St. Kitts and Nevis National Heroes Day

St. Kitts and Nevis National Heroes Day

September 17Saint Kitts and Nevis is officially called the Federation of Saint Kitts and Nevis. An island nation in the West Indies in the Leeward Islands, it consists of the islands of Saint Kitts, Nevis, and Sombrero. Most of the people on these islands are descendants of Africans who were originally brought to the islands as slaves.
In 1493, Christopher Columbus landed on Saint Kitts and named the island Saint Christopher, after his patron saint. During this same voyage, Columbus also landed on Nevis. It wasn't until 1623 that English colonists began to settle on Saint Christopher's Island. At that time, the English shortened its name to Saint Kitts Island. In 1628, English colonists began to settle on Nevis. For the next 100 years, the British and French formed a rivalry for control over the islands. In 1782, the British took permanent control over the islands.
The islands, along with nearby Anguilla, were united in 1882. They joined the West Indies Federation in 1958 and remained in that association until its dissolution in 1962. Saint Kitts, Nevis, and Anguilla became a self-governing state of the United Kingdom in 1967. Anguilla seceded in 1980, and Saint Kitts and Nevis gained independence on September 19, 1983.
In 1998, the Saint Kitts and Nevis federal Parliament passed the National Honours Act. Through this act, various awards and acknowledgements were established, including a National Heroes Day. On this day, the country honors those who have distinguished themselves for the good of the islands. The first National Heroes Day was celebrated on September 16, 1998. The first National Hero was the late Robert L. Bradshaw, the first Premier of the Associated State of Saint Kitts, Nevis, and Anguilla.
CONTACTS:
St Kitts Tourism Authority
Pelican Mall
Bay Rd.
Basseterre
Saint Kitts and Nevis
www.stkittstourism.kn
Embassy of St. Kitts and Nevis
3216 New Mexico Ave. N.W.
Washington, DC 20016
202-686-2636
www.stkittsnevis.org