Marcus Mosiah Garvey Jr. was a prominent political leader and championed civil rights. Born on 17th August 1887 in Jamaica, Marcus Garvey became an entrepreneur, a political activist and was known for his oratorical skills. Having experienced humiliating treatment meted out by his white friends during his teens, Garvey became sensitized about the plight of racially discriminated ethnicities.
Marcus Garvey Major Accomplishments
1. Vocal Against Racism
When he was the editor of La Nacionale in Costa Rica, he would write about the unequal wages, the harsh treatments meted out to black people and about various facets of racism.
2. Established the UNIA
After brief stints across Central America and London, Garvey established the Universal Negro Improvement Association in Jamaica. As the founded of UNIA, he traveled to the United States to raise funds. After delivering a speech and raising some funds for a school back in his hometown, he met black leaders in the United States.
3. Started the Harlem Division in New York
In 1917, Garvey established the Harlem division of UNIA in New York. He discussed economic, political and social freedom of black people. A year later, Garvey published “Negro World”, which was a concerted attempt to spread the message highlighting the plight for freedom of racially discriminated communities, most importantly the blacks.
4. Established Black Star Line
Garvey established Black Star Line in 1919. It was a shipping company operated through Universal Negro Improvement Association to set up trade and commerce with Africans in North and South Americas with African nations and the Caribbean.
5. Provision President of UNIA for Africa
Marcus Garvey became the provisional president of UNIA for Africa in 1920. This followed an amazing speech in New York City at the UNIA International Convention that highlighted the rich culture and heritage of Africa.
6. Published Writer
Marcus Garvey published “Philosophy and Opinions of Marcus Garvey” in 1920. Later, he established the People’s Political Party to protect the rights of workers in Jamaica. He eventually became the councilor of Kingston. A few years later, Garvey published “The Tragedy of White Injustice”.
Throughout his life, Garvey spoke of fairness, equality before the law, equal opportunities and the banishing of racial discrimination in every form. Through his writings in magazines, books and his speeches across Jamaica, New York and London among others, he tried to establish the need for racial indiscrimination. During his life, Garvey had been imprisonment for mail fraud, he had substantial financial troubles that had compelled him to quit some of his enterprises and he also had a relatively troubled personal life but his preaching was relevant enough to become one of the bases of the civil rights movement later in the century.