Marcus Mosiah Garvey Jr was a Jamaican political activist. He was the founder and first President-General of the still operational Universal Negro Improvement Association (UNIA).
Key points & Characteristics
Consider these points when pouring libations or otherwise connecting with this ancestor.
- One of the earliest fathers of pan-Africanism (Pan-Africanism is a general term for various movements in Africa and the diaspora that have as their common goal the unity of Africans and the elimination of colonialism and white supremacy from the continent. It focuses on upliftment.)
- Revolutionary, visionary and action-oriented. In fact, he roused the suspicion of some governments, like the US and Costa Rican governments. They considered him a 'trouble maker'. In fact, the FBI surveilled him and tried to find ways of imprisoning him until they forced the issue, imprisoning him for 3 of a 5-year sentence. Example(s) of his revolutionism.
- He founded a shipping company that owned a ship called the SS Black Star Line. This ship's mission was to repatriate the diaspora to West Africa.
- He was very publicly vocal about pan-Africanism in public speeches and articles, even owning newspapers for this purpose in different countries. He held the first international conference for like-minded black people. Among his messages was the, at the time, novel idea like reparations and trade unionism in support of fair treatment of black workers. These ideas were particularly revolutionary for their time because black people had only recently emerged from slavery and were even far more severely marginalized than today. Consequently, many of his ideas likely seemed hard to conceive and even overly ambitious.
- To continue from the SS Black Starline, which was to make a positive spin on the Trans-Atlantic trade, was entrepreneurial by also including commercial ventures like the restaurant business and laundry services. His vision was to expand a black commercial network. He was already promoting the idea of buying from black-owned businesses.
- He promised that, even in death, he can be counted on to be the Marcus Garvey he aspired to be. Essentially, this is his call to action to others who will step forward to welcome his ancestry. Ancestors had visions that could not be completed in their life time for one reason or other. The baton is therefore passed on.
Symbol ideas you may use on your altar
- Pan-African flag.
- Red: the blood that unites all people of Black African ancestry, and shed for liberation;
- Black: for the people whose existence as a nation, though not a nation-state, is affirmed by the existence of the flag;
- Green: the abundant and vibrant natural wealth of Africa, the Motherland.
Other details about the pan-Africanist Marcus Garvey
- His life spanned from 17 August 1887 to 10 June 1940. He was born in Saint Ann's Bay, Jamaica. However, he traveled widely, living at different points in countries that include his home country of Jamaica, Costa Rica (Limón province), Panama, the US and England.
- He needed to start working at 14 to help his household. To this end and somewhat prophetically, he worked as an apprentice in a printery.
- He died after a series of strokes in 1940. Although initially buried in London, in 1964 his remains were moved to Jamaica.
CONTENT RELATED TO HISTORY TO MEET THE ANCESTOR PAN-AFRICANIST MARCUS GARVEY
- Series: Meet the Ancestors (an introduction to some noteworthy ancestors that include Marcus Garvey, the Kush Kandake Amanirenas, Ken Saro Wiwa and more)
- Working with the ancestors
- Libations
- Setting up an altar
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