Full Name
Marcus Mosiah Garvey Jr.
Date of Birth
August 17, 1887
Date of Death
June 10, 1940
Place of Birth
Place of Death
London, England
Education
Garvey attended elementary schools in Jamaica and later studied at Birkbeck College, University of London.
Spouses Names
Amy Ashwood Garvey (m. 1919; div. 1922) Amy Jacques Garvey (m. 1922)
Children Names
Marcus Garvey III Julius Winston Garvey
Parents Names
Marcus Mosiah Garvey Sr. Sarah Jane Richards
Popular Relatives Names
No popular relatives found.
Known Affiliates Names
W.E.B. Du Bois Booker T. Washington 1
Affiliated Organizations’ Names
Universal Negro Improvement Association and African Communities League (UNIA-ACL) Black Star Line
Marcus Garvey: A Comprehensive Biography
Marcus Garvey, a pivotal figure in the history of African and African-American liberation movements, left an indelible mark on the 20th century. His life and work spanned continents, ideologies, and the complex interplay of race, colonialism, and identity.
Early Life
Born on August 17, 1887, in St. Ann’s Bay, Jamaica, Marcus Moziah Garvey was the youngest of eleven children. His early life in Jamaica was marked by modest beginnings, with his father working as a stonemason and his mother as a domestic worker. Garvey’s formal education ended at age 14, but he was a voracious reader, utilizing his father’s extensive library to educate himself further[1][10][13].
Universal Negro Improvement Association (UNIA)
In 1914, Garvey founded the Universal Negro Improvement Association (UNIA) in Jamaica. Initially struggling to gain traction locally, Garvey moved to the United States in 1916, where the UNIA flourished, especially in Harlem, New York. The organization aimed at promoting African-American racial pride, economic self-sufficiency, and the establishment of a Black-governed nation in Africa[21][22][28].
The Black Star Line (BSL) was a steamship corporation founded in 1919 by Marcus Garvey, the leader of the Universal Negro Improvement Association (UNIA). Inspired by the British luxury steamship line, the White Star Line, the BSL was part of Garvey’s broader vision for black self-determination and economic independence. It aimed to facilitate the shipment of goods among the African Diaspora and transport emigrants to Africa for the establishment of a black nation-state. Despite its ambitious goals, the BSL was plagued by mismanagement, financial difficulties, and sabotage. The ships, including the Yarmouth (intended to be renamed the Frederick Douglass), the Shadyside, and the Kanawha, encountered numerous problems ranging from mechanical issues to staff misconduct. The BSL’s operations were symbolic of black self-reliance and pride, but no vessel ever reached Africa. The endeavor, while a powerful recruiting tool for the UNIA, ultimately contributed to the organization’s downfall. Garvey’s vision of a global black economy and the symbolic power of the Black Star Line left a lasting legacy, despite the venture’s operational failures[21][23].
Back to Africa Movement
Garvey is perhaps best known for his “Back to Africa” movement, which advocated for the return of the African diaspora to their ancestral lands. This movement was part of a broader Pan-African philosophy that sought to unify and uplift people of African descent worldwide. Despite never visiting Africa himself, Garvey’s vision included the establishment of a Black-governed nation there, free from colonial rule and racial discrimination[3][9].
Later Years and Legacy
Garvey’s influence waned following his 1923 conviction for mail fraud in connection with the Black Star Line, a shipping company he established to facilitate the return to Africa. After serving two years in prison, he was deported to Jamaica in 1927. Garvey continued his political work but never regained his former influence. He moved to London in 1935, where he died on June 10, 1940[1][7].
Garvey’s legacy is complex and multifaceted. He inspired future generations of civil rights activists and leaders within the African diaspora, including Malcolm X and Martin Luther King Jr. His emphasis on racial pride, self-reliance, and the beauty of African heritage has left a lasting impact on the struggle for Black empowerment and identity[12][15][16].
Garvey’s life and work remain a testament to the enduring spirit of resistance and self-determination. His vision of a united African diaspora and a free Africa continues to inspire movements for racial justice and equality across the world.
Videos
Marcus Garvey - Rare 1921 Recording
Marcus Garvey Know Yourself
Speech
Up You Mighty Race: Recollections of Marcus Garvey (1968)
Marcus Garvey speech at ‘The Apollo’ in Harlem, NYC (1930)
Marcus Mosiah Garvey Speaks
Interview
Speech
Excerpt
Speech
Part 1: https://youtu.be/LS0YfU-EaKY
Part 2: https://youtu.be/RLarAqlpuLE
Citations: [1] https://www.britannica.com/biography/Marcus-Garvey [2] https://nationalhumanitiescenter.org/tserve/twenty/tkeyinfo/garvey.htm [3] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Back-to-Africa_movement [4] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marcus_Garvey [5] https://www.pbs.org/wgbh/americanexperience/features/garvey-unia/ [6] https://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistory/comments/m4yzcc/how_popular_and_relevant_was_the_back_to_africa/?rdt=38482 [7] https://www.pbs.org/wgbh/americanexperience/features/garvey-biography/ [8] https://www.britannica.com/topic/Universal-Negro-Improvement-Association [9] https://rediscovering-black-history.blogs.archives.gov/2023/04/28/leader-of-a-movement-during-a-turbulent-time-garvey/ [10] https://www.biography.com/activists/marcus-garvey [11] https://case.edu/ech/articles/u/universal-negro-improvement-assn-unia [12] https://aaregistry.org/story/marcus-garvey-mainstay-of-the-back-to-africa-movement/ [13] https://www.bbc.co.uk/history/historic_figures/garvey_marcus.shtml [14] https://www.archives.gov/nhprc/projects/catalog/marcus-garvey [15] https://www.pbs.org/wgbh/americanexperience/features/garvey-impact/ [16] https://blackhistorystudies.com/resources/resources/25-facts-about-marcus-mosiah-garvey/ [17] https://www.blackpast.org/african-american-history/1922-marcus-garvey-principles-universal-negro-improvement-association/ [18] https://www.marinersmuseum.org/2023/02/the-lost-story-of-the-marcus-garvey-movement-in-newport-news/ [19] https://www.blackpast.org/global-african-history/garvey-marcus-1887-1940/ [20] https://www.international.ucla.edu/asc/mgpp/lifeintr [21] https://shiphistory.org/2020/01/20/the-black-star-line/ [22] https://www.jstor.org/stable/3042340 [23] https://www.blackpast.org/african-american-history/black-star-line-1919-1923/ [24] https://blackfacts.com/fact/about-marcus-garvey-and-the-black-star-line [25] https://www.oxfordreference.com/display/10.1093/oi/authority.20110803095510367?result=7&rskey=uUzsE9 [26] http://maps-legacy.org/poets/a_f/dumas/garveyblackstar.htm [27] https://www.archives.gov/research/african-americans/individuals/marcus-garvey [28] https://www.pbs.org/wgbh/americanexperience/features/garvey-unia/