This Day In History: February 22nd
The island nation of Saint Lucia is home to a population of more than 180,000 people. After nearly 350 years of French and British colonization, Saint Lucia achieved independence on February 22, 1979. Residents commemorate the day with festivities such as stadium celebrations and annual parades.
Prior to becoming subject to foreign rule, the island was first inhabited by Arawak Indians and then Carib Indians until the 1600s. The natives fought against the colonization, but by the 1650s, the French began establishing settlements on the island.
The French and Caribs signed a treaty in 1660 and the island remained a French territory until it was officially ceded to Britain in 1814 due to the Treaty of Paris. Saint Lucia was considered a crown colony, although it was administered by the governor of Barbados until 1885.
Under British control, more enslaved Africans were brought to the island to work on the sugar cane plantations. However, this came to an end in 1834 when slavery was abolished. With declining sugar cane plantations and a cease on production during the 1960s, the new cash crop became bananas.
From 1871 to 1956, Saint Lucia was a member of the Leeward Islands Federation. After the federation was dissolved, Saint Lucia became a member of the Federation of the West Indies in 1958 and remained a member until 1962. In addition to joining the federation, the island gained a representative government in 1924. In 1936, it was also given a constitution that called for elected representatives to be the majority in the legislative council.
Saint Lucia continued to move towards independence when its residents were granted universal adult suffrage in 1951. The island became fully self-governing on matters of internal affairs in 1967, but external affairs and matters of defense remained subject to British rule. On February 22, 1979, full independence was achieved, with Sir Allan Lewis serving as the first Governor General and the Hon. John G. Compton serving as the first Prime Minister of independent Saint Lucia.
The island remains a member of the Commonwealth. In 2018, Sir Emmanuel Neville Cenac was named Governor General and the Hon. Philip J. Pierre was named Prime Minister in 2021.
