Marcus Garvey

Marcus Mosiah Garvey (August 17, 1887 – June 10, 1940) was a publisher, journalist, entrepreneur, crusader for black nationalism and founder of the UNIA-ACL. He was born in Jamaica. Garvey is best remembered as a champion of the "back-to-Africa" movement, which was interpreted as encouraging people of African ancestry to return to their ancestral homeland. He is also recognized as the most important prophet of the "back-to-Africa" Rastafari movement. Garvey said he wanted those of African ancestry to "redeem" Africa, and for the European colonial powers to leave it. Although Garvey was raised Methodist, he became Greek Orthodox.

Travels abroad

Garvey left Jamaica to work in Costa Rica as a time-keeper on a banana plantation about 1910. Observing the working conditions for blacks, Garvey became determined to change the lives of his people. He left Costa Rica and traveled throughout Central America, working and observing.

Related Topics:
Costa Rica - 1910 - Central America

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He visited the Panama Canal Zone and saw the conditions under which the African-Caribbeans lived and worked. He went to Ecuador, Nicaragua, Honduras, Colombia and Venezuela. Everywhere, he saw blacks experiencing great hardships and suffering prejudice.

Related Topics:
Panama Canal - African-Caribbeans - Ecuador - Nicaragua - Honduras - Colombia - Venezuela

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Garvey returned to Jamaica, distressed at the situation in Central America, and appealed to Jamaica's colonial government to help improve the plight of African-Caribbeans workers in Central America. His appeal fell on deaf ears.

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