-
Marcus Garvey was born.
-
Period: to
Marcus Garvey
-
Travel.
He traveled to Kingston, Jamaica and soon became involved in union activities. -
Taking part.
He took part in an unsuccessful printer's strike and the experience kindled in him a passion for political activism. -
Return.
Marcus Garvey returned to Jamaica and founded the Universal Negro Improvement Association with the goal of uniting all of African diaspora to "establish a country and absolute government of their own." -
Travel.
Garvey traveled to the United States in 1916 to raise funds for a similar venture in Jamaica. -
Newspaper.
Garvey began publishing the widely distributed newspaper Negro World to convey his message. -
Black Star Line.
Marcus Garvey and UNIA had launched the Black Star Line, a shipping company that would establish trade and commerce between Africans in America, the Caribbean, South and Central America, Canada and Africa. -
Convention.
UNIA claimed 4 million members and held its first International Convention at Madison Square Garden in New York City. Before a crowd of 25,000 people from all over world, Marcus Garvey spoke of having pride in African history and culture. Many found his words inspiring, but not all. Some established black leaders found his separatist philosophy ill-conceived. -
Charged!
Marcus Garvey and three other UNIA officials were charged with mail fraud involving the Black Star Line. The trial records indicate several improprieties occurred in the prosecution of the case. It didn't help that the shipping line's books contained many accounting irregularities -
Denied.
Garvey was convicted and sentenced to prison for five years. Claiming to be a victim of a politically motivated miscarriage of justice, Garvey appealed his conviction, but was denied. -
Released.
he was released from prison and deported to Jamaica. -
Continuation of activism.
Garvey continued his political activism and the work of UNIA in Jamaica, and then moved to London. -
The Greater Liberia Act.
The Greater Liberia Act of 1939 would deport 12 million African-Americans to Liberia at federal expense to relieve unemployment. The act failed in Congress, and Garvey lost even more support among the black population. -
Passed Away.
Marcus Garvey died in London in 1940 after several strokes.