges for territorial delegates1 while working for the full political status of the ,virgin ,islands1 and served as the chairman of the subcommittee on ,insular and ,international ,affairs2 7#aa7 ,honorable ,terence ,a4 ,todman1 career ,ambassador served the ,united ,states across the globe for almost #ej years and has received the ,presidential ,distinguished ,service ,award1 the ,national ,public ,service ,award1 the ,department of ,state's ,superior ,service ,honor ,award1 ,director ,general's ,cup1 and the ,secretary of ,state's ,distinguished ,service ,award1 in addition being decorated by the ,governments of ,argentina1 ,denmark1 ,spain1 ,chad1 and the ,united ,states ,virgin ,islands2 7#ab7 ,hubert ,h4 ,harrison1 writer1 teacher orator1 editor1 labor leader1 and ,renaissance ,man2 7#ac7 ,j4 ,raymond ,jones1 politician1 power broker1 and ,tammany ,hall ,chief2 7#ad7 ,morris ,simmonds1 studied in ,germany at the universities at ,turbingen1 ,leipzig1 ,munster1 and ,kiel1 received his medical degree1 specialized in pathology1 and after his death1 had a disease of the pituitary gland1 ,simmonds ,disease1 named after him2 7#ae7 ,nella ,larsen1 one of the most influential novelists of the ,harlem ,renaissance2 7#af7 ,sosthenese ,behn1 soldier1 industrialist1 business innovator1 and founder of the ,international ,telephone and ,telegraph ,company2 and 7#ag7 ,william ,leidesdorff1 free ,black from ,st4 ,croix1 sea captain1 merchant1 trader1 land owner1 civic leader1 early ,california pioneer1 and regarded as the first ,black millionaire in the ,united ,states2 ,whereas ,virgin ,islanders such as ,calvin ,pickering1 ,elrod ,hendricks1 ,emile ,griffith1 ,horace ,clarke1 ,joe ,christopher1 ,julian ,jackson1 ,kelsey ,grammer1 ,kevin ,krigger1 ,midre ,cummings1 ,raja ,bell1 ,saba ,johnson1 ,tim ,duncan1 ,united ,states ,diplomat ,ullmont ,l4 ,james1 ,sr41 ,victor ,lebron1 and others have made substantial contributions to government1 sports1 and the arts in the ,united ,states2 ,whereas the mission for self-determination and constitutional reform continues today2 ,whereas between #aibd and #aibg1 several proposed bills for constitutional reform were discussed by congressional committees on insular affairs1 though immediate action didn't manifest until the creation of the first ,organic ,act of #aicf and then subsequently with the ,revised ,organic ,act of #aied2 ,whereas the ,organic ,act of #aicf passed as a result of efforts by ,david ,hamilton ,jackson and ,rothschild ,francis1 along with others including ,casper ,holstein and ,ashley ,totten1 allowing for increased self-government1 both this and the ,revised ,organic ,act of #aied intended to promote the growing political consciousness of ,virgin ,islanders and to achieve greater economy and efficiency of government1 providing the legal base for the political and administrative re-organization of the ,virgin ,islands2 ,whereas this was furthered strengthened report of the #aifd to #aife ,constitutional ,convention ,report which recommended an elective governor and lieutenant governor1 the continuation of existing representation1 a ,resident ,commissioner or delegate to the ,united ,states ,house of ,representatives1 and the right of ,virgin ,islanders to vote in national elections for the ,president and ,vice ,president of the ,united ,states2 ,whereas while efforts in governance continued to evolve over the course of history1 it is also important to document social and economic reforms as well2 ,whereas after the transfer1 the ,virgin ,islands were administered by the ,united ,states ,navy and with it came an improved system of social services and higher paying jobs associated with military buildup1 and later the civil administration sought to develop the economy through the establishment of homesteading to promote agricultural production2 ,whereas after the end of prohibition1 rum production flourished and continues today1 though agricultural efforts witnessed a decline2 ,whereas in its place1 tourism emerged as a major economic driver1 experiencing substantial growth in the #aiejs and #aifjs along with investment in watch assembly operations1 oil refining1 and bauxite processing2 ,whereas the material and cultural heritage1 in the music of ,quelbe1 the dance of ,quadrille1 and in the preserved architecture which was engendered during ,danish rule has manifested under ,united ,states rule and has added a dynamic addition to the ,nation's story2 ,whereas the people of the ,virgin ,islands have a shared historical1 cultural1 and genetic inheritance linking them to ,africa1 ,puerto ,rico1 the wider ,caribbean1 ,denmark1 and the ,united ,states2 ,whereas significant hardships were endured by the enslaved ,africans during the period of ,european colonial rule1 which precipitated the #agcc revolution on ,st4 ,john1 the successful #ahdh ,emancipation ,insurrection1 signed by ,danish ,governor ,peter von ,scholten1 the #ahgh ,fireburn on ,st4 ,croix1 and the #ahib ,coal ,workers' ,strike on ,st4 ,thomas2 ,whereas by the spirit of resistance1 insurrection1 and militancy1 enslaved ,african heroes like ,general ,buddhoe1 ,anna ,hegaard1 ,queens ,mary1 ,agnes1 ,matilda1 ,bottom ,belly1 ,coziah1 and other leaders1 were able to liberate themselves and emancipate the ,african people2 ,whereas ,denmark and the ,united ,states are two countries united by shared values and a strong commitment to freedom1 democracy1 human rights1 racial justice1 economic self-sufficiency1 prosperity1 free market opportunities1 and should continue to provide for more economic and cultural exchanges1 trade and investment1 and people-to-people contacts2 ,whereas these ties continue to be celebrated by a number of organizations such as ,crucian ,heritage and ,nature ,tourism 7,c4,h4,a4,n4,t71 the ,danish ,west ,indian ,society1 ,friends of ,denmark1 ,society of ,virgin ,islands ,historians1 and the ,virgin ,islands ,social ,history ,associates1 among others2 ,whereas the ,governments of ,denmark and the ,united ,states ,virgin ,islands have had discussions regarding establishing a memorandum of understanding in reference to the sharing and preservation of archival records1 historic1 and prehistoric artifacts2 ,whereas there has been ongoing collaboration between schools in the ,united ,states ,virgin ,islands and ,denmark allowing teachers and students to share1 learn1 and strengthen intercultural understandings of a shared history through the creation of new and innovative teaching materials and a common goal to prepare students for global citizenship2 ,whereas by sustainable tourism and student exchanges1 ,danes and ,virgin ,islanders can become more aware of each other's history and cultures2 ,whereas this multicultural1 ethnic1 national1 and racial heritage is an important thread that makes the fabric of all involved1 it is particularly important to the future sustainable economic development of the ,united ,states ,virgin ,islands2 ,whereas the telling of this portion of the ,united ,states story1 could be further explored and enhanced by a future ,national ,heritage ,area designation2 ,whereas the talent1 energy1 and creativity of ,virgin ,islanders have nurtured a vibrant society and nation1 embracing entrepreneurship1 technological advancement1 and innovation1 and rooted deeply in the respect for education1 culture1 and international cooperation2 ,whereas more collaboration should occur that must transcend the classroom to educate all ,virgin ,islanders1 all ,united ,states citizens1 and all ,danes1 well beyond the centennial commemoration in #bjag as education is critical to improving relations1 understanding1 and the healing process2 ,whereas ,virgin ,islanders and ,danish ,americans have contributed greatly to the history and development of the ,united ,states1 and the #ajjth anniversary of this shared legacy should be properly recognized2 ,whereas ,virgin ,islanders have served the ,united ,states in every war and conflict since the ,revolutionary ,war and have contributed to every facet of life in the ,united ,states2 and ,whereas #bjag marks the #ajjth anniversary of the ,virgin ,islands becoming a part of the ,united ,states3 ,now1 therefore1 be it ,that ,congress-- 7#a7 recognizes and celebrates the #ajjth anniversary of the ,virgin ,islands becoming a part of the ,united ,states2 7#b7 appreciates the years of strong ,united ,states-,danish diplomatic relations2 7#c7 encourages the ,department of the ,interior to lead the ,federal effort to commemorate this centennial2 and 7#d7 encourages the ,archivist of the ,united ,states to cooperate with the ,governments of ,denmark and the ,united ,states ,virgin ,islands in digitizing the historic records of the ,virgin ,islands in ,federal archives and making them directly accessible to the people of the ,virgin ,islands in secure research facilities located on all three major ,virgin ,islands4