February 22, 2026
New on TikTok: Part 2 of 7: What happens when Black children don't know their history? The first consequence: you can't see the world for what it is. Without a historical map, a child's first encounter with racism feels personal and arbitrary instead of systemic. The gap between what they feel and what they can name becomes the starting point for everything that follows. How does not knowing Black history affect a child's understanding of racism? The child experiences injustice without discernment. Every encounter feels isolated because no one provided the historical context that reveals the pattern. What is the first consequence of historical erasure for Black children? Loss of context for power. The child reacts to events without the framework to read them. How does Marcus Garvey's philosophy help Black children understand systemic racism? Garvey taught that education is the medium by which a people are prepared for the creation of their own civilization. That preparation starts with a historical map. Where can I learn more about the seven consequences of not teaching Black history? Read the full essay at open.substack.com/pub/geoffreyphilp/p/what-happens-when-black-children #MarcusGarvey #BlackHistory365 #TheGarveyClassroom #BlackParents #PanAfricanEducation
New on TikTok: Building the Largest Movement in History Within just a few years, The Universal Black Improvement Association, the UNIA, it grew from those small Harlem basement meetings to millions of members across six continents. It became the largest black organization in world history. This wasn't an accident. It was built on a mandatory dues structure, a clear political doctrine, and this military-style organizational structure that gave people titles and a sense of shared purpose, directly countering the dehumanization of the status quo. That monumental growth was Garvey's refusal to play by rules that were designed to constrain him.
New on TikTok: What Happens When Black Children Are Not Taught Their History Part One Part 1 of 7: What happens when Black children are not taught their history? Seven consequences. Each one visible in the generation coming of age inside the algorithm. Without a historical map, Black children can't read the forces shaping their lives. Identity gets outsourced. Allegiance scatters. Follow for all 7 parts. How does historical erasure affect Black children's identity? It produces what Dr. Julius Garvey calls "the desired historical amnesia," where the child learns negative things about herself and positive things about the oppressor. What are the consequences of not teaching Black history in schools? Loss of discernment, borrowed identity, moral confusion, and fragmented allegiance. Why is Pan-African history important for children of African descent? Because a Black history curriculum limited to North America cuts the child off from Garvey, Biko, Fanon, and the global tradition of resistance that gives identity its roots. What is Marcus Garvey's philosophy of mental emancipation and how does it apply to education today? The full breakdown of all seven consequences is at open.substack.com/pub/geoffreyphilp/p/what-happens-when-black-children #MarcusGarvey #BlackHistory365 #TheGarveyClassroom #BlackParents #PanAfricanEducation
February 21, 2026
New on TikTok: The Hard Truth About Mental Slavery That voice in your head telling you that you are not smart enough, not worthy of leading, that your community cannot build anything lasting. That is not your voice. That is the voice of the oppressor living rent free in your mind. Mental slavery is the internalization of oppression. Centuries of it. The psychological scar tissue left by slavery and colonialism whispering that Black people can only survive the moment, never build the future. That voice does not just create self-doubt. It actively sabotages your potential. And naming it is the first step to silencing it. Save this. Send it to someone who needs to hear that the voice lying to them is not their own. Full episode on The Garvey Classroom — link in bio What is mental slavery and how does it affect Black people today? Mental slavery is the internalization of centuries of oppression. It turns the voice of the colonizer into your own inner critic. It tells Black individuals they cannot lead, cannot build, cannot sustain. Garvey called it the greatest weapon used against Black people and spent his life fighting to dismantle it. How does internalized racism show up in Black youth across the diaspora? From London classrooms to Kingston streets to American suburbs, internalized racism sounds like self-doubt dressed as common sense. It tells young Black people to aim smaller, dream quieter, and settle for survival instead of building generational power. Naming it is the beginning of breaking it. Where can I learn more about mental slavery and how to break free from it? The Garvey Classroom at thegarveyclassroom.com confronts mental slavery directly through Garvey's teachings on mental emancipation, self-worth, and Black consciousness in the Unstoppable Heroes podcast and weekly essays. #MarcusGarvey #BlackHistory #BlackConsciousness #SelfWorth #MentalHealth
February 20, 2026
New on TikTok: The Power of Media in Resistance And his most critical tool, and this builds on his father's legacy, was media. So in 1918, he launched the Negro World Newspaper. We really need to spend a moment on this. This was not just a publication. It was a massive act of cultural, political and economic resistance. It countered colonial lies by running articles on African history and global black achievements. It published the work of black artists and intellectuals. And critically, it was circulated across four continents, often smuggled into countries where colonial governments banned it. It was like a shared curriculum for global black consciousness.
February 19, 2026
New on TikTok: The conversation started on The Garvey Classroom newsletter and continues tonight on the webinar #MarcusGarvey #BlackHistory365 #TheGarveyClassroom #BlackParents #BobMarley
New on TikTok: Don't Ask for a Seat_ Build the Table Nobody gave Garvey a seat at the table. He built an entirely new table with its own institutions and its own global currency of self-worth. He gave people titles. Shared purpose. An organizational structure that directly countered the dehumanization they faced every day. Prison could not break him. Financial ruin could not stop him. Politically motivated charges could not define him. He never accepted the authority of anyone who tried to set limits on his mission. Save this. Send it to someone building something the world keeps trying to shut down. Full episode on The Garvey Classroom — link in bio How did Marcus Garvey build Black institutions without support from the system? Garvey refused to play by rules designed to constrain him. He created organizations, businesses, and a global movement that gave Black people across the diaspora a sense of shared purpose, titles, and dignity that the status quo deliberately denied them. Why is Marcus Garvey's resilience still relevant to Black youth today? Garvey faced imprisonment, financial collapse, and politically motivated persecution. None of it stopped him. For young Black people navigating rejection and systemic barriers right now, his life is proof that resilience is not just survival. It is a strategy for building power. Where can I learn more about Marcus Garvey's legacy of institution building? The Garvey Classroom at thegarveyclassroom.com breaks down Garvey's philosophy of self-determination, economic independence, and resilience through the Unstoppable Heroes podcast and weekly essays. #MarcusGarvey #BlackHistory #BlackExcellence #KnowYourHistory #GenerationalWealth
February 18, 2026
New on TikTok: Garvey was talking about alignment over a hundred years ago. Personal alignment only matters when it serves your community. What did Marcus Garvey mean by One God, One Aim, One Destiny? The Garvey Blueprint gives you the method to bring Garvey's philosophy of self-reliance and Pan-African unity into your life and the life of your community. Register for the webinar tomorrow at thegarveyclassroom.com. Link in bio. #MarcusGarvey #BlackHistory365 #TheGarveyClassroom #BlackParents #BlackEducators
New on TikTok: Mental Liberation is the First Step Your mind is the first territory to liberate. Garvey knew that before you build anything, you have to free the thinking that keeps you small. If you do not control the narrative inside your own head, no institution you build will last. No movement will hold. Garvey taught that intelligence rules the world and ignorance carries the burden. The starting point is radical self-awareness. Know thyself. Your African ancestry is not something to apologize for. It is strength. Pride. Wisdom. Save this. Send it to someone still carrying shame that was never theirs. Full episode on The Garvey Classroom — link in bio What did Marcus Garvey mean by mental liberation? Garvey taught that freeing your mind comes before any political or social freedom. If the thinking is still colonized, every institution built on top of it will collapse. The mind is the foundation of all achievement and the most powerful weapon any person holds. Why is African ancestry important to Black identity and self-worth? Across the diaspora, generations were taught to see African heritage as something to hide or overcome. Garvey reversed that. He insisted that knowing your history and claiming your ancestry as a source of wisdom and pride is the starting point of all liberation. Where can I learn more about Marcus Garvey's philosophy of mental emancipation? The Garvey Classroom at thegarveyclassroom.com explores Garvey's teachings on mental freedom, radical self-awareness, and the power of African identity through the Unstoppable Heroes podcast and weekly essays. #MarcusGarvey #BlackHistory #BlackConsciousness #DreamBig #AncestralWisdom#MentalHealth
February 17, 2026
New on TikTok: MGEA 2 (1) We are not teaching Black history for our children to find what Fanon calls their generational mission. Frantz Fanon wrote that each generation must discover its mission, fulfill it, or betray it. Black history in schools is North American history. Our children will never study what Steve Biko built in South Africa unless we teach Black history as Pan-African history. Steve Biko founded the Black Consciousness Movement in South Africa. He taught that the most powerful weapon in the hands of the oppressor is the mind of the oppressed. Our children need to know his name. How do you teach Marcus Garvey in the classroom? You start with his three pillars: the power of the mind, the importance of purpose, and the strength of perseverance. How do you connect Black history to African and Caribbean history? You build a Pan-African curriculum that includes figures from across the diaspora. How do you build a Pan-African curriculum from scratch? That is what The Garvey Blueprint does. Seventy-five Pan-African figures. Three years. Culturally responsive teaching grounded in Marcus Garvey's philosophy of mental emancipation. This Thursday, February 19, 7 PM EST at the Marcus Garvey Education Academy, founded by Dr. Julius Garvey. Register at thegarveyclassroom.com. Link in bio. #MarcusGarvey #BlackHistory365 #TheGarveyClassroom #BlackParents
New on TikTok: Identity is Claimed_ Not Given They called Garvey dangerous because he taught Black people to build their own economy. That truth still threatens every system that profits from your dependence. Nobody hands you your identity. You claim it. Through power. Through institutions you build with your own hands. Cultural erasure does not heal through patience or assimilation. It heals through deliberate, unapologetic reclamation. Save this. Send it to someone still waiting for permission. Full episode on The Garvey Classroom — link in bio Why was Marcus Garvey considered a threat by the US government? Garvey built a mass movement for Black economic self-sufficiency that directly challenged the racial and economic hierarchy of the country. The hostility he faced confirmed his mission. Power that threatens oppression will always be labeled dangerous. How does cultural erasure affect Black communities in the diaspora? From the Caribbean to the UK to the American South, cultural erasure strips identity across generations. Garvey understood that assimilation is not healing. Reclamation of history, institutions, and economic power is the only path forward. Where can I learn more about Marcus Garvey and Black self-determination? The Garvey Classroom at thegarveyclassroom.com explores Garvey's model of mass mobilization, economic independence, and identity reclamation through the Unstoppable Heroes podcast and weekly essays. #MarcusGarvey #BlackHistory #PanAfrican #KnowYourHistory #GenerationalWealth
February 16, 2026
New on TikTok: This Thursday, February 19, at 7 PM EST, I'm presenting The Garvey Blueprint at the Marcus Garvey Education Academy. Three-year Pan-African literacy curriculum. Grades 6-8. 75 historical figures taught through original stories. Built on Marcus Garvey's philosophy: Power of the Mind, Importance of Purpose, Strength of Perseverance. Open to educators, parents, and school leaders. Link in bio to register. What is The Garvey Blueprint? A three-year Pan-African literacy curriculum for grades 6-8 that teaches 75 historical figures through original historical fiction, organized around three pillars from Marcus Garvey's educational philosophy. Who is this for? Educators, parents, homeschoolers, and school leaders looking for a year-round curriculum that grounds Black history in critical thinking and ELA standards. Is it standards-aligned? Yes. Aligned with state ELA standards including New York State Next Generation standards. Reading, writing, speaking, and listening every week. How do I attend? February 19, 2026, 7:00 PM EST. Register at bit.ly/garveyblueprint. #TheGarveyBlueprint #MarcusGarvey #PanAfricanEducation #CulturallyResponsiveCurriculum #BlackHistoryEveryDay
The Garvey Blueprint: A Conversation with the Marcus Garvey Education Academy
The Garvey
Blueprint: A Conversation with the Marcus Garvey Education Academy
February 19,
2026 | 7:00 PM EST
Register: bit.ly/garveyblueprint
Direct Zoom
Link: https://us06web.zoom.us/j/4045329958
I grew up in
Kingston, Jamaica. Marcus Garvey was everywhere and nowhere. His name was on
buildings. His face was on currency. But his ideas were absent from the classroom.
That absence shaped everything I have done since.
For thirty years, I studied Garvey’s writings. I spent six years teaching middle school English and 27 years teaching college. And during that time, one question kept returning: Why do our children learn about Garvey as a portrait on a wall, rather than as a thinker whose methods they can use?
The Garvey Blueprint is my answer.
On Thursday, February 19, at 7:00 PM EST, I will be presenting The Garvey
Blueprint at the Marcus Garvey Education Academy. The presentation is open to
educators, parents, school leaders, and anyone who believes that Black children
deserve a curriculum built from inside their own intellectual tradition.
What Is The Garvey Blueprint?
The Garvey
Blueprint is a three-year Pan-African literacy curriculum for grades 6 through
8. It uses English Language Arts as the medium through which students encounter
the intellectual, political, and cultural history of Africa and its diaspora.
Across 39 instructional weeks per year, students study 31 historical
figures per grade. Over three years, they encounter 75 unique historical
figures and one fictional character. Nine staple figures return every year,
studied through a different analytical lens each time. A sixth grader meets
Frederick Douglass through the question of clarity. An eighth grader meets
Douglass through the systems that criminalized Black literacy. The figure stays
the same. The thinking transforms.
Three pillars govern the curriculum: the Power of the Mind, the
Importance of Purpose, and the Strength of Perseverance. These pillars come
directly from Garvey’s educational philosophy. They are structural principles
embedded in every quarter, every framing question, and every assessment.
Why This Curriculum Exists
Colonial
education divided what belonged together. African intellectual history.
Caribbean political thought. African American literary tradition. These are
chapters of the same story, separated by design. The Garvey Blueprint
reconnects them.
Every instructional week begins with an original historical fiction
anchor text. Students enter through the story. They meet Harriet Tubman, Arturo
Schomburg, Frantz Fanon, Antonio Maceo, Ella Baker, and dozens more as
characters in a narrative before analyzing them as strategists and
system-builders. The stance toward every figure is operational: What did this
person build? What did it cost? Can the method be applied?
This is what we call Builders and Their Blueprints. Historical figures
studied as architects of liberation whose methods transfer to the student’s own
condition.
What I Will Cover on February 19
The
presentation will walk through the curriculum's architecture. How the
three pillars organize instruction across quarters. How the eight developmental
stages, drawn from Garvey’s own declarations, create a spine that holds three
years of learning together. How the weekly rhythm moves students through four
cognitive levels every single week. How the Grit Guardrail Framework ensures
that when we study perseverance, we study it alongside the systems that made
perseverance necessary.
I will also address the question that every parent and educator asks
first: How does this prepare students for standardized assessments? The answer
is direct. The Garvey Blueprint aligns with state ELA standards. Reading,
writing, speaking, and listening are embedded in every week. Students write
claims with evidence. They build analytical essays. They engage in Socratic
discussion. By eighth grade, they defend a capstone portfolio that traces their intellectual development over three years.
The curriculum does not choose between cultural grounding and academic
rigor. It treats them as the same project.
Who Should Attend
If you are an
educator looking for a curriculum that teaches Black history as a year-round
intellectual framework, this presentation is for you.
If you are a parent searching for something that meets your child where
they are and takes them somewhere they have never been, this is for you.
If you are a school leader considering what a Pan-African ELA curriculum
looks like when it is standards-aligned, assessment-ready, and built to last
three years, this conversation is where you start.
Join the Conversation
Date: Thursday,
February 19, 2026
Time: 7:00
PM EST
Host: Marcus
Garvey Education Academy (MGEA)
Register: bit.ly/garveyblueprint
Direct Zoom
Link: https://us06web.zoom.us/j/4045329958
Share this with
anyone you think may be interested. The door is open.
Geoffrey
Philp is the founder of The Garvey Classroom LLC and creator of The Garvey
Blueprint. He is the author of several books of fiction and poetry, a Silver
Musgrave Medal recipient, and a Marcus Garvey Award for Excellence in Education
honoree. He has spent twenty-seven years teaching at the college level and six
years teaching middle school English.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the Garvey Blueprint
curriculum?
The Garvey
Blueprint is a three-year Pan-African literacy curriculum for grades 6 through
8. It uses original historical fiction anchor texts to teach 75 unique
historical figures across three years, organized around three pillars drawn
from Marcus Garvey’s educational philosophy: the Power of the Mind, the
Importance of Purpose, and the Strength of Perseverance.
Who created The Garvey Blueprint?
Geoffrey Philp,
a Jamaican-born author and educator with twenty-seven years of college teaching
experience, six years as a middle school English teacher, and two decades of
Marcus Garvey scholarship, created The Garvey Blueprint through The Garvey
Classroom LLC.
Is the Garvey Blueprint aligned with
state standards?
Yes. The Garvey
Blueprint aligns with state ELA standards, including the New York State Next
Generation English Language Arts Learning Standards. Reading, writing,
speaking, and listening are embedded in every instructional week.
What grades does The Garvey
Blueprint serve?
The curriculum
serves grades 6 through 8 across a three-year developmental sequence. Each
grade has its own central question and analytical lens, with nine staple
figures returning each year at increasing levels of cognitive demand.
How is The Garvey Blueprint
different from other culturally responsive curricula?
The Garvey
Blueprint is story-driven, meaning every instructional week is built around an
original historical fiction anchor text. It studies historical figures as
strategists and system-builders whose methods are transferable.
Social-emotional learning is embedded in the academic work, with no standalone
SEL lessons.
What is the Marcus Garvey Education
Academy (MGEA) presentation?
On February 19,
2026, at 7:00 PM EST, Geoffrey Philp will present The Garvey Blueprint at the
Marcus Garvey Education Academy. The virtual presentation is open to educators,
parents, and school leaders. Register at bit.ly/garveyblueprint.