African-American History Month: Marcus Garvey

Marcus Garvey (1887–1940)
Marcus Garvey, born in Jamaica, had his first taste of activism in 1907 when he led an unsuccessful printers' strike. After spending some time in London he grew interested in Black Nationalism and African history.

In 1914 he founded the Universal Negro Improvement Association and in 1916 he moved to New York City, opening a branch in Harlem. The UNIA's mission was "to promote the spirit of race pride." The organization was designed to foster worldwide unity among all blacks. Garvey rejected any notion of integration. Instead, he was convinced that blacks would not secure their rights in countries where they were a counted as a minority race. He encouraged a "back to Africa" movement.

He felt that an autonomous black state could be established in Africa, possessing its own culture and civilization, free from the domination of whites. By the early 1920s Garvey had established himself as the most influential black leader of the time. Through his newspaper Negro World, he gained a huge following.

His popularity decreased greatly when he was convicted of mail fraud in 1925 and was sent to jail. This event was followed by a deportation to Jamaica two years later. His influence waned steadily until his death in 1940.

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