Garvey, Marcus (1887-1940), was a Black leader who started a “Back-to-Africa” movement in the United States. Garvey believed that Black people would never receive justice in countries where most of the people were white. He preached that Black people should consider Africa their homeland and that they should settle there.
Garvey was born in Jamaica on Aug. 17, 1887. He began his movement there in 1914 and brought it to the United States in 1916, when he moved to New York City. In the early 1920’s, Garvey had an estimated 2 million followers, chiefly poor Black people. His supporters sent him thousands of dollars. He used the money to set up some all-Black businesses. Business profits were to be used to finance the movement. In 1925, Garvey was convicted of mail fraud in connection with his sale of stock in one of the businesses. The movement then declined. Garvey was released from prison in 1927. He was deported to Jamaica, where he tried unsuccessfully to revive the movement. He died in London on June 10, 1940.
