Biden Pardons Garvey and Others As He Exits the White House
Marcus Garvey, born on August 17, 1887, in Jamaica, was a powerful political activist, orator, Pan-Africanist, and entrepreneur whose legacy continues to inspire movements for racial equality and empowerment. Garvey founded the Universal Negro Improvement Association and African Communities League (UNIA), an organization that sought to unify and uplift people of African descent worldwide.
His vision for the future of Black people was revolutionary. He advocated for the establishment of a separate nation for Black people and opposed racial integration. His most ambitious plan to realize this vision was through the creation of the Black Star Line, a shipping company designed to transport African Americans back to Africa. While the company transported passengers to destinations such as Jamaica, Panama, Costa Rica, and Cuba, it ultimately failed to reach the African continent.
In addition to owning a fleet of ships and being a political activist, Garvey was an entrepreneur at heart and a savvy businessman. He created a diverse business empire that included a chain of grocery stores and restaurants, a steam laundry, a tailor and dressmaking shop, a clothing store, a publishing house, and a doll factory. Garvey also owned several buildings, and fleets of trucks, allowing him to employ over 1,000 people, thus bringing economic empowerment to the Black community.
Despite his accomplishments, his legacy was tarnished by a 1923 conviction for mail fraud related to his business. He died with this conviction attached to his name, but that changed with President Joe Biden’s posthumous pardon in 2025. Biden’s decision to pardon Garvey came after years of advocacy from civil rights activists, the Congressional Black Caucus, and Dr. Julius Garvey, Garvey’s son. Their endless fight to bring Garvey justice eventually became a reality.
According al.com Julius Garvey thanked President Biden after the decision was announced on Sunday and said the granting of the posthumous pardon “will serve as the beginning of the process to completely clear my father’s name of any wrongdoing, which is important to our family and many millions of people across the world.” Source Al.com News
This posthumous pardon marks an important step toward restoring the reputation of one of the most influential figures in the history of the Black empowerment movement.
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