Last Updated on February 22, 2024
Table of Contents
Get to know the man whose crusades inspired world leaders such as Malcom X, Martin Luther King, and Nelson Mandela.
Dubbed as the “Negro Moises,” Marcus Moziah Garvey, or simply Marcus Garvey, is a favorite subject of scholars and writers alike for his controversial acts of protest demanding equal rights for black people.
The Humble Beginnings
Born on August 17, 1887 in St. Ann’s Bay in Jamaica, Garvey was apprenticed to a printer at the tender age of 14. He eventually left school and moved to Kingston where he got to hone his skills in public speaking, debate, and elocution contests.
In 1910, he moved to Central America in Limon, Costa Rica, where he started his career as a publisher. By 1913 he was able to work with the Sudanese-Egyptian actor and political activist Dusé Mohamed Ali on his journal called The African Times and Orient Review.
His travels in Central and South America had an intense effect on him as he had witnessed firsthand the oppression and degradation of black people. Garvey soon sailed to England in 1912 to take classes in law and philosophy at Birkbeck College.
United Negro Improvement Association
Shortly after returning to Jamaica, he founded the United Negro Improvement Association (UNIA) in 1914. The UNIA aimed to spark the idea of black repatriation to Africa.
According to author and Black studies professor Gaye Theresa Johnson, the organization played an important role in getting people to understand, and have pride, in their race.
Inspired by Booker T. Washington’s Tuskegee Institute, Garvey wrote him a letter to ask for support in his initiative to open an industrial and agricultural training school. They were scheduled to meet in the United States, but the two never got the chance to meet each other as Washington passed away in 1915.
In 1918, Garvey started publishing Negro World, a publication that scholar Robert A. Hill describes as a “widely disseminated weekly that was soon banned in many parts of Africa and the Caribbean.”
Garvey was described by Lisbeth Gant-Britton, author of Holt African American History, as “extremely outspoken. Some people would say almost bombastic. He wants to take over Africa. He elected himself as President of Africa without consulting the Africans unfortunately.”
The UNIA didn’t gain much following in Jamaica, so he brought it to the United States and established offices in Harlem and other principal ghettos of the North. After four years, he attracted about 2,000,000 association members.
They held their first International Convention in New York City, with a total of 25,000 people in attendance. Biography.com shares, “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. William Edward Burghardt ‘W. E. B.’ Du Bois, a National Association for the Advancement of Colored People officer, called Garvey, ‘the most dangerous enemy of the Negro race in America.’”
Black Star Line
Fueled by his desire to establish economic independence for African-Americans, Garvey instituted the Negro Factories Corporation and a shipping company he called the Black Star Line, to transport passengers back to Africa. Aside from these, he also managed to set up a few more commercial businesses.
He was arrested in 1922 for mail fraud brought about by his solicitation of funds from investors during the Black Star Line’s launch. His influence during this time declined alarmingly. From a supposed five-year prison term, President Calvin Coolidge reduced his punishment to two, and had him exiled to Jamaica. This hindered him from reviving his movement.
Detractors and death
Garvey’s imprisonment and deportation didn’t faze him. In 1938, he supported the Greater Liberia Act, which was backed by a Klansperson senator, Theodore Bilbo from Mississippi. This earned him enemies, including famous black leader of the American labor movement, Asa Philip Randolph.
Garvey breathed his last at 53 years old on June 10, 1940 in London. His body was later transported to Jamaica where he was hailed as the country’s first-ever national hero and considered a religious prophet by the Rastafari movement.
He is described as a great organizer, but not a businessman. He may have been a flawed leader, but he is considered to be the strongest voice in Black Nationalism.
He is highly recognized in Washington D.C. and Ghana. His bust was displayed in the Organization of American States’ Hall of Heroes, while Ghana reused his title “Black Star Line” for their national shipping line. Their national soccer team is also named Black Stars to pay homage to the great man who showed great love and pride for the black race.
Here are quotes from Marcus Garvey worth remembering:
Marcus Garvey Quotes
“The ends you serve that are selfish will take you no further than yourself but the ends you serve that are for all, in common, will take you into eternity.” – Marcus Garvey“If you haven’t confidence in self, you are twice defeated in the race of life. With confidence, you have won even before you have started. ” – Marcus Garvey“A people without the knowledge of their past history, origin and culture is like a tree without roots.” – Marcus Garvey“Intelligence rules the world, ignorance carries the burden…” – Marcus Garvey“The pen is mightier than the sword, but the tongue is mightier than them both put together.” – Marcus Garvey“God and Nature first made us what we are, and then out of our own created genius we make ourselves what we want to be. Follow always that great law. Let the sky and God be our limit and Eternity our measurement. ” – Marcus Garvey“I regard the Klan, the Anglo-Saxon clubs and White American societies, as far as the Negro is concerned, as better friends of the race than all other groups of hypocritical whites put together.” – Marcus Garvey“Liberate the minds of men and ultimately you will liberate the bodies of men.” – Marcus Garvey“We are going to emancipate ourselves from mental slavery, for though others may free the body, none but ourselves can free the mind. Mind is our only ruler; sovereign.” – Marcus Garvey“Great principles, great ideals know no nationality.” – Marcus Garvey, Selected Writings and Speeches of Marcus Garvey“To be once defeated is to find cause for an everlasting struggle to reach the top.” – Marcus Garvey, Selected Writings and Speeches of Marcus Garvey“You at this time can only be destroyed by yourselves, from within and not from without. You have reached the point where the victory is to be won from within and can only be lost from within.” – Marcus Garvey, Selected Writings and Speeches of Marcus Garvey“…we were like crabs in a barrel, that none would allow the other to climb over, but on any such attempt all would continue to pull back into the barrel the one crab that would make the effort to climb out.” – Marcus Garvey, Selected Writings and Speeches of Marcus Garvey“If I die in Atlanta my work shall then only begin, but I shall live, in the physical or spiritual to see the day of Africa’s glory.” – Marcus Garvey, Selected Writings and Speeches of Marcus Garvey“Men, there is much to live for, and there is much to die for. The man, the race of nation that is not prepared to risk life itself for the possession of an ideal, shall lose that ideal. If you, I repeat, must be free, you yourselves must strike the blow.” – Marcus Garvey, Selected Writings and Speeches of Marcus Garvey“Do not remove the kinks from your hair – remove them from your brain.” – Marcus Garvey“To have built up a new organization, which was not purely political, among Negroes in America was a wonderful feat, for the Negro politician does not allow any other kind of organization within his race to thrive.” – Marcus Garvey, Selected Writings and Speeches of Marcus Garvey“There is no strength but that which is destructive, because man has lost his virtues, and only respects force, which he himself cannot counteract.” – Marcus Garvey, Philosophy and Opinions of Marcus Garvey“The Negro will have to build his own industry, art, sciences, literature, and culture before the world will stop to consider him.” – Marcus Garvey, Selected Writings and Speeches of Marcus Garvey“The race needs workers at this time, not plagiarists, sopists and mere imitators; but men and women who are able to create, to originate and improve, and thus make an independent racial contribution to the world and civilization.” – Marcus Garvey, Selected Writings and Speeches of Marcus Garvey“Let no voice but your own speak to you from the depths. Let no influence but your own raise you in time of peace and time of war. Hear all, but attend only that which concerns you.” – Marcus Garvey“The Black skin is not a badge of shame, but rather a glorious symbol of national greatness.” – Marcus Garvey“Emancipate yourselves from mental slavery, none but ourselves can free our minds.” – Marcus Garvey“The man who is not able to develop and use his mind is bound to be the slave of the other man who uses his mind.” – Marcus Garvey“Men who are in earnest are not afraid of consequences.” – Marcus Garvey“You must not mistake lip-service and noise for bravery and service.” – Marcus Garvey“The protection against injustice in man is power – physical, financial and scientific.” – Marcus Garvey“Take advantage of every opportunity; where there is none, make it for yourself.” – Marcus Garvey“Therefore, remove yourself as far as possible from ignorance and seek as far as possible to be intelligent.” – Marcus Garvey“What you do today that is worthwhile, inspires others to act at some future time.” – Marcus Garvey“There shall be no solution to this race problem until you, yourselves, strike the blow for liberty.” – Marcus Garvey“The whole world is run on bluff.” – Marcus Garvey“Look for me in the whirlwind or the storm.” – Marcus Garvey“Be as proud of your race today as our fathers were in the days of yore. We have beautiful history, and we shall create another in the future that will astonish the world.” – Marcus Garvey“If the Negro is not careful he will drink in all the poison of modern civilization and die from the effects of it.” – Marcus Garvey“When all else fails to organize the people, conditions will.” – Marcus Garvey“Lose not courage, lose not faith, go forward.” – Marcus Garvey“We must give up the silly idea of folding our hands and waiting on God to do everything for us. If God had intended for that, then he would not have given us a mind. Whatever you want in life, you must make up your mind to do it for yourself.” – Marcus Garvey“Always try to associate with people from whom you can learn something. All the knowledge that you want is in the world, and all you have to do is go and seek it.” – Marcus Garvey“Ambition is the desire to go forward and improve one’s condition. It is a burning flame that lights up the life of the individual and makes him see himself in another state.” – Marcus Garvey“I have no desire to take all black people back to Africa; there are blacks who are no good here and will likewise be no good there.” – Marcus Garvey“There is no force like success, and that is why the individual makes all effort to surround himself throughout life with the evidence of it; as of the individual, so should it be of the nation.” – Marcus Garvey“Whipped. It annoys me to be defeated; hence to me, to be once defeated is to find cause for an everlasting struggle to reach the top.” – Marcus Garvey“God does not give people positions or jobs or good conditions such as they desire; they must do that for themselves. God does not build cities nor towns nor nations, nor homes, nor factories; men and people do that and all those who want must work for themselves and pray to God to give them strength to do it.” – Marcus Garvey“I trust that you will so live today as to realize that you are masters of your own destiny, masters of your fate; if there is anything you want in this world, it is for you to strike out with confidence and faith in self and reach for it.” – Marcus Garvey“The man who is not able to develop and use his mind is bound to be the slave of the other man who uses his mind.” – Marcus Garvey“Hungry men have no respect for law, authority or human life.” – Marcus Garvey“We were the first Fascists, when we had 100,000 disciplined men, and were training children, Mussolini was still an unknown. Mussolini copied our Fascism.” – Marcus Garvey“When the facts of history are written Haile Selassie of Abyssinia will go down as a great coward who ran away from his country to save his skin and left the millions of his countrymen to struggle through a terrible war that he brought upon them because of his political ignorance and his racial disloyalty.” – Marcus Garvey“Up, you mighty race, accomplish what you will.” – Marcus Garvey“Africa for the Africans…at home and abroad!” – Marcus Garvey“Our success educationally, industrially and politically is based upon the protection of a nation founded by ourselves. And the nation can be nowhere else but in Africa.” – Marcus Garvey“A reading man and woman is a ready man and woman, but a writing man and woman is exact.” – Marcus Garvey“I regard the Klan, the Anglo-Saxon clubs and White American societies, as far as the Negro is concerned, as better friends of the race than all other groups of hypocritical whites put together.” – Marcus Garvey“Progress is the attraction that moves humanity.” – Marcus Garvey“Chance has never yet satisfied the hope of a suffering people.” – Marcus Garvey“I like honesty and fair play.” – Marcus Garvey“Look to Africa, for there a king will be crowned.” – Marcus Garvey“You may call me a Klansman if you will, but, potentially, every white man is a Klansman, as far as the Negro in competition with whites socially, economically and politically is concerned, and there is no use lying.” – Marcus Garvey“God and Nature first made us what we are, and then out of our own created genius we make ourselves what we want to be. Follow always that great law. Let the sky and God be our limit and Eternity our measurement.” – Marcus Garvey“There can be no peace among men and nations, so long as the strong continues to oppress the weak, so long as injustice is done to other peoples, just so long we will have cause for war, and make a lasting peace an impossibility.” – Marcus Garvey“Every man has a right to his own opinion. Every race has a right to its own action; therefore let no man persuade you against your will, let no other race influence you against your own.” – Marcus Garvey“Rise up Black Men, and take your stand. Reach up black men and women and pull all nature’s knowledge to you. Turn ye around and make a conquest of everything North and South, East and West. And then we you have wrought well, you will have merited God’s blessing, you will become God’s chosen people and naturally you’ll become leaders of the world.” – Marcus Garvey“The white man has succeeded in subduing the world by forcing everybody to think his way…The white man’s propaganda has made him the master of the world, and all those who have come in contact with it and accepted it have become his slaves.” – Marcus Garvey“In a world of wolves one should go armed, and one of the most powerful defensive weapons within the reach of Negroes is the practice of race first in all parts of the world.” – Marcus Garvey“This propaganda of disassociating Western Negroes from Africa is not a new one. For many years white propagandists have been printing tons of literature to impress scattered Ethiopia, especially that portion within their civilization, with the idea that Africa is a despised place, inhabited by savages, and cannibals, where no civilized human being should go, especially black civilized human beings. This propaganda is promulgated for the cause that is being realized today. That cause is COLONIAL EXPANSION for the white nations of the world.” – Marcus Garvey“All peoples are struggling to blast a way through the industrial monopoly of races and nations, but the Negro as a whole has failed to grasp its true significance and seems to delight in filling only that place created for him by the white man.” – Marcus Garvey“She makes one happy, then miserable. You are to her kind, then unkind. Constant yet inconstant. Thus we have WOMAN. No real man can do without her.” – Marcus Garvey“Before we can properly help the people, we have to destroy the old education… that teaches them that somebody is keeping them back and that God has forgotten them and that they can’t rise because of their color…we can only build…with faith in ourselves and with self-reliance, believing in our own possibilities, that we can rise to the highest in God’s creation.” – Marcus Garvey“I am not opposed to the white race as charged by my enemies. I have no time to hate any one. All my time is devoted to the up-building and development of the Negro Race.” – Marcus Garvey“When all else fails to organize the people, conditions will.” – Marcus Garvey“I do not speak carelessly or recklessly but with a definite object of helping the people, especially those of my race, to know, to understand, and to realize themselves.” – Marcus Garvey“Government is not infallible…The government must be, therefore, an expression of the will of the people.” – Marcus Garvey“Go to work! Go to work in the morn of a new creation…until you have…reached the height of self-progress, and from that pinnacle bestow upon the world a civilization of your own.” – Marcus Garvey“I read ‘Up from Slavery’ and then my dream – if I may so call it – of being a race leader dawned.” – Marcus Garvey“Unite all people of African ancestry of the world to one great body to establish a country and absolute government of their own.” – Marcus Garvey“What you do today that is worthwhile, inspires others to act at some future time.” – Marcus Garvey“We are not engaged in domestic politics, in church building or in social uplift work, but we are engaged in nation building.” – Marcus Garvey“Government is only an executive control, a centralized authority for the purpose of expressing the will of the people; before you have a government you must have the people. Without the people there can be no government.” – Marcus Garvey“To be ambitious is to be great in mind and soul. To want that which is worthwhile and strive for it. To go on without looking back, reaching to that which gives satisfaction.” – Marcus GarveyTags: a man without history is a tree without roots a picture of marcus garvey a poem about marcus garvey a strong black man quotes africa captions africa quotes sayings african american encouragement quotes african american i love you quotes african american love quotes african american love quotes and sayings african american love quotes for him african american quotes about change african american quotes about success african american quotes about unity african american quotes on faith african american spiritual quotes african american words of wisdom african clothing quotes african food quotes african history quotes african phrases about life african quotes about death african quotes on culture african slavery quotes all about marcus garvey all black quotes ambitious man quotes articles on marcus garvey being a black man in america quotes being black in america quotes best black history quotes best black love quotes best inspirational quotes by black leaders best knowledge quotes big black quotes black community quotes black culture quotes black day quotes in english black dress quotes for man black entrepreneur quotes black history words of encouragement black justice quotes black king quotes black knowledge of self black knowledge of self quotes black liberation quotes black like me marcus center black love quotes black love quotes for him black love quotes for my husband black man quotes about life black men quotes black moses the story of marcus garvey black nationalism quotes black people quotes black people sayings black pride quotes black proverbs quotes black quotes about life black quotes about love and life black sayings 2019 black skin beauty quotes black skin quotes black spiritual quotes black unity quotes black wealth quotes burning flame quotes changing hair quotes cultural dress quotes dark skin is beautiful quotes dark skin men quotes dark skin quotes disrespect yourself dress in black quotes economic strategy of marcus garvey economics love quotes emancipate yourself quotes emancipated from mental slavery selected sayings of marcus garvey emancipation quotes encouragement african american inspirational quotes faith african american female quotes famous african american quotes about family famous african american quotes about success famous african american sayings famous black inspirational quotes famous black men quotes famous black people quotes famous ellis island quotes famous marcus famous negro quotes famous quotes about ambition famous quotes about civilization famous quotes from african leaders famous quotes from black leaders famous quotes from black mothers female black history quotes flames quotes and sayings freedom writers quotes marcus garvey family origin glorious death quotes glorious past quotes good black man quotes good slavery quotes great black leaders quotes great black quotes about life great quotes black leaders honorable quotes to live by how did marcus garvey die how did marcus garvey really die how old was marcus garvey when he died how was marcus garvey different from civil rights leaders i love black quotes if a man disrespects you quotes inspirational quotes black men quotes inspirational quotes by black men inspirational quotes for black men inspirational quotes for race for life inspirational quotes from marcus garvey jamaica independence quotes knowledge of self black star liberate your mind quotes liberation quotes liberty hall the legacy of marcus garvey love african american quotes love quotes by african americans marcus garby marcus garvey marcus garvey 1887 1940 marcus garvey 1920s marcus garvey academy marcus garvey accomplishments marcus garvey and the unia marcus garvey and web dubois marcus garvey arrested marcus garvey art marcus garvey autobiography book marcus garvey back to africa marcus garvey back to africa speech marcus garvey beliefs marcus garvey bio marcus garvey biography marcus garvey biography for kids marcus garvey biography timeline marcus garvey birth date marcus garvey birthdate marcus garvey birthday marcus garvey birthplace marcus garvey books marcus garvey businesses marcus garvey cause of death marcus garvey children marcus garvey confidence marcus garvey confidence quote marcus garvey date of birth marcus garvey day marcus garvey day 2018 marcus garvey death marcus garvey definition marcus garvey definition us history marcus garvey died marcus garvey documentary marcus garvey economic philosophy marcus garvey education marcus garvey encouraged african americans to marcus garvey facts marcus garvey family marcus garvey family history marcus garvey famous for marcus garvey famous quotes marcus garvey founded what religion marcus garvey freedom speech marcus garvey freemason marcus garvey grandchildren marcus garvey growing up marcus garvey harlem marcus garvey harlem renaissance marcus garvey hat marcus garvey history marcus garvey iii marcus garvey images marcus garvey in his own words marcus garvey interview marcus garvey jamaica national heroes marcus garvey jr marcus garvey kids marcus garvey led a movement to marcus garvey legacy marcus garvey life and lessons marcus garvey look for me in the whirlwind marcus garvey look for me in the whirlwind speech marcus garvey message marcus garvey message to the black man marcus garvey movement marcus garvey movie marcus garvey nova scotia speech marcus garvey organization marcus garvey pan africanism marcus garvey parents marcus garvey philosophy marcus garvey philosophy quotes marcus garvey photos marcus garvey picture quotes marcus garvey pictures marcus garvey pictures color marcus garvey progressive era marcus garvey prophecy marcus garvey quotations marcus garvey quote on confidence marcus garvey quotes marcus garvey quotes about life marcus garvey quotes and meanings marcus garvey quotes confidence in self marcus garvey quotes fear marcus garvey quotes never forget marcus garvey quotes on africa marcus garvey quotes on black pride marcus garvey quotes on business marcus garvey quotes on education marcus garvey quotes on hair marcus garvey quotes on intelligence marcus garvey quotes on leadership marcus garvey quotes on love marcus garvey quotes on racism marcus garvey rap marcus garvey sayings marcus garvey school marcus garvey school in los angeles california marcus garvey siblings marcus garvey significance marcus garvey speech marcus garvey teachings marcus garvey timeline marcus garvey timeline for kids marcus garvey trial marcus garvey unia marcus garvey wife marcus garvey wiki marcus garvey's accomplishments marcus garvey's making of self marcus garvey's movement marcus gavi marcus harvey biography marcus mosiah garvey quotes marcus mosiah garvey speech marcus quotes marcus stanley quotes markus rogers meaning of emancipate yourself from mental slavery mental slavery quotes message to the people marcus garvey mosiah garvey motivational quotes for black men negro factories corporation no roots wiki pan african activist marcus philosophy and opinions of marcus garvey audio philosophy and opinions of marcus garvey quotes positive quotes by african american powerful african american quotes powerful african quotes powerful quotes on racism pride and dignity quotes pro black quotes quotes about black fashion quotes about freeing the mind quotes about greatness in life quotes by influential black leaders quotes by marcus garvey on confidence quotes for people born in august quotes of greatness in life racism quotes in black boy roots of success quotes self knowledge quotes spiritual african american quotes strong black man quotes strong black man quotes and sayings success is not a race quote taking advantage quotes sayings the biography of marcus garvey the black man quotes the greatness of a nation quote the making of a slave quotes the marcus garvey story the philosophies and opinions of marcus garvey pdf the philosophy and opinions of marcus garvey the philosophy and opinions of marcus garvey pdf the philosophy and opinions of marcus garvey pdf download the philosophy opinions of marcus garvey the rt excellent marcus garvey coin the wise mind of marcus garvey what did marcus garvey what did marcus garvey advocate for blacks what did marcus garvey believe in what did marcus garvey do what did marcus garvey do for a living what is marcus garvey date of birth what is marcus garvey famous for what made marcus garvey famous what motivated marcus garvey to form his philosophy what organization did marcus garvey found what was marcus garvey what was marcus garvey known for what year did marcus garvey die when did marcus garvey die when was marcus garvey born where did marcus garvey go to school where is marcus garvey from where was marcus garvey born where was marcus mosiah garvey born who did marcus garvey influence who influenced marcus garvey who is marcus garvey who is marcus garvey and what did he do why did civil rights leaders disagree with marcus garvey why was marcus garvey arrested why was marcus garvey important wise black man quotes wise voting quotes Posted by:Igor Ovsyannnykov
Igor is an SEO specialist, designer, photographer, writer and music producer. He believes that knowledge can change the world and be used to inspire and empower young people to build the life of their dreams. When he is not writing in his favorite coffee shop, Igor spends most of his time reading books, taking photos, producing house music, and learning about cinematography. He is a sucker for good coffee, Indian food, and video games.
ncG1vNJzZmihnqi9qr7AraCoppaasqV6wqikaKWRp7C2v4ygmKuula56ssHOrZysZw%3D%3D
Share!