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My Thoughts on Marcus Mosiah Garvey
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Marcus Mosiah Garvey is a great hero to Africans in America (North and South), Caribbean, and
around the world. However, due to his 'limited' perspective, he has some negative remarks
attributed to him about Emperor Haile Selassie I. In light of the chronic mis-information and
wide-spread propaganda during the invasion of Ethiopia by Italy's Benito Mussolini in 1936, it
does not surprise me that some may have mis-taken the responsibility of Emperor Haile Selassie I,
to resolve the conflict in a manner that would save Ethiopia and more broadly, Africa.
Ultimately it would take the cooperation of multiple world powers of the League of Nations,
established in 1919 after 1st world war, to protect the sovereign rights of smaller nations. League
of Nations was specifically established for the very purpose of 'Collective Security'. Emperor Haile
Selassie I knew it was his responsibility, and his alone, to make the case to the League of Nations.
Although the League failed it's duty to come to the aid of Ethiopia, it was Emperor Haile Selassie I's
prophetic words about the lack of support that would ultimately cause the larger nations to yield
to his request or be totally overwhelmed by Fascism and Nazism if Africa, specifically Ethiopia, was
annexed by the Italians. Therefore, when the opportunity arose, His Imperial Majesty Emperor
Haile Selassie I led an equipped British army, Ethiopian Military, Warriors and patriots back into
Ethiopia to turn the tide of the war from the 'Axis' forces to the 'Allied' forces reclaiming the capital
city Addis Ababa and his seat on the Imperial throne of the Solomonic Dynasty on May 5th, 1941.
(Pg. 159-166, My Life and Ethiopia's Progress, Volume Two Addis Ababa 1966 E.C., The
Autobiography of Emperor Haile Sellassie I, King of kings and Lord of lords.)
In hind-sight it is understandable how Marcus saw leaving Ethiopia to hold the League of Nations
accountable to it's primary mission, could be mis-interpreted as 'running away', but quoting from
Ivan Van Sertima, "you cannot extrapolate from a smaller people what a larger people are about"
and in the same way "you cannot extrapolate from a tactic what a larger comprehensive strategy is
about". In other words, His Imperial Majesty Emperor Haile Selassie I fought, on and off the battle
field, for Ethiopia's sovereignty, from colonization and domination. Realizing the vision of a free
Ethiopia and Africa, he honored the valiant efforts of our fallen patriots, women and men, who gave
their lives for our Ethiopian Empire and African continent. It is now up to each of us to hold
ourselves, each other, the African Union, and the United Nations accountable for the sovereignty,
freedom, and justice of African peoples in Africa and in the diaspora.
May God grant us success in this effort.
Malchijah...
05/20/2014
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The Coronation of Emperor Haile Selassie I by Marcus Mosiah Garvey
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" Last Sunday, a great ceremony took place at Addis Abbaba [Ababa], the capital of Abyssinia. It
was the coronation of the new Emperor of Ethiopia - Ras Tafari. From reports and expectations, the
scene was one of great splendour, and will long be remembered by those who were present.
"Several of the leading nations of Europe sent representatives to the coronation, thereby paying
their respects to a rising Negro nation that is destined to play a great part in the fiiture history of
the world.
"Abyssinia is the land of the blacks and we are glad to learn that even though Europeans have been
trying to impress the Abyssinians that they are not belonging to the Negro Race, they have
returned the retort that they are, and that they are proud to be so.
"Ras Tafari has travelled to Europe and America and is therefore no stranger to European
hypocrisy and methods; he, therefore, must be regarded as a kind of a modern Emperor, and from
what we understand and know of him, he intends to introduce modern methods and systems into
his country. Already he has started to recruit from different sections of the world competent men in
different branches of science to help to develop his country to the position that she should occupy
among the other nations of the world.
"We do hope that Ras Tafari will live long to carry out his wonderful intentions. From what we
have heard and what we do know, he is ready and willing to extend the hand of invitation to any
Negro who desires to settle in his kingdom. We know of many who are gone to Abyssinia and who
have given good report of the great possibilities there, which they are striving to take advantage of.
" The Psalmist prophesied that Princes would come out of Egypt and Ethiopia would stretch forth
her hands unto God. We have no doubt that the time is now come. Ethiopia is now really stretching
forth her hands. This great kingdom of the East has been hidden for many centuries, but gradually
she is rising to take a leading place in the world and it is for us of the Negro race to assist in every
way to hold up the hand of Emperor Ras Tafari.”
Words of Marcus Garvey printed in the “Blackman” Kingston, November 8th 1930.
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The Negro Stands at the Cross Roads of Human Destiny by Marcus Mosiah Garvey
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The Negro now stands at the cross roads of human destiny. He is at the place where he must either
step forward or backward. If he goes backward he dies; if he goes forward it will be with the hope
of a greater life. Those of us who have developed our minds scientifically are compelled, by duty, to
step out among the millions of the unthinking masses and convince them of the seriousness of the
age in which we live. From Adam and Eve We are either on the way to a higher racial existence or
racial extermination. This much is known and realized by every thoughtful race and nation; hence,
we have the death struggle of the different races of Europe and Asia in the scramble of the survival
of the fittest race.
WHEN THE COLONISTS OF AMERICA DESIRED POSSESSION OF THE LAND THEY SAW THAT A
WEAK ABORIGINAL RACE WAS IN THEIR WAY. WHAT DID THEY DO? THEY GOT HOLD OF THEM,
KILLED THEM, AND BURIED THEM UNDERGROUND. THIS IS A FAIR INDICATION OF WHAT WILL
HAPPEN TO THE WEAKER PEOPLES OF THE WORLD IN ANOTHER TWO OR THREE HUNDRED
YEARS WHEN THE STRONGER RACES WILL HAVE DEVELOPED THEMSELVES TO THE POSITION
OF COMPLETE MASTERY OF ALL THINGS MATERIAL. THEY WILL NOT THEN AS THEY HAVE NOT
IN THE PAST, ALLOW A WEAK AND DEFENSELESS RACE TO STAND IN THEIR WAY, ESPECIALLY IF
IN THEIR DOING SO THEY WILL ENDANGER THEIR HAPPINESS, THEIR COMFORT AND THEIR
PLEASURES.
These are the things that strike the thoughtful Negro as being dangerous, and these are the things
that cause us who make up the Universal Negro Improvement Association to be fighting
tenacicusly for the purpose of building up a strong Negro race, so as to make it impossible for us to
be exterminated in the future to make room for the stronger races, even as the North American
Indian has been exterminated to make room for the “great” white man on this North American
continent. The illiterate and shallow-minded Negro who can see no farther than his nose is now
the greatest stumbling block in the way of the race. He tells us that we must be satisfied with our
condition; that we must not think of building up a nation of our own, that we must not seek to
organize ourselves racially, but that we must depend upon the good feeling of the other fellow for
the solution of the problem that now confronts us.
This is a dangerous policy and it is my duty to warn the four hundred million Negroes of the world
against this kind of a leadership – a leadership that will try to make Negroes believe that all will be
well without their taking upon themselves the task of bettering their condition politically,
industrially, educationally and otherwise. The time has come for those of us who have the vision of
the future to inspire our people to a closer kinship, to a closer love of self, because it is only
through this appreciation of self will we be able to rise to that higher life that will make us not an
extinct race in the future, but a race of men fit to survive…
Marcus Garvey
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