Marcus Garvey Preached Unity, We Need Black Unity Now

A Black History lesson for the times and personally for my family. I was around nine or ten years old when one by one, African nations began to liberate themselves. African leaders all were followers and intended practitioners of the teachings of Marcus Garvey (who died in 1940). UNIA (Look them up) had a footing and many followers in Chicago. My grandfather was a “Garvyite” and an ardent supporter and member of “UNIA.”My grandfather unified our family first to practice “collective economics” and his beliefs in Garvey’s presence and teachings led to our family’s establishment of ourselves in the business world. I had a good corporate job when one day my father (who ran a successful business for 45-years) said to me, “You’re one of the few members of our extended family who does not own a business.” The rest is history for me and my life as a businessman. That’s another story (lesson learned) for later.

Marcus Garvey preached UNITY first, then preparation next and finally self reliance. His message caught on with Blacks at all levels of economic stripes in America and throughout the African diaspora. This is what drove racists White people to fear him most and eventually bring him down. They feared most of all his message of UNITY and its potential. 

Once free from colonialism Africans could see and taste self reliance and even world influence. They were almost prepared. The potential wealth that Africa represented positioned them on their way to maybe even world dominance, but they ignored and failed to abide by and employ Garvey’s first teaching principle, and that is one of UNITY. Africa failed to unite. 

It’s a fact that history repeats itself and this repetition provides for learning, if only one recognizes this and acts on it accordingly. Throughout history unity has been the deciding factor in survival. Our ancestors relied on it to survive the horrific and brutal institution of enslavement.

I personally think we (people of like mind) are slowly, maybe so slow that it’s not obvious, but we are slowly becoming united around a common cause, and that cause is survival. It may not look like it but I can see potential. The question for all of us should be, what (and how) do “we” individually and collectively, need to do to speed up the process and our quest for UNITY? …and WHEN?

Commentary by Ron Washington, native Chicagoan living  in Las Vegas, disabled Marine Corps combat veteran, business owner (Premiers Secours), and proud NU grad. Son of Bernadine C. Washington, former WVON GM, who inspired his love for writing.