On 15 April 1915 David Hamilton Jackson travelled from St. Croix to Denmark. During his three months in the country, he met politicians, the king and the press, and he spoke at public meetings.
Demands for better living conditions
As a representative of the working population of the West Indies, David Hamilton Jackson demanded an improvement of living conditions in the colonies. His demands included the creation of smallholdings, freedom of expression, better housing conditions, an open legal system, an opportunity for further training in Denmark and suffrage for all men over 25 – and that the governor, L. C. Helweg-Larsen, be replaced.
Meeting with minister for finance and an audience with the king
He met with finance minister Edvard Brandes already the day after his arrival, as the colony in the West Indies belonged to Brandes’ area. A week later, on 21 May 1915, David Hamilton Jackson delivered a comprehensive memorandum to the minister. Jackson also wrote a letter to King Christian X, who granted him an audience on 7 June 1915.
Well-received by the press
In general, the Danish press wrote about David Hamilton Jackson in positive and favourable terms, in particular Social-Demokraten and Politiken. There was understanding of the need for reforms in the neglected colony almost everywhere.
Public meetings
David Hamilton Jackson spoke at a handful of public meetings in and outside of Copenhagen. On 2 June 1915 he spoke about ”The social tasks ahead in the Danish West Indies”. It was announced that ”this is the first time a negro has appeared as a speaker at an open-air meeting in this country. Therefore, an enormous number of people will be sure to come”. The meetings attracted a great number of listeners.
Only non-binding commitments
David Hamilton Jackson’s trip to Denmark resulted in him receiving permission to publish a newspaper. Other than that, he only received vague, non-binding promises of reforms from the Danish politicians.
A hero’s welcome at home
Jackson left Copenhagen on 22 July 1915 and sailed to New York, where he spent three weeks and – like in Denmark – collected money for a printing press and general support for the work of agitation in the colony. On 12 September 1915, David Hamilton Jackson returned home to St. Croix, where he was given a hero’s welcome.
