[Marcus Garvey Commemoration]
Marcus Garvey Institute’s Shaka Barak: “We are seeing the Honorable Marcus Garvey’s truth about self-reliance and self-determination rising in African Unity under the 55 heads of state that make up the African Union, the successor to the Organization of African Unity a model similar to the UNIA & ACL. We see how the African Union today is unapologetically calling on the African Diaspora just like the Honorable Marcus Garvey called on Africans abroad.
Photo: Wikimedia Commons
Today is the 132nd birthday of the Honorable Marcus Mosiah Garvey who was born in Jamaica, August 17, 1887, and died in London, England June 10, 1940. The following was written by Shaka Barak of the Marcus Garvey Institute:
“On this sacred day of August 17, 2019, let us take a moment to reflect on the life and work of the founder and first President General of the Universal Negro Improvement Association and African Communities League. On this day, August 17, in our homes and everywhere possible, let us start the day from the rising of the sun, by lifting up the Honorable Marcus Mosiah Garvey’s name as the founder of the first and largest mass movement of our race, not only in America but in several South and Central American countries as well.
“Let us at sundown give thanks to Almighty God, whose Kingdom is everlasting, to our ancestors and to our noble race for giving us this leader, teacher and guide of a future African Empire, under the red, black and green flag.
“Brothers and sisters in order to remove and prevent division and separation inside and outside of the UNIA & ACL, we must promote the spirit of pride and love. Divisiveness comes in the form of envy, jealousy, hatred, and malice which are not part of the vision of the Honorable Marcus Mosiah Garvey. He and our founders wanted acts of disunion removed from us so that we could create a new civilization that was a social, friendly, humanitarian, charitable, educational, institutional, constructive and expansive society.
“Therefore, remember on August 17, the great slogan he gave to us and our movement of One God One Aim One Destiny. Remember the Negro World Newspaper the UNIA & ACL’s official new organ, printed in three languages and how it penetrated by mailing, selling or smuggling into every corner of the African world. With his message on the front page, the Negro World helped our founders to raise the consciousness of our race at home in Africa and abroad in the African Diaspora. Remember on this day our African Communities League and its comprehensive Certificate of Incorporation, which was one of the broadest economic programs our race had ever constructed.
“Remember, the Black Star Line the first and greatest attempt in modern times to move our race into the maritime industry by owning a fleet of ships. Remember Liberty Hall, our weekly meeting places that were the cradles of African liberty and freedom. Remember, our Constitution and By-Laws, the written document that outlined the format for uniting, empowering and protecting the then 400,000,000 African people of the world. Remember how an assassin shot the Honorable Marcus Mosiah Garvey twice, in an attempt to kill him and implicated a government official in this conspiracy, before he was thrown down several floors before he could incriminate the District Attorney in the plot.
“Remember the Honorable Marcus Mosiah Garvey’s persecution, his arrest, indictment, trial, conviction, and imprisonment of 2 ½ years in Atlanta Penitentiary for our race. Remember how he was deported, and 5,000 men women and children showed up to see him sail from New Orleans and how half the island of Jamaica showed up to welcome him when he arrived home.
“On August 17 open your book ‘Philosophy and Opinions of Marcus Garvey and read the “First Message to the Negro People of the world from Atlanta Prison, volume II page 237-239. On August 17, take time to read ‘African Fundamentalism’ at the back of Philosophy and Opinions, for it is the essay the Honorable Marcus Garvey considered his ‘Master’ Piece. Lastly, there is an expression; “truth crushed to earth shall rise again.” We are seeing a rise of our “Race First” principles once again among our youth.
“We are seeing the Honorable Marcus Garvey’s truth about self-reliance and self-determination rising in African Unity under the 55 heads of state that make up the African Union, the successor to the Organization of African Unity a model similar to the UNIA & ACL. We see how the African Union today is unapologetically calling on the African Diaspora just like the Honorable Marcus Garvey called on Africans abroad. What this tells us is that Garvey’s principles are still relevant and still being felt today. It tells us that no matter how grim things seem, there is still a pathway that will lead us to a glorious future, if we keep the faith and continue the struggle.
Shaka Barak 3rd Assistant President General Minister of Education and President of the Marcus Garvey Institute
