Garvey and Garveyism

by Amy Jacques Garvey, John Henrik Clarke (Introduction), Julius Garvey (Contributor)

Amy Jacques Garvey worked closely with her husband, Marcus Garvey, throughout his crusade. Here she gives an insider detailed account of Garvey, Garveyism, and this nascent period of Black Nationalism. Like all great dreamers and planners, Marcus Garvey dreamed and planned ahead of his time and his peoples' ability to understand the significance of his life's work. A set of circumstances, mostly created by the world colonial powers, crushed this dreamer, but not his dreams. Due to the persistence and years of sacrifice of Mrs. Amy Jacques Garvey, widow of Marcus Garvey, a large body of work by and about this great nationalist leader has been preserved and can be made available to a new generation of black people who have the power to turn his dreams into realities.

Genres: Race, Africa, Nonfiction, Politics

418 pages, Kindle Edition

Published October 3, 2014

About the author

Amy Euphemia Jacques Garvey was the second wife of Marcus Garvey, and a journalist and activist in her own right. She was one of the pioneering Black women journalists and publishers of the 20th century.

Reviews

[Salifu · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very important reading here for all Pan-Africanists. This labor of love by Amy Jacques Garvey is proof of her selfless contribution to the African struggle for freedom. This book gives great insight into the conditions that drove the mission of the UNIA and the issues that kept Marcus Garvey awake at night. Lots of transparency into the efforts of opposing forces (both intra communal and external) that sought to tear down various projects of the UNIA, especially the Black Star Line. You also get a more humanistic look at both Marcus and Amy Jacques Garvey and the political nature of their relationship. Their marriage appears to have been just as political to her as it was for him. Importantly though, this book is not meant to be read in isolation. Discussion and conversation is needed to be able to draw out some of the themes, and to point out areas in Garvey’s analysis which were advanced for his time, but severely lack in the context of the sophistication of Western imperialism and finance capital today. This includes themes like Zionism. At many points Africa and Israel are compared as comparable sites of struggle for liberation, which is false, and a tried Zionist tactic used to garner the support of African people. Both Garveys also leave more to be desired in their understanding of settler colonialism, which leads Garvey to frequently lend credence to the idea of an American dream which today we know is materially at odds with the Africa he wants to redeem. These are not faults big enough to throw away the analysis, we just learn to appreciate them as a foundation. Through consciencism, as theorized by Dr. Kwame Nkrumah, we come to appreciate how Garveyism laid a foundation which is evolved throughout time by other positive and justice seeking forces in the African liberation struggle!

[Jon · Rating 3 out of 5]

I thought this would be more of an introduction followed by a bunch of Marcus Garvey's writings. I'm glad that it wasn't, as the thought of such seemed like it would be rather dull, especially given that Garvey died near a century ago and much of his writing would likely have seemed dated. What the book is instead if a biography with extensive quotes from his writings and from others' writings about him.

I had read a bit about Garvey in other works, but to be able to focus on him helped me to understand better his importance, as well as the reason that we don't hear about him as much as certain other Black leaders.

Garvey was a bit like Donald Trump. What I mean by that is that he took on positions that were contrary to majority thinking and that were to a degree controversial. He didn't believe that Black people would ever get a fair shake in societies dominated by white folk. In a way, you could see segregationists eating up Garvey's ideas, because they would have fit right into segregationists' ideals. That said, Garvey had a point insofar as he felt it important that Black people of the world be given the opportunity to stand on their own; otherwise, those with power would continue to take advantage of them. This flew in the face of forces such as the NAACP and Du Bois, especially because Garvey advocated African Americans moving to Africa rather the integrating and forcing U.S. society to give them the rights they were due. Few people took up that cause, and I don't blame them. I wouldn't move to some other continent just because of the color of my skin; this is where I am and who I am.

As per the biography, Garvey was greatly persecuted. A shipping company he started (to support his organization) went bankrupt, and he ended up going to prison for supposedly siphoning off funds. Total setup, according to the biography. The biography, written by his wife, seems hagiographic, so I didn't feel like a got a fair assessment as to whether he really did do anything wrong. Nevertheless, he only got out of prison by being deported to his native Jamaica.

The biographer gives him credit for much of the African continent throwing off the colonial powers. Perhaps, he was responsible in some indirect way, but there certainly didn't result a single united Africa, as he was pushing for.

All that said, one begins to understand how Garvey could have influence later on on such groups as the Nation of Islam.

[Born Uhuru · Rating 5 out of 5]

I must first say that anything with Marcus Garvey is a must for I. So I am a bit bias. Garvey tirelessly tried to help us advocate for our own liberation. So many others followed the example and faced the same adversity as Garvey. It is no wonder why we still face the exact same problem 100 years later. Africans need to heed the teachings and sayings of Garveyism and advocate “Africa for Africans.” We forget to give thanks and praise to our beloved African mother Amy Jacques Garvey. Without AJG, his work would have faded into oblivion and we owe her so much for keeping his work alive. Thank you.

Now as the title reads this is a book on the Philosophy and Opinions of Marcus Garvey. It’s exactly like POMG. Compiled and edited by AJG with a intro and preface by John Henrik Clarke and MMG’s son Julius Garvey. Difference being is Amy Jacque’s written input on the matter. Which was needed.

The book isn’t a difficult to read or drawn out. So welcome your children to Garvey/-ism. I purchased my copy directly from Black Classic Press. Ta-Nehisi Coates fathers publishing company in Baltimore. Includes pictures of both Marcus and Amy Jacques.


Jump into this book like you will be one of the millions of enslaved African peoples returning in the whirlwind, courageously flying your red black and green. Garveyism will give you so much true if you study and listen. The signs are there and the Black Star Line is coming.

[Nadia L. Hohn · Rating 4 out of 5]

I am so happy to have finished reading this book about one of Jamaica's national heroes. Being a child of Jamaican immigrants, I have known about Marcus Garvey's triumphs and significance in the Black community. I came to this book seeking more about him and to complete research. This is essentially a biography and summary of his work and his challenges. It seems that everywhere Marcus Garvey turned, he faced opposition from the American government, colonizers, and even within the Black community, for example from WEB Dubois. Marcus was truly a visionary and futurist. He never lived long enough to see his ideals come to fruition but his impact, his influence is felt throughout the African continent and diaspora. I loved hearing from his widow Amy Jacques Garvey. However it was difficult at times to distinguish which of the book's three authors was writing as it was written in the first person and often sounded like Amy but then jumped voices. There were no demarkations or indications that the author changed. I did appreciate the excerpts from his poetry and songwriting as well as letters and articles from people around the world. This is a very significant work. Thank you.

[Bdocuser · Rating 5 out of 5]

This personal account of the life and times of the late Marcus Garvey is written by the woman who knew his convictions and the resistance he faced best of all; his wife A. Jacques Garvey. If you are not familiar with the Black Star Liner and the 'Back to Africa Movement' this is a must read. Most of the content comes from writings of Garvey himself. The impact his life has had on the world is best described by the opening quote from A.J.Garvey:

We are all merely human beings,
what we do to others,
not only effect them, but ourselves,--
our dispositions, our actions,
which all leave their impress,
that, history records.

[Reginald Allen · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a wonderful eye-opening book about the life and times of Marcus Garvey. The Pan-Africanist, troubadour of “Africa for the African” defined the word Greatness. During my reading it angered me to learn how the United States and other countries colluded to thwart African unification globally. Black American organizations like the N.A.A.C.P. toured the states denouncing Garvey and the Universal Negro Improvement Association (UNIA). This book illustrates how a visionary is never appreciated until they are gone. Example: Muhammad Ali, Martin Luther King, Minister Malcolm X etc. The information in this book will blow your brains out - great read.