AMY GARVEY

          1885-1973

One of the mothers of our race who through the words of righteousness and truth helped people of our race to know and understand themselves, through her writings of books and articles in the newspapers and public speaking, a remarkable woman, Amy Jacques Garvey, hard working woman, she did not derive her legitimacy from the status of her husband. She was Already a leading Pan-Africanist and Black Nationalist in her own right.  always advancing the cause of black liberation, she played influential roles in the movement as journalist, and race activist

 Amy Jacques Garvey was a pioneer Pan-African emancipator born in Kingston, Jamaica on December 31, 1885. She became the first lady of the Interim-Provisional Government of Africa - the Universal Negro Improvement Association (UNIA) and African Communities League (ACL)

Amy Jacques Garvey was one of the pioneer Black women journalists and publishers of the 20th century She moved to New York in 1917 and soon after became involved with publishing of The Negro World newspaper in Harlem from its inception in August 1918. Amy Jacques Garvey, like her husband, became a life-long toiler for Universal African Liberation and advancement. She was a very special person, pursuing a brilliant meaningful lifetime work of which every moment was dedicated to dissemination of the philosophy and principles of her beloved husband of race first, self-reliance and nationhood. SHE was an international organizer and race leader in her own right. In the cause for African Emancipation, her message was the same as her husband's -- "The hour of Black resurrection is at hand. Black man, Black woman, be up and doing for self and kind -- for you can achieve what you will." (This was 88yrs ago and we still saying the same thing today rise!!)She was genuinely concerned with the plight of her fellow Africans and for this reason she toiled unceasingly from youth to old age to spread the teachings of African solidarity and independence. Mrs. Garvey was an exemplary politician and wife. She was best known as a publicist of Garveyism and then From 1919, when she became the Secretary General of the UNIA until her death,for 54 years of her life was so bound up with the national liberation struggles of African people. She was a relentless enemy of colonialism and neo-colonialism. In her letters, essays, books and speeches, she always stressed the point that the imperialist must not be allowed to creep in at the back fence in disguise in independent African countries.

 In July 27, 1922. She became the first lady of Negro World publisher, Pan-Africanist and UNIA-ACL President General Marcus Garvey and were married and She bore Garvey’s two sons, Marcus Jr. and Julius and in October 1927 he wrote

The Love Amy
(Dedicated to Mrs. Amy Jacques Garvey by Marcus Garvey)

I wandered far in life's stern way
To seek the good of every day;
But fell among the thieves of Thane,
Who tried to rob my honest name.
I found no brotherhood in man;
But here and there a vicious clan;
No truth, no love, no justice find
Their way into these groups unkind.
But you have been a light to me,
A fond and dear, and true Amie;
So what care I for falsest friend,
When on your love I can depend.
To steal one's wealth is always trash,
O'er which some men are ne'er abash;
But then to steal and blot a name,
It takes the courage of a Thane,
But all they do is only naught,
Because the battle has been fought,
And I have won your love, Amie,
The greatest treasure I can see.

 During her tenure from 1924 to 1927 as a Negro World Associate Editor, Amy Jacques Garvey added a page called "Our Women and What They Think” which focused on the perspective of the women pertaining things that were taking place at that time, as Printed in NW, 19 April 1924. Original headlines omitted she edited the "Negro World's page, which was formally instated on 2 February and entitled, now "Her editorial mandate was a comprehensive one. She sought a readership "not by any means limited to the membership of the U NI A, but [one that would] include the womanhood of the race."She said "We earnestly desire,", "that all places of race condition in the place where they are as they affect our women, on phases of child and women uplift work, and original contribution of prose or verse" Here are a few of the important places, which black Woman desires to take in the rebirth of Africa, at home and abroad:
1. To work on par with men in the office as well as on the platform.
2. To practice actual economy and thrift.
3. To teach practical and constructive race doctrine to the children.
4. To demand absolute respect from men of all races.
5. To teach the young the moral dangers of social diseases, and to love their race first.

 In a word, the black Woman is revolutionizing the old type of male leadership. We are determined to have the Black race represented and respected by every Negro leader. We are women of the newer type, Striving to make our Race sublime- Conscious that time is ripe, To put our men on the firing line! And Strengthen their shaking knees..

Mother Amy’s activities in Jamaica and the United States from 1919 to 1940 prefaced the defeat of fascism and the irreversible disintegration of the colonial system which led to the upsurge and triumphs of the National Liberation Movement. Amy Jacques Garvey, who was in the forefront of this movement, wrote her seminal "A Memorandum Correlative of Africa, West Indies and the Americas" in 1944 which was sent to the representatives of the United Nations urging them to declare an "African Freedom Charter". She spent thousands of dollars in purchasing and mailing many pamphlets, leaflets and newspapers to Africa, the United States and Europe. She spent hours writing letters, articles and doing interviews and making speeches on Black Liberation. She refused to rest or accept payment for her work.

Like the Queen Warrior mother Yaa Asantewaa of Ghana in the 1800s, she chided the men to assert their manhood or else the women would have to pick up the struggle. She warned that “... Black people everywhere must be independent, God being our guide. Mr. Black man, watch your step! Ethiopia's queens will reign again, and her Amazons protect her shores and people. Strengthen your shaking knees, and move forward, or we will displace you and lead on to victory and glory."

While her husband was in prison on charges of mail fraud in connection with Black Star Line (his shipping line), she acted as his personal representative, rallying to his defense, making speeches to the branches of the UNIA and lobbying for his release. In order to raise funds for his defense, she published two volumes of Philosophy and Opinions of Marcus Garvey, a collection of his speeches and writings. After his release from the Atlanta Federal Penitentiary, he was taken to New Orleans and deported from the USA, never to return. She returned to Jamaica with him and they subsequently toured England, France and Germany, all the while continuing her writing as contributing editor of The Negro World. When Garvey moved to England, she remained in Jamaica with their one-year -old and four-year-old sons. Now After her husband's death in 1940, Mother Amy became a contributing editor to a journal, the African, published in Harlem in the 1940s. Even after death she persevered and remained true to the on-going quest for African liberation championed by her husband, writing countless articles and letters. Even after the fleshical passing of Garvey she continued with her work because before she was with him she had a vision she was a whole woman and she strongly believed in Garvey’s work and her work.

She was instrumental in organizing the fifth Pan African Congress held in 1945. Twenty-five years later, she visited West Africa at the invitation of Nkwame Nkrumah. During the 1940s she labored for the Peoples National Party of Jamaica. She also was a sponsor of the 6th Pan African Congress which convened in Dar Es Salaam, Tanzania in 1974..
In November 1963 Amy Jacques Garvey visited Nigeria as a guest of Dr. Nnamdi Azikiwe who was being installed as that nation's first Governor-General. She aided and contributed financial assistance to the workers' movement in Nigeria. In her final years between 1968-73, she had written and published Garvey and Garveyism (1963) and her collection of essays on Black Power in America and The Impact of Garvey in Africa and Jamaica As well as a booklet, Black Power in America: The Power of the Human Spirit in 1968. Her final work was the Philosophy and Opinions of Marcus Garvey volume III,

called this flag of mine by Amy Gatvey

Regardless of what is told of it,
Here's to this flag of mine
The Red, Black and Green
Hopes in its future bright
Africa has seen.
Here's to the Red of it,
Great nations shall know of it
In time to come.
Red blood shall flow of it,
Historians shall write of it,
Great flag of mine.
Here's to the Black of it
Four hundred millions black of it,
Whose destiny depends on it
The RED, BLACK and GREEN of it,
Oh, Flag of Mine.
Here's to the Green of it
Young men shall dream of it,
Face shot and shells of it
Waving so high.
Here's to the whole of it
Colors grought and pole of it
Pleased is my soul with it
Regardless of what is told of it,
Thanks God for giving it
Great Flag of Mine.

Amy Jacques Garvey died a fighter on July 25, 1973. Her work and memory serve the cause for which she stood. As a Pan African Patriot, Pioneering Nationalist, Political Scientist, Organizer, Journalist, Editor, Publisher, Philosopher, Mother, Wife and an immortal African Giant, she will live on forever for Black people the world over in memory of love and self-determination.