"U.S. Virgin Islands" Jena, Louisiana — 2007

"U.S. Virgin Islands" Jena, Louisiana — 2007

This photograph documents a heart-shaped sign from supporters in the "U.S. Virgin Islands" expressing solidarity with the Jena Six. The message "From St. Croix to St. John U.S.V.I.'s, We Support Jena 6" demonstrates how the movement transcended geographic boundaries, mobilizing diaspora communities and those in U.S. territories.

The heart shape frames support as an emotional and moral commitment rather than purely political calculation. The sign's geographic specificity—naming particular islands within the U.S. Virgin Islands—emphasizes that the Jena Six case resonated across distinct communities sharing historical experiences of colonialism, marginalization, and systemic inequality within American structures.

This documentation of Caribbean American solidarity illustrates how the Jena Six movement functioned as a unifying force across geographically dispersed Black communities. The visibility of U.S. territorial participation challenged narratives that positioned racial justice as solely a mainland concern, asserting instead that systemic racism and state violence operated across American territories. The international or transnational dimension of the protest—bringing together communities from different geographic locations—strengthened the movement's moral authority and demonstrated that demands for accountability transcended regional boundaries. This collective action affirmed shared struggle against institutional racism within the American system broadly conceived.