Biden’s Posthumous Civil Rights Pardon

At the end of every presidency, it’s common for the outgoing President of the United States to grant a few interesting and often controversial pardons. While this isn’t a political commentary, it’s certainly a point of interest. Yesterday, while waiting in the doctor’s office for my son to be seen, I came across President Biden’s list of pardons. One name immediately caught my attention: Marcus Garvey.

At first, I could only recall that Garvey was somehow tied to the early Civil Rights Movement. A quick dive into some online research, however, uncovered a fascinating story—one worth sharing.

Marcus Mosiah Garvey, born on August 17, 1887, in St. Ann’s Bay, Jamaica, emerged as one of the most influential figures in Black history. A visionary leader, orator, and activist, Garvey dedicated his life to uplifting Black people around the world. His enduring legacy lies in his efforts to promote pride, unity, and self-reliance within the African diaspora, igniting a global movement for freedom and identity.

Garvey’s formal education ended at age 14, when he left school to work as a printer’s apprentice. His early exposure to labor organizing and racial inequality profoundly shaped his worldview. In 1912, Garvey moved to London, where he attended Birkbeck College and worked for a Pan-Africanist publication. There, he encountered the writings of Booker T. Washington, whose philosophy of Black self-reliance deeply influenced him.

When Garvey returned to Jamaica in 1914, he founded the Universal Negro Improvement Association (UNIA) under the motto, “One God! One Aim! One Destiny!” The UNIA sought to unite people of African descent globally, promote economic independence, and foster cultural pride. Garvey championed the establishment of Black-owned businesses and self-reliant communities.

In 1916, Garvey moved to Harlem, New York, where the UNIA flourished. By 1920, it boasted over four million members worldwide, making it the largest Black mass movement in history at the time.

A central pillar of Garvey’s vision was the Black Star Line, a shipping company created to facilitate trade among Black communities worldwide and to support the repatriation of African descendants to Africa. Though it symbolized hope and empowerment, the Black Star Line was plagued by mismanagement and financial challenges.

Garvey’s philosophy—later called “Garveyism”—blended economic empowerment, cultural pride, and political advocacy. His slogan, “Africa for Africans,” envisioned a future where Black people reclaimed their ancestral homeland. While his message resonated with millions, it also drew opposition from some prominent Black leaders, such as W.E.B. Du Bois, who criticized his separatist ideology.

Garvey’s influence also alarmed the U.S. government. In 1919, the Bureau of Investigation (the precursor to the FBI) began closely monitoring him. J. Edgar Hoover, then a young Justice Department official, labeled Garvey a “notorious Negro agitator” and authorized a campaign of extensive surveillance. The FBI even planted informants, including Black agents, within the UNIA to gather intelligence and disrupt its operations.

In 1923, Garvey was convicted of mail fraud related to the Black Star Line—a charge many historians believe was exaggerated and politically motivated. Garvey himself argued his trial and conviction were racially and politically charged, famously stating, “I was not given a fair trial; my sentence was political, and the whole prosecution was merely an experiment to test the attitude of the American people toward the Negro.”

After serving two years of a five-year sentence in Atlanta Federal Penitentiary, President Calvin Coolidge commuted Garvey’s sentence in 1927. However, Garvey was deported to Jamaica, effectively ending his leadership of the UNIA in the United States.

Despite his deportation, Garvey continued advocating for Black unity and independence. In 1935, he moved to London, where he spent his final years. He passed away on June 10, 1940, at the age of 52.

Garvey’s teachings inspired the Rastafarian movement, which emerged in Jamaica during the 1930s, and his work set the stage for later civil rights leaders and movements. In 1964, the Jamaican government declared him a national hero. His ideals of self-reliance, unity, and justice continue to inspire generations worldwide.

On January 19, 2025, President Joe Biden posthumously pardoned Marcus Garvey. This decision followed calls from 21 Democratic members of Congress, who urged the President to recognize Garvey’s 1923 mail fraud conviction as politically motivated. In his statement, President Biden highlighted that America is “a country built on the promise of second chances,” emphasizing the importance of using clemency power to uphold that promise.