•HCON 38 IH 
establishment of homesteading to promote agricultural 
production; 
Whereas after the end of prohibition, rum production flour-
ished and continues today, though agricultural efforts 
witnessed a decline; 
Whereas in its place, tourism emerged as a major economic 
driver, experiencing substantial growth in the 1950s and 
1960s along with investment in watch assembly oper-
ations, oil refining, and bauxite processing; 
Whereas the material and cultural heritage, in the music of 
Quelbe, the dance of Quadrille, and in the preserved ar-
chitecture which was engendered during Danish rule has 
manifested under United States rule and has added a dy-
namic addition to the Nation’s story; 
Whereas the people of the Virgin Islands have a shared his-
torical, cultural, and genetic inheritance linking them to 
Africa, Puerto Rico, the wider Caribbean, Denmark, and 
the United States; 
Whereas significant hardships were endured by the enslaved 
Africans during the period of European colonial rule, 
which precipitated the 1733 revolution on St. John, the 
successful 1848 Emancipation Insurrection, signed by 
Danish Governor Peter von Scholten, the 1878 Fireburn 
on St. Croix, and the 1892 Coal Workers’ Strike on St. 
Thomas; 
Whereas by the spirit of resistance, insurrection, and mili-
tancy, enslaved African heroes like General Buddhoe, 
Anna Hegaard, Queens Mary, Agnes, Matilda, ‘‘Bottom 
Belly’’, Coziah, and other leaders, were able to liberate 
themselves and emancipate the African people; 
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•HCON 38 IH 
Whereas Denmark and the United States are two countries 
united by shared values and a strong commitment to 
freedom, democracy, human rights, racial justice, eco-
nomic self-sufficiency, prosperity, free market opportuni-
ties, and should continue to provide for more economic 
and cultural exchanges, trade and investment, and peo-
ple-to-people contacts; 
Whereas these ties continue to be celebrated by a number of 
organizations such as Crucian Heritage and Nature 
Tourism (C.H.A.N.T), the Danish West Indian Society, 
Friends of Denmark, Society of Virgin Islands Histo-
rians, and the Virgin Islands Social History Associates, 
among others; 
Whereas the Governments of Denmark and the United States 
Virgin Islands have had discussions regarding estab-
lishing a memorandum of understanding in reference to 
the sharing and preservation of archival records, historic, 
and prehistoric artifacts; 
Whereas there has been ongoing collaboration between 
schools in the United States Virgin Islands and Denmark 
allowing teachers and students to share, learn, and 
strengthen intercultural understandings of a shared his-
tory through the creation of new and innovative teaching 
materials and a common goal to prepare students for 
global citizenship; 
Whereas by sustainable tourism and student exchanges, 
Danes and Virgin Islanders can become more aware of 
each other’s history and cultures; 
Whereas this multicultural, ethnic, national, and racial herit-
age is an important thread that makes the fabric of all 
involved, it is particularly important to the future sus-
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•HCON 38 IH 
tainable economic development of the United States Vir-
gin Islands; 
Whereas the telling of this portion of the United States story, 
could be further explored and enhanced by a future Na-
tional Heritage Area designation; 
Whereas the talent, energy, and creativity of Virgin Islanders 
have nurtured a vibrant society and nation, embracing 
entrepreneurship, technological advancement, and innova-
tion, and rooted deeply in the respect for education, cul-
ture, and international cooperation; 
Whereas more collaboration should occur that must transcend 
the classroom to educate all Virgin Islanders, all United 
States citizens, and all Danes, well beyond the centennial 
commemoration in 2017 as education is critical to im-
proving relations, understanding, and the healing process; 
Whereas Virgin Islanders and Danish Americans have con-
tributed greatly to the history and development of the 
United States, and the 100th anniversary of this shared 
legacy should be properly recognized; 
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 
States; and 
Whereas 2017 marks the 100th anniversary of the Virgin Is-
lands becoming a part of the United States: Now, there-
fore, be it 
Resolved by the House of Representatives (the Senate 
concurring), That Congress— 
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•HCON 38 IH 
(1) recognizes and celebrates the 100th anniver-
sary of the Virgin Islands becoming a part of the 
United States; 
(2) appreciates the years of strong United 
States-Danish diplomatic relations; 
(3) encourages the Department of the Interior 
to lead the Federal effort to commemorate this cen-
tennial; and 
(4) encourages the Archivist of the United 
States to cooperate with the Governments of Den-
mark and the United States Virgin Islands in 
digitizing the historic records of the Virgin Islands 
in Federal archives and making them directly acces-
sible to the people of the Virgin Islands in secure re-
search facilities located on all three major Virgin Is-
lands. 
Æ 
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