Commemoration of the abolition of slavery — Saint-Martin2026 · Date · History
French Decree no. 2012-553 specifically added Saint-Martin to the territorial abolition-commemoration schedule with 27 May annually; current Labour Code article L3422-2 lists the Saint-Martin commemoration as a public holiday.
About Commemoration of the abolition of slavery — Saint-Martin
Commemoration of the abolition of slavery — Saint-Martin is observed on 27 May in Saint-Martin.
French Labour Code article L3422-2 currently lists 27 May in Saint-Martin as a public holiday for the commemoration of the abolition of slavery.
Why Commemoration of the abolition of slavery — Saint-Martin matters
The observance is a civic remembrance of abolition and of people and communities affected by slavery.
The statutory date should be discussed with historical care: the legal commemoration is distinct from the much longer history of enslavement, resistance, emancipation and memory in the Caribbean.
History of Commemoration of the abolition of slavery — Saint-Martin
France established a territorial abolition-commemoration framework in 1983 for several overseas territories.
Decree no. 2012-553 of 23 April 2012 amended that framework by adding Saint-Martin and fixing its annual commemoration date at 27 May.
Current French Labour Code article L3422-2 lists 27 May in Saint-Martin as a public holiday for the commemoration of the abolition of slavery.
The reviewed legal texts establish the annual date and legal status but do not themselves explain why 27 May was selected for Saint-Martin.
How the observance developed
This timeline uses documented milestones from reviewed sources. Missing stages are left out rather than guessed.
French Government
Decree no. 2012-553 of 23 April 2012 amending Decree no. 83-1003
Current codified law lists 27 May in Saint-Martin as a public holiday for commemoration of the abolition of slavery.
French Republic · Labour Code article L3422-2
What the evidence establishes
Confirmed institutional roles and milestones are shown first. Details that could not be established from the reviewed sources are listed separately below.
6 fields not established in reviewed sources
Later institutional actions
Later recognition, renaming, mergers or date changes are kept separate from original establishment.
Also known as
Abolition Day (Saint Martin)
How to Observe Commemoration of the abolition of slavery — Saint-Martin
Use official, archival and museum sources to learn about slavery, abolition and historical memory in Saint-Martin and the wider Caribbean.
Follow current territorial or government notices for ceremonies and programme details in a particular year.
Center the dignity and experiences of enslaved people and their descendants when discussing the history.
Keep the Saint-Martin statutory date distinct from France’s other national and territorial slavery-remembrance dates.
Avoid filling unresolved local date-selection history with unsourced holiday-calendar claims.
Commemoration of the abolition of slavery — Saint-Martin Facts
Saint-Martin’s annual abolition commemoration is 27 May.
French law treats the territorial commemoration as a public holiday.
A 2012 decree specifically added Saint-Martin to the territorial schedule.
The current Labour Code continues to list 27 May for Saint-Martin.
The reviewed legal sources do not establish a single founder, first completed observance or explicit historical rationale for the selected date.
Topic and context
What this page does not assume
- Keep the source-defined country, community, organizer or institutional scope; do not silently broaden it.
- Do not treat the title alone as proof of government recognition or public-holiday status.
- Do not add a creator, founding story or origin claim unless the supporting evidence establishes it.
- Remembrance Civic Context Care.
Evidence & sources
Sources used across the guide are gathered here. Labels show how each source supports the page, and contextual references are kept separate from primary evidence.
Légifrance — Decree no. 2012-553 of 23 April 2012 (opens in a new tab)
National Decree
Légifrance — Decree no. 83-1003, article 1 (opens in a new tab)
National Decree
Légifrance — Labour Code article L3422-2 (opens in a new tab)
National Statute
Understand it, compare it, then explore further
Start with the most common factual questions, then compare closely related observances and explore useful connections.
Frequently asked questions
When is Commemoration of the abolition of slavery — Saint-Martin?
27 May annually under current French Labour Code The documented recurrence rule is: 27 May.
Does Commemoration of the abolition of slavery — Saint-Martin fall on the same date every year?
Yes. It uses a fixed annual date unless stronger evidence changes the pattern.
Is Commemoration of the abolition of slavery — Saint-Martin an official public holiday?
Within the reviewed scope, it is identified as Saint-Martin / statutory abolition commemoration and public holiday. That status is not automatically extended to other countries or jurisdictions.
Who established or recognizes Commemoration of the abolition of slavery — Saint-Martin?
The reviewed sources identify French Government as the proclaiming or establishing body.
Is Commemoration of the abolition of slavery — Saint-Martin international or country-specific?
This observance is specific to Saint Martin. Its fuller verified scope is: Saint-Martin / statutory abolition commemoration and public holiday.
How is this page verified?
The factual information is checked against reviewed sources, including the date pattern, scope and institutional history. This page was checked on 2026-10-01.
When is the abolition-of-slavery commemoration in Saint-Martin?
It is observed on 27 May.
Is it a public holiday?
Yes. French Labour Code article L3422-2 lists the Saint-Martin commemoration as a public holiday.
When was Saint-Martin specifically added to the legal date schedule?
Decree no. 2012-553 of 23 April 2012 added Saint-Martin and fixed 27 May as its annual date.
Why was 27 May chosen?
The reviewed legal texts fix the date but do not provide enough evidence to state the original local date-selection rationale, so that point remains unresolved.
Other observances on May 27
These observances are also listed on May 27, 2027.
Commemoration of the abolition of slavery — Guadeloupe
French Law no. 83-550 established the territorial abolition-commemoration public-holiday framework, Decree no. 83-1003 fixed 27 May for Guadeloupe, and current Labour Code article L3422-2 p…
Emergency Medicine Day
European Society for Emergency Medicine (EUSEM) and participating emergency-medicine organizations
National Hairstylist Mental Health Awareness Day
Beauty-industry material published on May 27 states that Booksy designated May 27 as National Hairstylist Mental Health Awareness Day; current observance listings attribute the 2021 creatio…