Just in case! (this is also shared in a Google doc.)
Charlie Spinale
F period
American Studies
1: History-H
3/6/13
Why
was Marcus Garvey a controversial figure?
Marcus Garvey was
displayed as a controversial figure through a lifetime of events. Marcus
Garvey created the UNIA (Universal Negro Improvement Association) which
prepared African Americans to leave; he wanted all African Americans to return
to their “motherland” or homeland of Africa. Garvey’s plan differed greatly
from African American leaders who wanted everyone to be together, while Garvey
wanted everyone in their correct homeland.
Throughout Document A
we see how Marcus Garvey was a controversial figure though the eyes of Malcolm
X, Malcolm was one of the few throughout the documents who viewed Garvey’s controversial
ideas as good rather than harmful. Malcolm was a political activist who encouraged
black rights, and agreed with the ideas of Marcus Garvey. Malcolm states that
Garvey encouraged African Americans to return to their homeland of Africa.
Garvey encourage Malcolm’s father Reverend Earl Little, a Baptist minister, to
preach about Garvey’s diverse ideas. Malcolm states “The Klansmen shouted
threats and warnings at her that we had better get out of town because “the
good Christian white people” were not going to stand for my father’s “spreading
trouble” among the “good” Negroes of Omaha with the “back to Africa” preaching’s
of Marcus Garvey.” Malcolm also states that Garvey was “raising the banner of
black-race purity and exhorting the Negro masses to return to their ancestral
African homeland-a cause which had made Garvey the most controversial black man
on earth…” This shows how controversial
Garvey’s ideas were because they were being heard all around the world and were
being encouraged in a positive way by African Americans like Malcolm’s father
Reverend Earl Little.
In Document B which is
a “letter to U.S Attorney-General” we see that Marcus Garvey’s controversial ideas
are viewed in a negative manner. The letters states that the UNIA is composed
of African Americans with black friendly business; the letter describes the
members as “ignorant Negro fanatics.” Not only does the letter discriminate the
members of the UNIA it describes the organization being more dangerous than the
KKK (Ku Klux Klan). The letters states, “The Garvey organization, known as the
U.N.I.A., is just as objectionable and even more dangerous as the KKK, inasmuch
as it naturally attracts an even lower type of crooks, and racial bigots.” The
letters describes that the signers of this letter “foresee the gathering storm
of race prejudice and sense the danger of this movement, which caner-like, is
eating away at the core of peace and safety—of civic harmony and interracial coexistence.”
The authors fear the dangers of Garvey and the UNIA, they believe they will
bring more racial problems, and break apart peace and safety.
In Document C which is
a memo from Edgar Hoover, we see that he believes Garvey’s controversial ideas
are also dangerous. Hoover thinks his Black Star Line Steamship is agitating
the Negro movement. “…and in addition to his activities in endeavoring to establish
the Black Star Steamship Corporation he
has also been particularly active among the radical elements in New York City in agitating the Negro movement.” Hoover is
actually angry that Garvey has not broken any federal laws, because if he had, what
he’s doing would have been stopped. “Unfortunately, however he has not as yet
violated any federal law…” Hoover’s fears how Garvey’s controversial ideas
could be dangerous. Hoover realizes that there “might be some proceeding
against him for fraud in connection with his Black Star Line propaganda…”
Hoover’s thoughts may have been correct the timeline states the in 1923 Garvey
was arrested and sentenced to 5 years in prison for mail fraud. This was because
Garvey had allegedly sent out brochures advertising a Black Star Line ship that
he had not yet purchased.
In
the last document we see An Autobiography of Marcus Garvey which portrays his
thoughts on his own controversial ideas. Garvey states that his “downfall” was
planned by his enemies. He states that they planned traps and spies among the employees
of the Black Star Line and the UNIA. He also states that his own employees went
against him. Although his Black Star Line was affected, Garvey states that the
UNIA has 900 branches and over six million members. At the end of this
autobiography we see how controversial Garvey’s ideas truly were. He states “We
believe in the purity of both races…It is cruel and dangerous to promote social
equality, as certain black leaders do. The belief that black and white should get
together would destroy the racial purity if both.” This quote represents Garvey’s
controversial ideas because he states that it is dangerous to promote equality
and putting blacks and whites together will just destroy the purity of both
races.
A
controversial figure is defined as “giving rise or likely to give rise to
public disagreement,” this is exactly what Garvey did he rose against the ideas
of most leaders and went with his own ways; Garvey’s unique ideas define a controversial
figure. All Garvey truly wanted was a place where African Americans could
thrive as their own race, he wanted this to be done in their original homeland
of Africa, “we believe that the black people should have a country of their own
where they should be given the fullest opportunity to develop politically, socially
and industrially.”
