The story of Marcus Garvey – Part II

IN 1918, nine years after the failure of his first newspaper, The Watchman, Marcus Garvey and the UNIA established The Negro World. Published on his birthday, August 17, The Negro World quickly grew from being a New York weekly into a worldwide phenomenon with a peak circulation of 200,000.

Yet, colonial authorities felt threatened by The Negro World because of its strong Pan-African and anticolonial sentiments. It was confiscated and banned in many countries, including Belize, Trinidad, British Guiana, Jamaica, and several African colonies.

There was also discontent in the UNIA itself. As it grew in numbers some black politicians began to turn the movement into a political entity. Upon realising that these politicians were not interested in his visions, Garvey had to get them out. They destroyed the organisation and reduced its membership to about 50.

Garvey had to start again from scratch, and in two months he built up a new organisation of about 1,500 members. The organisation had its officially elected officers, and he was not an officer of the New York Division, but president of the Jamaica branch.

Upon the second split in Harlem, 13 members met with Garvey and requested that he become president of the New York organisation to save them from the politicians. Garvey agreed and was elected president. He put all the money that he had into his faction, opened an office for it, rented a meeting place, employed two female secretaries, and went on to the streets of Harlem at nights to talk about the movement.

In three weeks, more than 2,000 new members had joined. By June 1919 he had over two million members in 30 branches in different cities. In that same year Marcus Garvey established the first Liberty Hall at 120-140 West 138th St in Harlem. Referred to by Garvey as the ‘Cradle of Negro Liberty’, Liberty Hall, New York, was the first official international headquarters and meeting place of the UNIA. Black people worldwide flocked the UNIA’s Liberty Halls because they had a voice, importance, and the freedom to engage in discussions about their well-being.

The UNIA established several affiliates including The Black Cross Nurses, who provided health and social services to the local black communities; The African Legion, an all-male paramilitary group; African Motor Corps, a female group trained in mechanics and military discipline; and The Juveniles, comprising children. There were also various artistic and cultural groups. The Negro Factories Corporation (NFC) was created in 1920. However, by 1922, most of the businesses that had operated under the NFC had closed down, though local UNIA divisions worldwide continued to operate their businesses.

In April 1919 Garvey announced plans to launch a steamship business, known as the Black Star Line Shipping (BSL) Company, as a way to transport cargoes of African produce to the United States. Garvey held a mass meeting inside Carnegie Hall, New York to promote the sale of BSL stock. And on June 27, 1919, the Black Star Line of Delaware was incorporated.

In September 1919, the Black Star Line Corporation bought the SS Yarmouth. It eventually made two voyages to the West Indies and Central America where crowds gathered to welcome it. Black people invested in the corporation by purchasing stock shares at US$5 each. In the first year of its activities, the Black Star Line sold US$100,000 worth of shares. From 1919 to August 1920 alone, stock sales reached 96,285 shares.

But, one of the saddest chapters in the story of Garvey and the UNIA is the demise of the Black Star Line. Almost from the beginning, the corporation faced deceit and trickery from merchants, crew, and even some UNIA officers. Unsound recommendations came from advisers, staff and outsiders stole money from the corporation, and the project in general was mismanaged. By April 1922, the Black Star Line Shipping Company was dissolved due to financial difficulties.

By the end of 1919, Marcus Garvey had built up UNIA branches all over the world. By August 1920, over four million people had joined the movement. And the UNIA was to have eight conventions in Garvey’s lifetime. However, the first convention was the most significant as it was the first real glimpse of the magnitude of the UNIA and Garvey’s influence.

The opening parade through the streets of Harlem was stunning, on August 3. It included the Black Cross Nurses, the Universal African Motor Corps, The Universal African Legion, The Juveniles, UNIA cultural/artistic groups and other affiliates, bands and international divisions, all in full ceremonial dress, and carrying banners. It was the greatest parade ever staged anywhere in the world by black people.

The convention adopted the Declaration of the Rights of the Negro Peoples of the World, one of the earliest and most complete documents advocating human rights and detailing the abuse against black people worldwide. The colours red, black and green were selected as the official colours of the black race. Garvey understood the importance that symbols could serve to engender pride in a people. The colours created what has become the African Liberation Flag, a symbol around which all people of African descent could rally around. But, the growth and influence of the UNIA did not sit well with many people, including US government official. Much trouble was to come.