Jamaica celebrates birthday of National Hero Marcus Garvey

Jamaica and the diaspora are commemorating the birthday of its first National Hero, Marcus Mosiah Garvey, a visionary leader whose activism and teachings profoundly shaped the Pan-African movement and championed empowerment for the black community.

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In an Instagram post, Prime Minister Andrew Holness praised Garvey’s lasting impact, saying, “His teachings and actions ignited a powerful sense of self-worth and cultural pride, motivating countless individuals to embrace their roots and face challenges with resilience.” He added, “As we commemorate Marcus Garvey’s life and his contributions, let us recommit ourselves to upholding his ideals of unity, heritage, and self-reliance.”

Born on August 17, 1887, in St. Ann, Jamaica, Garvey founded the Universal Negro Improvement Association (UNIA) and advocated for economic independence, education, and the global unification of people of African descent. His call for black empowerment and pride resonated far beyond Jamaica, inspiring the Pan-African movement and influencing civil rights leaders around the world.

Garvey’s vision also included the establishment of the Black Star Line, a shipping enterprise aimed at fostering trade and connection between Africans globally. Despite facing political and legal challenges, his message of self-determination and resilience continues to inspire generations both in Jamaica and throughout the diaspora.

In January, Garvey received a posthumous pardon from former U.S. President Joe Biden, announced on the final day of Biden’s presidency. The pardon corrects the injustice of Garvey’s 1923 conviction for mail fraud, widely regarded as politically motivated and marred by prosecutorial misconduct.

Garvey was convicted for allegedly fraudulently advertising shares in his Black Star Line company and sentenced to five years in prison. While President Calvin Coolidge commuted his sentence in 1927, Garvey was immediately deported to Jamaica, where he spent the rest of his life advocating for the Black community and Pan-Africanism until his death in 1940.

In his statement, President Biden emphasized Garvey’s global impact, noting that Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. described him as “the first man of color in the history of the United States to lead and develop a mass movement.” The pardon acknowledges Garvey’s enduring legacy and seeks to restore his reputation, which had been tarnished by the unjust conviction.

Holness encouraged Jamaicans to reflect on Garvey’s life and teachings, stressing that his principles of unity, cultural pride, and self-reliance remain as relevant today as they were during his lifetime.