marcus garvey wanted to return
african americans to africa to create a
vibrant black nation
empowered through economic independence
although some of his goals were
controversial
his crusade would inspire leaders from
malcolm x to martin luther king and
nelson mandela
garvey was certainly a controversial
figure but the concepts
that we now think of as black
nationalism
and black pride started with garvey's
pronouncements
marcus moziah garvey was born in saint
anne's bay jamaica
on august 17 1887.
beginning as a printer's apprentice at
14 garvey became a union organizer and
later worked various jobs across central
america
marcus garvey found wherever we went
black people of african heritage in
particular were always on the lower
stratification end of society
this had a profound impact on him
particularly
his concern was for the uplift of
african people globally
in 1912 garvey sailed to london england
and took night courses at birkbeck
college
after working for a pan-african
newspaper garvey returned to jamaica
in 1914 and formed the united negro
improvement association
or unia the unia was about black
self-determination
it was about galvanizing the ideas of
black repatriation to
the motherland the continent of africa
and it was
extremely important in terms of getting
black people to understand
self pride pride in one's race inspired
by booker t
washington to raise funds and start his
own school
garvey came to the united states in 1916
and in 1918 began publishing the negro
world newspaper
garvey was extremely outspoken he was
some people would say
almost bombastic he wanted to take over
africa and had elected himself as
president
of africa without consulting the
africans unfortunately
determined to achieve economic
independence for african americans
garvey launched the negros factories
association in 1919
and a shipping company called the black
star line which he planned to use to
transport passengers back to africa
garvey was a great organizer but
unfortunately
not a great businessman during the time
that garvey and the unia
were trying to launch the black star
line
they solicited funds from investors for
stock
options through the mail and this
resulted later on
in allegations of male fraud and garvey
was convicted
and sent to prison after serving five
years in prison
garvey was deported he eventually moved
to london
and in 1938 he supported the greater
liberia act
created by known white supremacist
senator theodore bilbo
from mississippi marcus garvey's
association with senator bilbao
is related more on a practical level
rather than an intellectual like for
each other
marcus garvey's attempt to help africans
in america
leave and go to africa fell in line
with some aspects of kkk philosophy
garvey died in london on june 10th 1940.
he was reinterred in jamaica in 1964
and is hailed as jamaica's first
national hero and the prophet of the
rastafarian religion
although garvey was a flawed leader he's
someone who
is really important to the history of
the black radical tradition
he was probably one of the strongest
voices of black nationalism and history
important notes that stood out and shorten
- Marcus Garvey wanted to return African Americans to Africa to create a vibrant black nation empowered through economic independence.
- He inspired leaders like Malcolm X, Martin Luther King Jr., and Nelson Mandela.
- Garvey was born in Jamaica in 1887 and became a union organizer before founding the United Negro Improvement Association (UNIA) in 1914.
- He believed in black self-determination and repatriation to Africa.
- Garvey launched the Negroes Factories Association and the Black Star Line to achieve economic independence but faced allegations of mail fraud and was convicted and sent to prison.
- After serving five years in prison, Garvey was deported and eventually moved to London.
- He supported the Greater Liberia Act created by white supremacist Senator Theodore Bilbo.
- Marcus Garvey died in 1940 and is considered a national hero in Jamaica and a prophet of the Rastafarian religion.