Marcus Garvey was born in the parish of St Ann and was educated there until he was 14, when he became a printer's apprentice.
Garvey later travelled to Central America and London between 1910 and 1914. Upon his return to Jamaica in 1914, he formed the Universal Negro Improvement Association (UNIA), which urged brotherhood among people of African ancestry and the promotion of pride in the Black race. Its motto was "One God, One Aim, One Destiny."
In 1916 Garvey travelled to the United States of America and expanded the UNIA, forming the highly successful "Negro World" weekly newspaper in 1918 and the Black Star Line shipping company in 1919. By 1920, the UNIA had up to several million followers and became the world's largest and most influential Black organisation.
Garvey promoted building the self-confidence of Black people; Black economic independence and self-government activities led to his imprisonment and deportation by the US government in 1927 to Jamaica, where he remained until 1935. He left Jamaica for England, where he died in 1940.
Famous Quote:
"We are going to emancipate ourselves from mental slavery because whilst others might free the body, none but ourselves can free the mind."
"A people without the knowledge of their past, history, origin and culture is like a tree without roots."
"Up you mighty race!'You can accomplish what you will."
Garvey was conferred with the Order of National Hero in 1969 for his woridwide contribution in reshaping pride in black racial identity and impacting racial harmony in Jamaica.
