Can We Convince President Obama to Grant Marcus Garvey His Pardon?
Start writing a post
Politics and Activism

Can We Convince President Obama to Grant Marcus Garvey His Pardon?

This will add to the many miraculous pardons he has already granted.

17
Can We Convince President Obama to Grant Marcus Garvey His Pardon?

With all of the pardons granted by our soon-to-be fellow President Barack Obama, the family of Marcus Garvey is asking and urging him to exonerate Garvey before his term is complete. If you aren't aware, Marcus Garvey was a pioneering figure of the early 20th century who led a mass Pan-African Movement, inspiring further leaders such as Martin Luther King Jr. and Nelson Mandela to do the same. This human rights champion stood boldly and beautifully against all efforts to denigrate the African American community. He is the name behind "Black is Beautiful." His risky efforts inspired our nation and its many African American leaders to promote African Americans and a black nation, where everyone was equal to one another. He began a movement to which he called "Garveyism," where he established a philosophy of social, economic, and political freedom for African Americans. A determined and thorough Garvey is known for many things, including his participation in founding the Universal Negro Improvement Association (U.N.I.A.)in 1912, which had a goal of uniting all of the African diaspora.

Now that we put some information into the air, let's get back to Obama granting Garvey's pardon. You see, this all came about because back in 1919, Garvey established the Black Star Line, a steamship enterprise that allowed for the transportation of goods and services and for African Americans to maneuver between Africa and America. In 1922, he along with a few other members of the U.N.I.A. were charged with mail fraud within shipping enterprise. Further on in 1923, he was convicted and sentenced to five years in prison but was released in 1927. Now, here's the kicker: While in prison, Garvey claimed he was victimized by political miscarriages of justice, but of course, he was ignored.

Today, his family is urging Obama to extend his pardoning methods to Garvey himself today. Garvey's son, Dr. Julius Garvey, made the request for a posthumous pardon firsthand. During an interview with Democracy Nowwith Amy Goodman, Dr. Julius Garvey states: You know, from our perspective, "pardon" means that somebody has committed something, and you’re pardoning them, but we don’t think he has committed any crime. So, while we have to accept a pardon, we think it’s an exoneration, because the evidence, as presented to justify the pardon, shows that there was no crime and it was a political setup. So, we’re hoping that the president understands it from that perspective and that he will use the executive privilege within the last few weeks that are left, in terms of his office, to grant that pardon.

During the interview, it is obvious that Dr. Julius Garvey and the rest of the Garvey have exhausted their options towards pardoning Marcus Garvey. Since the early 1980's, the Garvey family has asked Ronald Reagan to expunge Marcus Garvey's record...they have even gathered a number of true believers of Garvey to give testimonies to the House Judiciary Committee in hopes of exonerating Marcus Garvey. The political setup posed against Marcus Garvey has been obvious to his family. I mean, during his time, African American had it bad...being looked upon as simply nothing, uneducated, and unworthy. Whenever an African American ever presented a pinch of sophistication, they were always disregarded and somehow punished for their intellectuals.

The question that remains: Will President Obama grant Marcus Garvey's posthumous pardon before leaving office? There's only a short amount of days remaining before a decision could be made...

Report this Content
This article has not been reviewed by Odyssey HQ and solely reflects the ideas and opinions of the creator.
the beatles
Wikipedia Commons

For as long as I can remember, I have been listening to The Beatles. Every year, my mom would appropriately blast “Birthday” on anyone’s birthday. I knew all of the words to “Back In The U.S.S.R” by the time I was 5 (Even though I had no idea what or where the U.S.S.R was). I grew up with John, Paul, George, and Ringo instead Justin, JC, Joey, Chris and Lance (I had to google N*SYNC to remember their names). The highlight of my short life was Paul McCartney in concert twice. I’m not someone to “fangirl” but those days I fangirled hard. The music of The Beatles has gotten me through everything. Their songs have brought me more joy, peace, and comfort. I can listen to them in any situation and find what I need. Here are the best lyrics from The Beatles for every and any occasion.

Keep Reading...Show less
Being Invisible The Best Super Power

The best superpower ever? Being invisible of course. Imagine just being able to go from seen to unseen on a dime. Who wouldn't want to have the opportunity to be invisible? Superman and Batman have nothing on being invisible with their superhero abilities. Here are some things that you could do while being invisible, because being invisible can benefit your social life too.

Keep Reading...Show less
Featured

19 Lessons I'll Never Forget from Growing Up In a Small Town

There have been many lessons learned.

70785
houses under green sky
Photo by Alev Takil on Unsplash

Small towns certainly have their pros and cons. Many people who grow up in small towns find themselves counting the days until they get to escape their roots and plant new ones in bigger, "better" places. And that's fine. I'd be lying if I said I hadn't thought those same thoughts before too. We all have, but they say it's important to remember where you came from. When I think about where I come from, I can't help having an overwhelming feeling of gratitude for my roots. Being from a small town has taught me so many important lessons that I will carry with me for the rest of my life.

Keep Reading...Show less
​a woman sitting at a table having a coffee
nappy.co

I can't say "thank you" enough to express how grateful I am for you coming into my life. You have made such a huge impact on my life. I would not be the person I am today without you and I know that you will keep inspiring me to become an even better version of myself.

Keep Reading...Show less
Student Life

Waitlisted for a College Class? Here's What to Do!

Dealing with the inevitable realities of college life.

132404
college students waiting in a long line in the hallway
StableDiffusion

Course registration at college can be a big hassle and is almost never talked about. Classes you want to take fill up before you get a chance to register. You might change your mind about a class you want to take and must struggle to find another class to fit in the same time period. You also have to make sure no classes clash by time. Like I said, it's a big hassle.

This semester, I was waitlisted for two classes. Most people in this situation, especially first years, freak out because they don't know what to do. Here is what you should do when this happens.

Keep Reading...Show less

Subscribe to Our Newsletter

Facebook Comments