Marcus Garvey Biography

Marcus Garvey was declared a national hero of Jamaica on 15 November 1964, making
him the first person to be named a national hero. Garvey is best remembered for founding
the United Negro Improvement Association (UNIA) and he spent his life campaigning
for black rights. He also founded Jamaica's first modern political party, the Peoples
Political Party (PPP).

Garvey held many controversial beliefs, including that of "the principle of Europe for the
Europeans, and Asia for the Asiatics and Africa for the Africans at home and abroad"
which often put him at odds with black rights groups which favoured racial integration.

The teachings of Marcus Garvey also play an important part in Rastafarian Culture with
many Rastafarians holding Marcus Garvey as a prophet who foretold the ascencion of
King Haile Selassie I (the first) to the throne of Ethiopia