Observance guideSource-backed

Commemoration of the abolition of slavery — Saint-Barthélemy2026 · Date · History

French Decree no. 2012-553 added Saint-Barthélemy to the territorial abolition-commemoration schedule with 9 October, and current Labour Code article L3422-2 lists that day as a public holiday.

Annual dateReviewed 2026-10-01Sensitive topic

About Commemoration of the abolition of slavery — Saint-Barthélemy

Commemoration of the abolition of slavery — Saint-Barthélemy is observed on 9 October in Saint-Barthélemy.

French Labour Code article L3422-2 lists 9 October in Saint-Barthélemy as a public holiday for the commemoration of the abolition of slavery.

Why Commemoration of the abolition of slavery — Saint-Barthélemy matters

The observance is a civic remembrance of abolition and of the people and communities affected by slavery.

Coverage should remain historically precise and dignified: the legal commemoration is one part of a much longer history of enslavement, resistance, emancipation and memory.

History of Commemoration of the abolition of slavery — Saint-Barthélemy

France’s 1983 abolition-commemoration decree established dates for several overseas territories but did not originally include Saint-Barthélemy.

Decree no. 2012-553 of 23 April 2012 amended the framework and added Saint-Barthélemy with an annual commemoration date of 9 October.

Current French Labour Code article L3422-2 lists 9 October in Saint-Barthélemy as a public holiday for the commemoration of the abolition of slavery.

The reviewed legal texts establish the annual date and public-holiday status but do not, by themselves, explain why 9 October was selected for Saint-Barthélemy; that rationale is therefore left unresolved.

Institutional timeline

How the observance developed

This timeline uses documented milestones from reviewed sources. Missing stages are left out rather than guessed.

  1. Establishment

    French Government

    Decree no. 2012-553 of 23 April 2012 amending Decree no. 83-1003

  2. Recognition

    Current Labour Code treatment lists 9 October in Saint-Barthélemy as a public holiday for the commemoration of the abolition of slavery.

    French Republic · Labour Code article L3422-2

Origins & establishment

What the evidence establishes

Evidence & sources ↓

Confirmed institutional roles and milestones are shown first. Details that could not be established from the reviewed sources are listed separately below.

Proclaiming / establishing bodyFrench GovernmentDecree no. 2012-553, issued by the Prime Minister under the French legal framework, added Saint-Barthélemy to the territorial abolition-commemoration schedule.
Original establishing instrument / decisionDecree no. 2012-553 of 23 April 2012 amending Decree no. 83-1003The 2012 decree specifically added Saint-Barthélemy and fixed its annual commemoration date at 9 October.
Original instrument adoption / decision date23 April 2012The amending decree is dated 23 April 2012.
6 fields not established in reviewed sources
Originator / proposerThe reviewed legal texts do not identify a single individual originator of the Saint-Barthélemy commemoration.
Current facilitator / coordinatorThe legal framework establishes the holiday, but the reviewed sources do not identify one exclusive organizer of all commemorative activity in Saint-Barthélemy.
First observanceThe legal date was established in 2012, but the first actual annual observance after the amendment is not established in the reviewed sources.
Former nameNo verified former recurring statutory name is established.
Former dateNo verified former recurring date for Saint-Barthélemy is established in the reviewed sources.
Why this exact date?The decree fixes 9 October but does not provide a sufficiently explicit historical explanation for choosing that date.

Later institutional actions

Later recognition, renaming, mergers or date changes are kept separate from original establishment.

RecognitionCurrent Labour Code treatment lists 9 October in Saint-Barthélemy as a public holiday for the commemoration of the abolition of slavery.French Republic · Labour Code article L3422-2 · 1 January 2018 (current article effective date)This records current codified status after the 2012 addition without treating the later codification as the origin of the observance.
Source qualityHigh confidence
4 Primary institutional / legal
View all sources ↓
Names

Also known as

Saint Barthélemy: Abolition Day

How to Observe Commemoration of the abolition of slavery — Saint-Barthélemy

01

Use archival, museum and educational resources to learn about slavery, abolition and local historical memory.

02

Attend official or community commemorations where appropriate and follow local guidance for ceremonies.

03

Center the experiences and dignity of enslaved people and their descendants when discussing the history.

04

Distinguish the statutory annual commemoration from broader national remembrance days in France.

05

Check current territorial or government notices for programme details in a particular year.

Commemoration of the abolition of slavery — Saint-Barthélemy Facts

Fact 01

The annual commemoration date in Saint-Barthélemy is 9 October.

Fact 02

French law treats the territorial abolition commemoration as a public holiday.

Fact 03

The current Labour Code specifically lists 9 October for Saint-Barthélemy.

Fact 04

Saint-Barthélemy was added to the date schedule by a 2012 decree.

Fact 05

The reviewed legal sources do not establish a single founder of the remembrance tradition or explain the historical reason for the selected local date.

Classification

Topic and context

Civic, Remembrance & History →
Accuracy notes

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

Evidence & sources

Source policy →

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.

Questions & connections

Understand it, compare it, then explore further

Start with the most common factual questions, then compare closely related observances and explore useful connections.

Reader questions

Frequently asked questions

When is Commemoration of the abolition of slavery — Saint-Barthélemy?

9 October annually The documented recurrence rule is: 9 October.

Does Commemoration of the abolition of slavery — Saint-Barthélemy 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-Barthélemy an official public holiday?

Within the reviewed scope, it is identified as Saint-Barthélemy / 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-Barthélemy?

The reviewed sources identify French Government as the proclaiming or establishing body.

Is Commemoration of the abolition of slavery — Saint-Barthélemy international or country-specific?

This observance is specific to Saint Barthelemy. Its fuller verified scope is: Saint-Barthélemy / 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-Barthélemy?

It is observed on 9 October.

Is it a public holiday?

Yes. French Labour Code article L3422-2 lists the 9 October commemoration in Saint-Barthélemy as a public holiday.

What does the day commemorate?

It commemorates the abolition of slavery, within a territorial remembrance framework established by French law.

Why was 9 October chosen?

The reviewed legal texts fix that date but do not themselves provide enough evidence to state the original date-selection rationale, so this guide leaves that point unresolved.

Explore further

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