Acts of Resistance Against Slavery

Resisting enslavement in the Virgin Islands

Imagine wanting freedom so badly, that you would die for it.

Virgin Islands history tells of Queen Breffu, one of the leaders of the 1733 St. John African Revolution, who dressed like a man to disguise her identity, and joined others in sparking a revolution against their enslavers.

Forced to withstand inhumane plantation labor conditions and laws under Denmark’s rule, these proud members of the Akwamu nation of modern-day Ghana with royal lineage devised a plan to reclaim their sovereignty. They took over the fort and captured the island of St. John for six months, before the Danish sought military reinforcements from several nations to regain control.

Rather than be re-enslaved, Breffu, along with over 20 freedom fighters enacted ritual suicide in one of the earliest records of resistance in the Western hemisphere.

The desire for liberty became a steady drumbeat throughout the territory’s history. In 1848 on St. Croix, Moses Gottlieb and others led thousands of enslaved to march to Frederiksted Fort and provided an ultimatum — freedom, or fire would be set to the plantations. Under duress, Governor Peter von Scholten, who preferred a gradual transition to emancipation, had little choice but to meet their demands on July 3rd declaring: “All unfree in the Danish West Indies are from today free.”

The Queens of St. Croix

Or, we recall the 1878 Fireburn, a labor revolt on Oct. 1, where, at least four women, Mary Thomas, Mathilda McBean, Axelline Solomon, and Susannah Abrahmson, tired of the restrictive labor codes placed upon them, gained the title of Queen for sparking change on St. Croix.

Despite being freed thirty years earlier, workers were forced into signing a contract every year that kept them tied to the plantations. The women along with several others burned down plantations in Frederiksted, were sent to prison in Denmark, and returned to the island to serve out life sentences of hard labor, but their actions laid a foundation for how to stand up for their rights.

The Coal Workers of St. Thomas

By 1892, when coal workers on St. Thomas protested in the streets for fair pay, the legacy of resistance set before by the people of these islands had been well tested. Led by Clothilde “Queen Coziah” Simonet, hundreds of coal carriers rose up against payment in devalued currency and marched to seats of power across downtown St. Thomas.

The Coal Workers’ Strike of 1892 stands as a powerful reminder of the quiet strength and unity our ancestors showed in the face of injustice. Their strategic act of resistance proved the power of collective action in demanding fair treatment. Honoring their story today is vital—it keeps their indomitable spirit alive within us and reminds us to stand firm in the face of adversity.

Photographic postcard depicting coal workers in St. Thomas crossing a gangplank with baskets of coal, 20th century, E17329

Reflecting on sacrifices like these helps to ground younger generations in understanding their ancestors and themselves, wards off indifference, and inspires communities to push for equality and fairness in their lives.

Dollar fo’ Dollar

For the past 20 years, the Dollar fo’ Dollar Culture and History Tour has paid homage to these brave workers by giving voice to their struggles and triumphs. Each annual tour invites participants to walk in their footsteps, reflect on the past, and carry those lessons forward.

Dollar fo’ Dollar is a non-profit organisation that started in 2016. We organise this annual commemoration in honor of the coal workers of the Virgin Islands. The group is pleased for the opportunity to share these stories with a worldwide audience through its collaboration with The Postal Museum on the Voices of Resistance exhibition.

This year’s Dollar fo’ Dollar commemoration includes a harbor tour scheduled for Sunday, November 9, 2025 between 11 am and 2 pm. Sites relevant to the coal workers will be pointed out from the water, including the old Police Office, Government Hill, old steamship offices, and Hassel Island. A mix of culture bearers and visual displays will highlight the tour’s 20th anniversary as participants enjoy scenic views of Charlotte Amalie, St. Thomas, Virgin Islands.

“Heavy is the Head”

By Dollar fo’ Dollar co-founder, inspired by the coal workers of St. Thomas.

They rose with the sun on St. Thomas Harbor,
Conch shell blows to signal it’s time.
Time to get up and move…time to plan, time to gather..
Gathering coal-black baskets to meet the ships,
With the sweat of their brow, they were paid in coins that crumbled.

Heavy is the head that carried the Coal…
Eighty, ninety pounds upon their heads,
Balanced with grace across a single, swaying plank,
Over water that waited like death—
Silent, cold, and deep.

These were women—strong, unsung—
Who bore the weight of
Step by step, ship by ship,
For just one cent a basket.
Heavy is the head that carried the coal…
The harbor knew their rhythm:
Back bent, basket lifted,
Step sure, lungs tight,
Dust clinging to their breath,
Coal burning slow within their chests.
They were told this was their place—
To carry, to cough, to serve.
But inside them stirred a rhythm older than the sea.
Their ancestors gave them the vision to see that they deserved so much more.
With the heartbeat of the drum,
And the bamboula as their signal,
Their dance became their message,
Feet striking earth in silent code—
Every hip shake, every call and response of resistance was wrapped in rhythm,
Rebellion stitched in song with divine purpose.
And when the time came, they rose
With Queen Coziah at the front,
Shoulders squared, voices strong,
They walked off the planks
And into history
Heavy is the head that carried the coal.
Heavy are the choices we have to make when our backs are against the wall
Two hundred deep, they marched,
Their cry not of desperation,
But of justice:
Dollar for Dollar!

Not cents that vanish in market wind,
But silver worth their sweat.
Danish coin for Danish labor.
Equal pay for equal pain.

The steamships paused.
The city watched.
And for once, the women and men were seen. They were heard….

They did not win everything,
But they won something—
Wages raised,
Voices heard,
A footstep carved into the future.

And still, we dance.
Still, we drum.
Still, we say:
Dollar for Dollar.
Not just a slogan,
But a promise made in coal and courage,
A legacy born on a harbor’s edge.
Heavy is the head indeed because we push on in spite of it all.