BOOK REVIEWS: THE SIGNIFICANCE OF GARVEY
Garvey also believed that progress must be sufficient to emancipate the race. He said –
“No Negro, let him be American, European, West Indian or African can respect himself or be respected by others unless the race as a whole has emancipated itself through self achievevment and progress.”
Garvey’ s fourth achievement was to kindle the spirit of rebellion against discrimination, oppression and injustice . There is little doubt that by his Negro chauvinism, powerful writings and fiery oratory he did justthis. What makes the review of this aspect of Garvey’s work valuable os that is allows us to establish Garvey’s place in the course of Negro history. The modern history of the Negro since the 17th century has been one of struggle in Africa to free himself of the yoke of colonization and for the right to national self-determinization; struggle in South America for economic survival and a decent standard of living – and struggle in the United States for equal rights, equal opportunity and justice. It was within the ambit of the U.S.A. that Garvey played a leading role in the struggle .
But where in this struggle or where in Negro history has Garvey taken a place. Most historians regard him as just one more stepping stone m an evolving history. Most prominent among the exponents of this particular perspective is C.L.R. James. He outlined his opinion in a speech on Black Power in London in 1967. He saw the Stokely Carmichael Black Power movement as the vanguard of the struggle at present. He saw Black Power as having evolved from a continuous evolutionary process, a process starting with Booker T. Washington and becoming progressively more radical and extremist as it passed from Washington to DuBois, to Garvey, to Padmore and eventually to Carmichael, Malcolm X and Rap Brown.
– in other parts of the world, he tried to create I sense ot tory has Garvey taken a place. Most historians regard belonging, of togetherness, of brotherhood among them, him as just one more stepping stone m an evolving Negro race in its extensive entirety. The reason usually, history. Most prominent among the exponents of this advanced to account for Garvey’s failure to unite particular perspective is C.l.R. James. He outlined his Negroes ts that he could otter them no tangible benefit opinion in a speech on Black Power in London in 1967 for uniting. This view is quite without merit, because He saw the Stokely Carmichael Black Power movement Garvey did hold out the prize of a free and independent as the vanguard of the struggle at present. He saw Black Africa. The true explanation lies in the fact that Garvey Power as having involved from a continuous evolutionary could not reach the majority of Africans because they pr0cess, a Pf0Cen starting with Booker T. Washington were illiterate.
However, it seems to me that it is not so at all; more correctly. I think Garvey represents a break in tradition; a break in continuity, in fact, a new approach. The gospel of Washington and DuBois was an ‘Uncle Tom’ or passive approach in which the main tenets were behave, wait and hope for the white man to help.
Garvey decried and severely criticised this app roach and showered the leaders who expounded this approach with scornful invectives. He believed and preached tirelessly that the impetus of emancipation lay in the hands of the Negro not the white man. It is on the basis of Garvey’s new approach that the two presently used methods hate been developed . the “orthodox” or non-violent method of Martin Luther King and Rev. Abernathy, and the violent or “extremist” method of Carmichael of Blade Power. of the Black Panthers and the Black Muslims.
Garvey’s fifth and probably most important achievement lay in his doctrine of internationalism. He, like many great writers and leaders was not limited . His intellectual preoccupation and his doctrines were not limited to Negroes of one country or one continent, but involved the Negro race in its totality regardless of geographic situation, social poition, cultural identity or national affliliation. Garvey, though it is not often recognised in history, was the first Negro to become an international leader. He sought to unite the then 400,000 million members of his scattered race on the pursuit of Freedom, Equality, Peace, security and Dignity.
It must be admitted that unfortunately he failed to unite the Negroes of the world in thought much less than in deed, but he did achieve two things, frequently overlooked. Firstly, he made Negroes, particularly those in the U.S.A. aware of the other members of their race in other parts of the world, he tried to create a sense of belonging, of togetherness, of brotherhood among the Negro race in its extensive entirety. The reason usually advanced to account for Garvey’s failure to unite Negroes in that he could offer them no tangible benefits for uniting. This view is quite without merit, because Garvey did hold out the prize of free and independent Africa. The true explanation lies in the fact that Garvey could not reach the majority of Africans because they were illiterate.
The second neglected achievement of Garvey’s internationalism was concerned with Africa. Garvey made the Western world aware of “that slumbering giant, that sleeping continent” · Africa. Not only did he make the world aware if Africa and their right to self-rule, independence and self-determination. In a way, it could be claimed and substantiated that Garvey was the earliest of the African nationalists. He preached tirelessly “Africa for Africans. He stated, most eloquently, his sentiments in these verses:
“Our Fathers sowed with blood and tears,
The seed that ripens with the years
The glorious hour of harvest nears
Africa for Africans.
We shall forgive but not forget
The shackle bruises ranckle yet
And still with blood the ground is wet
Africa for Africans.
The Darkness thins, the Dawn is nigh
Its promise swells the pregnant sky
And soon shall burst the thunderous cry
Africa for Africans.”
How often have these sentiments been echoed in prose and in poetry by Africans like Senghor, Damas, Abiose Nicol, Neto, Nyerere Nkrumah, Houphouet-Boigny Awolowo, Azikiwe and Kenyatta.
In his day however, Marcus Mosiah Garvey so is being less maligned, more understood. When, however, out-distanced his contemporaries in thought and action the full significance and stature of the man is clearly that he was much misunderstood and maligned; he was revealed and understood , we will realize how appropriate called “ma:!,” “dangerous,” “foolish.” Now, slowly, he is his title – “Black Moses.”
