Marcus Garvey was a Jamaican-born political leader who was an advocate for the Black Nationalism and Pan-Africanism movements. He was a major inspiration for the civil rights movement of the mid-20th century.
Marcus Garvey grew up in Jamaica. He attended school until he was fourteen years old. As early as 1907 he was hired to work as an apprentice printer. After leading a failed strike by printers in Jamaica, he was editor of several Costa Rican and Panaman newspapers. In 1912 he spent some time studying African colonization in London. He was interested in African History and Black Nationalism. He was aware that Jamaican blacks were discriminated against and suffered British Rule. This made him curious about how blacks are treated around the globe.
Garvey founded the Universal Negro Improvement Association in Jamaica in 1914. His plan had as its main objective to raise the race (Straub 31,). The main goal of his plan was to lift the race (Straub 31). He travelled to New York City for the purpose of establishing a UNIA in New York City. Along with establishing the branch, Garvey also began a weekly newspaper called Negro World. Garvey’s plan was primarily aimed at the black lower classes. He was against any form of integration, and wanted to bring Africa back (Cronon). He claimed that blacks in Africa could live their own lives without being dominated by whites. Millions of people were attracted to his colorful rallies and parades by his belief in black unity. He attempted to set up a steamship line called the Black Star Line. The steamship company was a way to encourage blacks around the world to connect. His plans were shattered by this idea. The Black Star Line’s money problems led to his arrest in 1925. He returned to Jamaica the following year. His influence decreased from this point on. He later died in 1940.
Garvey was the UNIA’s leader during this time and wrote many poems demonstrating his racial identity, as well as strong family bonds. The Black Mother is a poem that shows this. The Black Mother was a poem written by his son to describe the love he has for her. This unconditional love is described by lines such as she’s a rock that will never crack. He says that his mother’s love is a divine gift. His racial proudness is also demonstrated by his statement My mother’s blackest beauty of all. Garvey is known to like assonance rhyming schemes. He shows his pride in his people, his country and himself by writing The Battle Hymn of Africa. In the first line, he writes, Africa s Sun is Shining Above the Horizon Clear, The Day for Us is Rising for Black Men Far and Near. This shows his pride in both his country and its people. He says that their lives are a struggle for justice.
Marcus Garvey’s influence on Harlem Renaissance is significant. His beliefs all stressed the importance racial solidarity and pride. Garvey may have influenced blacks to think about or feel this way. He wanted to encourage blacks to not be friendly with whites and instead to work together to bring Africa back. After a few problems with the law and his black unity ideas, he lost some of his influence.
