Marcus Mosiah Garvey
Marcus Garvey, the last of eleven children, was born in St. Ann's Bay on August 17, 1887. He is said to have been a descendant of the Maroons.
In his youth, Garvey moved to Kingston where he worked at the Government Printing Office. He resigned this job in 1910 to publish a small paper called 'The Watchman'. This was regarded as the turning point in his career.
In 1914, he started the United Negro Improvement Association (UNIA). The UNIA encouraged self government for black people worldwide, self help, economic projects, protest against racial discrimination, and cultural activities.
In 1916, Garvey went to United States where he preached his doctrine of freedom to the oppressed blacks. He visited thirty-eight (38) states in one year and in a few months there were more than thirty branches of the UNIA across the United States. Other branches existed in Africa and the West Indies.
By 1921 he was the leader of the largest black organization in history, which at its highest had 6 to 11 million followers. At that time there were 859 branches of the UNIA in over 30 countries.
Between 1922 and 1927, Garvey's life had taken a turn. In 1922 he ran into financial difficulties and was charged with fraud. He denied the charges but was found guilty and fined $1000 and sentenced to five years in jail. During his incarceration, his wife, Amy Jacques, worked for him, continuing the work of the UNIA. In 1925 Garvey appealed the verdict but it was dismissed. Imprisoned in Atlanta, he spent nearly three years and was subssequently deported to Jamaica.
Back in Jamaica, he continued to hold public meetings and other cultural activities in Edelweiss Park. But changes did not come easily and so he left for England in1935. There, he remained active until January 1940 when he suffered a stroke. After suffering a second stroke he died in June 1940. He was embalmed and buried in Kendal Green Cemetery, London. In 1964 his body was exhumed, brought home to Jamaica, and reburied in the National Heroes Park.
Marcus Mosiah Garvey, Jamaica's first National Hero, has been recognised as the first black man to awaken the dignity of the black race in Jamaica, North America and Africa.
