Puerto Rico Emancipation Day (Día de la abolición de la esclavitud) is March 22. It commemorates the abolition of human enslavement by the Spanish Parliament on March 22, 1873.
Día de la abolición de la esclavitud
Freedom is a very big deal no matter where you are, but the day has a special meaning for Puerto Ricans. That’s because Puerto Rico was colonized by the evil Christopher Columbus in 1493. After endless struggle, Puerto Rico almost got free, but the Americans came in 1898. That’s why you hear complaints about being the last colony. It’s true.
Puerto Rico Emancipation Day
Like everything regarding slavery, this wasn’t a clean or fair deal.
Slaves had to keep working for their owners for three more years, and owners were compensated 100 pesos for each slave. Can you believe that? The slavers were compensated, but not the enslaved people. Wow!
It’s a national holiday in Puerto Rico.
It’s a shame (on the United States) that Puerto Rico never got free. In a form of poetic justice, Puerto Rican culture dominates American and global youth culture through reggaeton. And ironically, most of that culture originates in Puerto Rico’s African Diaspora ~ Bomba, Plena, Salsa, Reggaeton, Trap. ¡WEPA!