Thanksgiving (Grenada)
Thanksgiving in Grenada is observed annually on October 25 and is a public holiday that commemorates the U.S. military intervention in 1983, aimed at removing a government perceived as rogue. This day marks the arrival of American and regional forces that ended a period of political turmoil on the island, which had been tumultuous since its independence from British rule in 1974. The historical context of this holiday traces back to the early European discovery by Christopher Columbus in 1498 and subsequent French and British colonization.
The political landscape of Grenada shifted dramatically with the rise and fall of leaders like Eric M. Gairy and Maurice Bishop, whose government was overtaken by a more radical faction in 1983. The intervention, known as Operation Urgent Fury, was a response to the overthrow of Bishop and the establishment of martial law under Bernard Coard. Following the operation, the 1974 constitution was reinstated, leading to a new political era in Grenada. Thanksgiving serves not only as a remembrance of these historical events but also as an occasion for reflection on the island's journey toward democracy.
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Thanksgiving (Grenada)
Thanksgiving (Grenada)
October 25 of every year is a public holiday in the Caribbean island nation of Grenada, celebrating the arrival on that date in 1983 of forces from the United States and its regional allies to remove a rogue government from power.
The island of Grenada was first sighted by Europeans in 1498 during one of Christopher Columbus's voyages of discovery. Today it has a population of approximately 90,000 people, roughly one-third of whom live in the capital and largest city of St. George. Grenada was first colonized by the French but later came under the control of Great Britain, which remained its sovereign until February 7, 1974, when the island became independent with a constitution providing for a representative government. Eric M. Gairy became the new nation's first leader, but he was deposed in 1979 by Maurice Bishop, and the constitution was suspended.
Bishop was sympathetic toward the nearby communist nation of Cuba and permitted them to establish a military presence, ostensibly to help build an airstrip for commercial aircraft to carry tourists. On October 13, 1983, Bishop was overthrown by an even more radical leader, Bernard Coard, who had Bishop murdered a few days later and ruled by martial law. On October 25, 1983, the United States, supported by the Organization of East Caribbean States, launched a military operation named Urgent Fury which succeeded after a brief struggle. The allied forces withdrew after a short period of occupation, during which the 1974 constitution was restored and Herbert A. Blaize became Grenada's new leader at the head of a coalition political party.