JAMAICA | PNP Pays Tribute to Marcus Mosiah Garvey on the Anniversary of His Birth

Kingston, Jamaica. August 17, 2024: The People’s National Party proudly commemorates the anniversary of the birth of Jamaica’s first National Hero, the Right Excellent Marcus Mosiah Garvey.

Opposition Spokesperson on Culture and Creative Industries, Dr. Deborah Hickling Gordon, underscores the relevance of Garvey’s teachings in today’s society. “As Jamaica and Jamaicans grapple with redefining our perspectives on social justice, revisiting our approaches to decolonisation, and renegotiating our positions on rights and freedoms, the philosophies and teachings of Marcus Garvey must play a central role in these discussions,” Dr. Hickling Gordon stated.

“Garvey’s lessons are particularly crucial at a time when national and individual identities are under scrutiny; when the hard-fought rights and freedoms of many Jamaicans are threatened; when the People’s National Party strives to ensure that constitutional reform is expansive, inclusive, just, and participatory; and when we must continue to fight for a Jamaica that respects and honours its Indigenous communities,” she added.

Dr. Hickling Gordon emphasised that the People’s National Party upholds the teachings of Marcus Garvey, whose focus on Black pride, cultural awareness, and economic empowerment continues to inspire the political movement. “For over a century, Garvey’s influence has shaped movements worldwide, including the Civil Rights Movement in the United States, Rastafarianism in Jamaica, and various African independence movements. He is rightly regarded as one of the greatest Black leaders of the twentieth century. Today, we honour him for his courageous actions to uplift the Black race and promote Black consciousness.”

Garvey’s establishment of the Universal Negro Improvement Association (UNIA) in Jamaica in 1914, with the goal of uniting all people of African descent and advocating for the return of Africans to Africa under the rallying cry “Africa for the Africans, at home and abroad,” was a precursor to Jamaica’s significant influence on global movements for justice and liberation. It serves as a reminder of the strength found in unity, necessary for meaningful change in our society.

“We in the PNP celebrate and emulate Marcus Garvey, who believed in the power of culture and creativity to foster wealth and self-expression. History tells us that Garvey insisted on providing an arena for Black Jamaicans to express themselves through drama, music, and poetry,” Dr. Hickling Gordon noted. Garvey’s property at Edelweiss Park provided a space where Jamaican artists and performers could routinely express their creativity, laying the foundation for Jamaica’s theatrical movement and offering regular paid employment in the performing arts, even when Jamaica was still a British colony. “Garvey’s vision of empowering the Jamaican masses as a creative force continues to guide the PNP’s culture and creative economy policy planning,” she added.

The PNP remains committed to advocating for the deeper integration of Garvey’s teachings into the Jamaican school curriculum, to instil a strong sense of identity and purpose in young Jamaicans. “We must draw on Garvey’s emphasis on Black pride and self-reliance to inspire generations of Jamaicans to embrace their heritage, foster cultures of diversity and unity, and work towards the upliftment of our communities,” Dr. Hickling Gordon concluded.

-30-