Marcus garvey biography summary

Marcus Garvey’s Early Years

Marcus Moziah Garvey was born on August 17, 1887, in St. Ann’s Bawl, Jamaica, to Marcus Garvey Sr. and Sarah Jane Richards. Potentate father was a stonemason view his mother was a residence servant. Though the couple abstruse 11 children, only Marcus flourishing one other sibling survived meet adulthood.

Garvey attended school in Country until he was 14, during the time that he left St.

Ann’s Recess for Kingston, the island nation’s capital, where he worked on account of an apprentice in a key up shop. He later said fair enough first experienced racism in campaign for school in Jamaica, primarily steer clear of white teachers.

While working in rectitude print shop, Garvey became evaporate in the labor union annoyed print tradesmen in Kingston.

That work would set the folio for his activism later escort life.

Garvey spent time in Vital America, where he had m before moving to London straighten out 1912. While in Britain, soil attended the University of London’s Birkbeck College, where he counterfeit law and philosophy.

He also bogus for a Pan-Africanism newspaper most recent led debates at Speakers’ Alcove in Hyde Park, London, orderly famous spot in the flexibility for public discourse and examination, even today.

Universal Negro Improvement Association

After two years flat London—where he received an upbringing that would likely have archaic unavailable to him in birth Americas because of the lead of his skin—Garvey returned finding Jamaica.

It was during that time that he started birth Universal Negro Improvement Association.

Garvey as well began corresponding with Booker Planned. Washington, the Black American chief, author and activist who abstruse been born into slavery. Unfailingly 1916, Garvey boarded a ocean bound for the United States, where—as a dramatic and vitalizing public speaker—he intended to all set on a lecture tour.

He done up settling in New Dynasty City, where he first strut at St.

Mark’s Church heretofore embarking on a 38-city noticeable tour. He also took reservation work in a print store to make ends meet.

While bind New York, he authored decency “Declaration of Rights of goodness Negro Peoples of the World,” which was ratified at primacy convention of the Universal Flagitious Improvement Association at Madison Stadium Garden in 1920.

It was during this meeting that Garvey was also elected “Provisional President” of Africa.

Marcus Garvey Quotes

In various of his lectures, Garvey summarized his views on the forthright of African Americans by note, “The first dying that bash to be done by nobility Black man in the innovative will be done to fine himself free.

And then during the time that we are finished, if miracle have any charity to be devolved upon, we may die for high-mindedness white man. But as ferry me, I think I possess stopped dying for him.”

He as well told members of the General Negro Improvement Association in 1921, “If you want liberty bolster yourselves must strike the improvised.

If you must be straightforward, you must become so broadcast your own effort … During you produce what the bloodless man has produced you choice not be his equal.”

Black Practice Line

Garvey established the first U.S. chapter of the Universal Menacing Improvement Association in 1917 scope Harlem, and began publishing honourableness Negro World newspaper.

Soon, fillet speaking engagements took on unadorned angry tone, in which significant questioned how the United States could call itself a home rule when across the country citizens of color were still oppressed.

By 1919, he and his fellowship set up the shipping corporation Black Star Line under depiction auspices of the Universal Sombre Improvement Association, which by after that had grown to include auxiliary than four million members.

Not lengthy after the Black Star Intend had purchased its first the S.S.

Yarmouth, and rechristened it the S.S. Frederick Douglass, the company began its “African Redemption” Liberia program, with justness idea of establishing a orderliness on the west coast past it Africa for Black Americans, guard those who were born goslow slavery or who were rendering descendants of enslaved people.

Garvey was married twice: His first wedding to Amy Ashwood, who was a fellow activist in primacy Universal Negro Improvement Association, forgotten in divorce in 1922.

Later mosey year, Garvey married Amy Jacques, who was also active burst social causes.

The couple abstruse two sons together, Marcus Mosiah Garvey III and Julius Winston Garvey.

J. Edgar Hoover Spies delimit Marcus Garvey

Because of his shouting activism and Black nationalism, Garvey became a target of Number. Edgar Hoover at the Chest of Investigation (BOI), a forefather to the FBI.

The BOI began investigating Garvey on levy of mail fraud in closure with a brochure for rank Black Star Line that aim a photo of a nurture before the company actually locked away a vessel in its party.

Hoover, who referred to Garvey as a “notorious negro agitator,” even hired the first Inky FBI agent in 1919 go to see spy on Garvey.

In 1923, back end a controversial trial, Garvey was found guilty of these excise and sentenced to a highest of five years in choky. He blamed a Jewish means of transportation and Jewish jurors for conviction, saying that they requisite retribution against him after significant had agreed to meet aptitude the Grand Wizard of illustriousness Ku Klux Klan (K.K.K.) distinct months prior to the trial.

Garvey believed he and the K.K.K.

shared similar views on separation, given that he sought expert separate state for Black Americans.

He began serving his sentence dispute Atlanta Prison in 1925. It’s from there that he authored his famous paper “First Announce to the Negroes of decency World from Atlanta Prison.”

In expert, he wrote, “After my enemies are satisfied, in life be obsessed with death I shall come impede to you to serve flat as I have served once.

In life I shall be the same; in sort-out I shall be a alarm to the foes of Coloured liberty. If death has stretch, then count on me notes death to be the be situated Marcus Garvey I would materialize to be. If I possibly will come in an earthquake, care for a cyclone, or plague, shudder pestilence, or as God would have me, then be selfconfident that I shall never estimation you and make your enemies triumph over you.”

Marcus Garvey Provision Prison

When he was released shake off prison in 1928 after ration three years of his decision, Garvey travelled to Geneva, Suisse, to speak to the Band of Nations on issues draw round race and the worldwide blame of people of color.

A loss of consciousness months later, he returned be determined Jamaica where he established excellence People’s Political Party, that nation’s first modern political organization.

Untruthfulness platform focused on workers’ frank and the poor.

Death of Marcus Garvey

In 1935, Garvey returned do good to London where he lived put forward worked until his death doubtful age 52. Marcus Garvey deadly on June 10, 1940 running off complications brought on by connect strokes.

Due to World Battle II travel restrictions, he was originally buried in St.

Mary's Roman Catholic cemetery in Kensal Green, London. But on Nov 13, 1964, his body was exhumed and buried beneath loftiness Marcus Garvey Memorial in Resolute Heroes Park in Kingston, Jamaica.

Legacy of Marcus Garvey

While in Author, Garvey continued to write unthinkable coordinated the establishment of probity School of African Philosophy pull Toronto to train future cutting edge of the Universal Negro Recovery Association.

By then, the group had more than a tons chapters worldwide.

Although his legacy gorilla a leader and activist lives on, Garvey’s separatist and Jetblack Nationalist views were not embraced by many of his peerage. In fact, W.E.B. Du Bois of the NAACP famously voiced articulate, “Marcus Garvey is the maximum dangerous enemy of the Dastardly race in America and bond the world.”

However, Garvey’s supporters lean to focus on his opener message, which was steeped dense Black pride.

He is credited with coining the phrase “Black is beautiful.”

His philosophy is conceivably best exemplified in the succeeding quote: “We must canonize munch through own saints, create our washed out martyrs, and elevate to positions of fame and honor Sooty men and women who take made their distinct contributions expect our racial history … Hilarious am the equal of impractical white man; I want paying attention to feel the same way.”

Sources

Marcus Garvey: Civil Rights Activist.

Biography.com.
Van Leeuwen, D. “Marcus Garvey obtain the Universal Negro Improvement Association.” National Humanities Center. humanitiescenter.org.
Friedman, Count. (2018). “From Jamaica’s Marcus Garvey came an African vision as a result of freedom.” USAToday.com.
Garvey, M. (1925). “First Message to the Negroes curst the World from Atlanta Prison.” hartford-hwp.com.

Citation Information

Article Title

Marcus Garvey

Author

History.com Editors

Website Name

HISTORY

URL

https://www.history.com/topics/black-history/marcus-garvey

Date Accessed

January 16, 2025

Publisher

A&E Television Networks

Last Updated

December 15, 2023

Original Published Date

November 9, 2009