Marcus Garvey-(Gilreath)

By Carissa12

  • Born in St. Ann´s Bay, Jamaica

    Born in St. Ann´s Bay, Jamaica
  • Period: to

    Marcus Garvey

  • Became a printers apprentice at 14

    He traveled to Kingston, Jamaica, and soon became involved in union activities.

  • He took part in an unsuccessful printer's strike

    The experience kindled in him a passion for political activism.

  • He traveled throughout Central America

    Working as an newspaper editor and writing about the exploitation of migrant workers in the plantations. Later traveled to London where he attended Birkbeck College (University of London) and worked for the African Times and Orient Review, which advocated Pan-African nationalism.

  • Returned to Jamaica

    Founded the Universal Negro Improvement Association (UNIA) with the goal of uniting all of African diaspora to "establish a country and absolute government of their own."

  • Traveled to the United States to raise funds for a similar venture in Jamaica.

    He settled in New York City and formed a UNIA chapter in Harlem to promote a separatist philosophy of social, political, and economic freedom for blacks.

  • Began to convey his message

    publishing the widely distributed newspaper Negro World

  • 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.

  • Started the Negros Factories Association

    A series of companies that would manufacture marketable commodities in every big industrial center in the Western hemisphere and Africa.

  • UNIA held its first International Convention

    (claimed 4 million members)
    Held the 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 with mail fraud involving the Black Star Line.

    (marcus garvy and three other UNIA officials)
    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.

  • 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 from prison

    deported to Jamaica.
    Garvey continued his political activism and the work of UNIA in Jamaica

  • Moved to London

    he did not command the same influence he had earlier. Perhaps in desperation or maybe in delusion, Garvey collaborated with outspoken segregationist and white supremacist Senator Theodore Bilbo of Mississippi to promote a reparations scheme.

  • The Greater Liberia Act

    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.

  • died in London

    after several strokes. Due to travel restrictions during World War II, his body was interred in London.