BOOKS BY OR ABOUT MARCUS GARVEY

6/23/2021

Founder and First President of the United Negro Improvement Association (U.N.I.A.) Hon. Marcus Mosiah Garvey Source: from George Grantham Bain Collection - This image is available from the United States Library of Congress's Prints and Photographs division under the digital ID cph.3a03567.

LET AFRICA BE A BRIGHT STAR AMONG THE CONSTELLATION OF NATIONS.
- Hon. Marcus Mosiah Garvey

Marcus Garvey Book List

By far the book that I recommend as a seasoned Black bookseller the most to those seeking to quickly explore the wise mind and purpose of Marcus Garvey is “Message to the People.” Though Garvey lived between 1887-1940, it was published posthumously in 1986 by Charles L. James. The subtitled “Course of African Philosophy” was originally shared with his confidants and leadership and not the general members of the United Negro Improvement Association (U.N.I.A.). In 1937 it served as the first training for 10 people around the country to receive accurate information to be dispensed to the membership. Delivered at a Conference that convened in Canada by its founder and first President General, the Hon. Marcus Mosiah Garvey. It is a condensed collection of guidance and insights into the Black experience in America and around the world. It reads as if Garvey has teleported himself to the room you now occupy to prepare you with the best breadcrumbs leading back to the truth about African people. Jargon and rhetoric are missing from his style. It is plain and direct in his approach and captures the attention immediately. Here’s an excerpt:

"Use every spare minute you have in reading. If you are going on a journey that would take you an hour carry something with you to read for that hour until you have reached the place. If you are sitting down waiting for somebody, have something in your pocket to read until the person comes. Don´t waste time. Any time you think you have to waste put it in reading something. Carry with you a small pocket dictionary and study words whilst waiting or traveling, or a small pocket volume on some particular subject. Read through at least one book every week separate and distinct from your newspapers and journals."
- Marcus Garvey, "Message to the People"

Photo of one of the Black Star Liner Fleet owned by Marcus Garvey, the ship Yarmouth with the intention of it being rechristened the SS Frederick Douglass (photo found within public domain on wikipedia)

Of course, (full disclosure) as a bookseller, this is appealing. However, it is also something that wouldn’t necessarily be readily shared in everyday conversations. It is common sense that isn’t so common place. I value the prominence that he places this practice. He certainly understood the importance of cultivating empowering habits in day to day life. Though it may have seemed a mundane task, few can say they practice this on a regular basis then and now. Sage advice by one of our best minds condensed down to less than 200 pages. Brilliance captured in a book.

The day I came across this picture of one of the steam ships “completely owned and operated by people of African ancestry,” I was awe inspired. What is fascinating to me is how much was accomplished at a time that our people had comparatively less financially than we do now. The official dates that the shipping line operated was from 1919-1922. One hundred years ago $5 is like $77.80 today and people purchased ownership in $5 increments using the online inflation calculator. With a total of 500,000 shares, 100,000 people signed up. This demonstrates the power in numbers and a large vision.

tHE First Black Star Line ship had an all-black crew and a black captain completely owned, operated, and financed by black people

Liberate the minds of men,
and you will ultimately liberate the bodies of men."
- Hon. Marcus Mosiah Garvey

Most recently, I came across a piece of information that connected the dots of history with perfection. In “The Dead Are Arising” by Les Payne which details the life of Malcolm X, I learned that whenever Garvey visited Omaha, Nebraska, he covertly arrived at Malcolm X’s parent’s home. Sure, in the Autobiography of Malcolm X with Alex Haley, we are told that his father was a Garveyite, but to find out that Garvey personally agreed to stay at the Little home in absolute secrecy was an stunning piece of little known history that upon further reflection, made complete sense. Malcolm X’s older brother states, “The reason Garvey came to our place was my mother took care of a lot of his correspondence, and there was international correspondence, I remember that. There were people who were coming around who spoke foreign, different languages… and my father was unable to take part in the conversation because of the language.” Payne later expounds that Louise Little performed secretarial and reporting work for Garvey’s UNIA which included keeping records, writing corresponce and drafting articles for the Negro World. Wilfred, Malcolm X’s brother said, My father thought [Garvey] was an idol.” Well, that’s a lot more than just the UNIA members discussed in the Autobiography.

Ahhh, history is filled with beautiful historical nuggets of information to inspire and excite us to find our way.

I’ll end this post with a beautiful excerpt from “Philosophies and Opinions of Marcus Garvey” compiled by Amy Jacques Garvey. It was written yesterday, for today:

White historians and writers have tried to rob the black man of his proud past in history, and when anything new is discovered to support the race’s claim and attest the truthfulness of our greatness in other ages, then it is skillfully rearranged and credited to some other unknown race or people.

The more things change, the more they stay the same. Read my blog on Was Hannibal Black where a deep dive was made to uncover the ethnic makeup of Hannibal Barca.

As always, I appreciate that you have read through this blog post. I hope that you’ve become curious to find out more and do your own research. We ask that you consider purchasing your books from our Black owned business, Afriware Books, Co. If there is a title you’d like to purchase that is not mentioned here, or could not be found on the website, feel free to email us at: [email protected]

School Resources

Schools can enjoy an entire curriculum designed around Black Starline here https://shiphistory.org/2020/01/20/the-black-star-line/