November 26, 2012

Marcus Garvey: A Failure?



Marcus Garvey was a failure and should not be revered as a hero. At least that's what some of the opponents of the exoneration petition would like me to believe. Here's an example of what one opponent posted in a recent online exchange:

Opponent: Garvey abandoned the movement for green grass [of America]...Garvey wanted to be President of Africa, he even gave himself that title.

GP: Re: Garvey. Please read Marcus Garvey, Hero: A First Biography by Tony Martin. Garvey created the "first modern political party in the BWI" You don't have to die in order to be a hero. You have to change HOW people THINK about themselves. Garvey FOREVER changed how Black people in the West and in Jamaica thought about themselves. He brought back the pride to the race. This is why Rastafari rightfully regard him as a prophet because of his redemption of Black people.

Opponent: Geoffrey Philp, a national hero must contribute the growth and development of his country. Garvey did no such thing. Had he not [been]deported he would [not] remember Jamaica.

I do not have to read any book to convince me. If Garvey was true [to] his cause he would have stayed in Jamaica and fought…The only thing Garvey had was lyrics. I decide what I read and at this time in my life I have read enough to know Garvey is no dam hero.

Besides, the telling comment "I do not have to read any book to convince me," which belies an ignorance of the UNIA's roots in Jamaica, I'll reproduce the section from Marcus Garvey, Hero: A First Biography by Tony Martin to which I alluded:

The PPP picked a slate of candidates, with Marcus himself running for the St. Andrew seat. He also prepared an election manifesto. Among its planks were the following—self-government for Jamaica and representation in the British parliament; protection of native labour; a minimum wage; workmen’s compensation; an eight-hour working day; urban improvement; land reform and an all-Jamaica Water Board for irrigation and other works; compulsory improvement of urban areas by large companies which made huge profits in those areas; promotion of local industry; establishment of a university and polytechnic; free secondary and night school education in each parish; a national center for the performing arts; a law to “impeach and imprison” unjust judges; prison reform; the institution of legal aid; a law against buying or otherwise unfairly obtaining votes at election time; granting Montego Bay and Port Antonio the corporate rights of cities; upgrading the Kingston Race Couse into a National Park; and a federation of the West Indies (130).


Garvey's enemies in Jamaica made sure that none of his proposals were ever enacted and they eventually ousted him from his seat. Can you imagine if Jamaica had embraced Garvey's ideas of self-reliance that he proposed in 1914 when he inaugurated the UNIA or in 1938 when he was elected to the parish councils in Jamaica?

Unfortunately, the same pattern of sabotage by his own people that Garvey had gone through in the USA, the most egregious of which occurred with the Black Star Line, had followed him back to Jamaica:

WINSTON JAMES: They placed spies in the UNIA. They sabotage, ah, the Black Star Line. The engines sometimes of the ships were actually damaged by foreign matter being thrown into the fuel and so on. And there was every effort made to destroy the movement, however, that wasn't the only thing that actually destroyed Garvey. There were internal problems to the movement as well as these external forces.

NARRATOR: Garvey's own crews took the Black Star Line to the brink of disaster. One captain steered his vessel off course to visit his wife. Another had a nervous breakdown and tried to sink his own ship.

The Black Star Line, which Garvey intended to be a viable testament to Black nationhood, self-reliance and respect, was derailed by those closest to him. The treachery of Garvey's confidants led to his conviction of charges of mail fraud. In a broader context, the disloyalty of his associates was not only a betrayal of the man, but also of his vision of African redemption.

Since then, Garvey's enemies, beginning with the "Garvey Must Go" campaign, have successfully distorted Garvey's legacy and have continued to distort his reputation by heaping libelous calumnies on his name.

Can you imagine what would have happened if Garvey's real legacy had not been erased from our collective memory? 

For if Marcus Garvey is a failure, then the blame does not fall on his shoulders. Rather it rests with those, then and now, who betray his vision of African redemption.

It is for this reason, the Marcus Garvey Celebrations Committee (South Florida), Rootz Foundation, and the Institute for Caribbean Studies, have joined to petition President Barack Obama to exonerate the Right Honorable Marcus Mosiah Garvey and to continue his work African upliftment.


If you would like to join in this cause to exonerate Marcus Garvey, please sign the petition:





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The documents posted on this Web site may contain hypertext links or pointers to information created and maintained by other public and private organizations. These links and pointers are provided for visitors' convenience. I do not control or guarantee the accuracy, relevance, timeliness, or completeness of any linked information. Further, the inclusion of links or pointers to other Web sites or agencies is not intended to assign importance to those sites and the information contained therein, nor is it intended to endorse, recommend, or favor any views expressed, or commercial products or services offered on these outside sites, or the organizations sponsoring the sites, by trade name, trademark, manufacture, or otherwise.

Reference in this Web site to any specific commercial products, processes, or services, or the use of any trade, firm or corporation name is for the information and convenience of the site's visitors, and does not constitute endorsement, recommendation, or favoring by this blog.

November 22, 2012

Happy Thanksgiving


Giving thanks and praises for all the many blessings in my life.
One Love, One Heart.





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Geoffrey Philp’s Blog Spot receives a percentage of the purchase price on anything you buy through links to Amazon, Shambala Books, Hay House, or any of the Google ads or Google Custom Search.

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Disclaimer of Endorsement


The documents posted on this Web site may contain hypertext links or pointers to information created and maintained by other public and private organizations. These links and pointers are provided for visitors' convenience. I do not control or guarantee the accuracy, relevance, timeliness, or completeness of any linked information. Further, the inclusion of links or pointers to other Web sites or agencies is not intended to assign importance to those sites and the information contained therein, nor is it intended to endorse, recommend, or favor any views expressed, or commercial products or services offered on these outside sites, or the organizations sponsoring the sites, by trade name, trademark, manufacture, or otherwise.

Reference in this Web site to any specific commercial products, processes, or services, or the use of any trade, firm or corporation name is for the information and convenience of the site's visitors, and does not constitute endorsement, recommendation, or favoring by this blog.

November 21, 2012

"The Story of a Reluctant Activist" @ The Good Men Project



“Marcus Garvey,” screamed the dreadlocked woman as she made her way through the crowd toward me.

“Yes,” I answered, figuring she had forgotten my name and latched on to the nearest association.

“I need the name of your children’s book and the exoneration site for Marcus Garvey,” she said and handed me her notepad.

I gave her my business card with the name of my children’s book, Marcus and the Amazons, and a sticker with the web site address for the petition site.

“Thank you for supporting my work,” I said and returned her notepad.

“We should be thanking you for keeping the message of Marcus Garvey alive,” she said. “And I’ll do anything to help a revolutionary brother.”

The phrase struck me. So, this is what I had become? After writing five books of poetry, a novel, two short story collections and two children’s books, I was now a “revolutionary brother”?



Thanksgiving Sestina

Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving Sestina
(For Nadia)

At the center of this house, I have lit a candle
to call back into my heart, my life, the spirit
that enters my flesh with the sound of a drum,
the thin membrane in my chest, that began the dance
we celebrate in the harvest we’ve kneaded into bread,
that we receive, bless, break, and serve with wine.

For no feast is complete without first serving wine
that sets our flesh aglow, our bodies like bright candles,
quickening our cells like yeast that makes bread
rise from a soft mound and expand, the way our spirits
move outward to embrace lovers, and we dance
to the rhythm in our wrists, calves—echo of the drum

beat that shortens our lives—noise of the drum
born from bleats that tore the morning air before wine
spilled hot on the ground, and later that night we danced,
ate, cured the hide around the fires where our candles
first sparked, joining the round that draws spirit
to water, to the fragrance in the mystery of bread—

music of crushed seeds, folded into loaves of bread
held between the palms like the toom of the drum
in the trembling altar of my shoulders, signal of the spirit
coiling up the snake of my spine, like fermenting wine
exploding inside my head, a thousand candles
ablaze behind my eyes and I rise and dance.

For how can I resist the pull of this dance?
Unseen yet felt, like the miracle of bread
made real in our hands and mouths, the way candles
awaken our bodies to the fire in the skins of drums,
in the pulp of grapes we squeeze into wine
surrendering their essence like the spirit

anointing our bones and hearts (for spirit
sanctifies clenched fists and open hands) in the dance
of the earth, fire, air, and water, fluid as the wine
poured into our lives, leavening hurts and loves like bread
made in the heat of the fire, cooled by drums,
the song of our souls, like the breath of candles.

So I will cup my body around this candle and dance.
Give thanks to the spirit with music, bread,
and wine, fruits of the earth, made one with the drum.




Except from Dub Wise 

November 19, 2012

Accepting Submissions: The Island Review



Seeking submissions now


What do we want?

The editors of The Island Review are seeking submissions of poetry, short fiction, non-fiction, photography and visual art from islanders everywhere, as well as from those whose work is influenced by islands or which explores ideas of islandness.

We’re looking for work that stands out from the crowd: work that is original, daring, witty, wise, radical, intelligent, illuminating or just plain excellent. If you think you fit into any (or all) of those categories, we want to hear from you.


Who can contribute?

Anyone who lives on an island; anyone whose work is about islands, set on an island or inspired by islands; anyone who doesn’t fit quite comfortably into one of these categories but who believes, nevertheless, that their work may be just right for The Island Review.

Please read our ‘coming soon’ page to find out what we mean by the word ‘island’. But bear in mind, also, that we’re always willing to be persuaded.

So, while Australia may be a continental landmass rather than an island proper, if your work seeks somehow to highlight the islandness of that country, we’d probably want to take a look.

On the other hand, the island of Manhattan is probably less likely to interest us than, say, Ellis Island. But that doesn’t mean we won’t be interested.

If you think we should be interested, tell us why. And if you’re not quite sure, just ask.


In addition . . .


The Island Review is preparing to launch in early 2013. If you have any ideas and suggestions for the website – who, what or where would you like to see featured, for instance – we’d very much like to know.
And if you would like to offer us help or assistance of any kind . . . please do.



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Disclaimer of Endorsement


The documents posted on this Web site may contain hypertext links or pointers to information created and maintained by other public and private organizations. These links and pointers are provided for visitors' convenience. I do not control or guarantee the accuracy, relevance, timeliness, or completeness of any linked information. Further, the inclusion of links or pointers to other Web sites or agencies is not intended to assign importance to those sites and the information contained therein, nor is it intended to endorse, recommend, or favor any views expressed, or commercial products or services offered on these outside sites, or the organizations sponsoring the sites, by trade name, trademark, manufacture, or otherwise.

Reference in this Web site to any specific commercial products, processes, or services, or the use of any trade, firm or corporation name is for the information and convenience of the site's visitors, and does not constitute endorsement, recommendation, or favoring by this blog.

November 15, 2012

Children’s Book Teaches Young Readers Marcus Garvey





Journalist, philosopher, activist and black nationalist, Marcus Garvey once said, “A people without the knowledge of their past history, origin and culture is like a tree without roots.” Providing an easy-to-read children’s book educating young readers on Garvey’s life, author and retired professor Eleanor Wint has penned, Marcus Teaches Us.

“Marcus Garvey is a monumental, internationally acclaimed black philosopher who has influenced the independence movement of every black nation in the world,” Wint explains. Through simple language, the use of innovative coloring activities and providing children the opportunity to practice cursive writing and add their own thoughts, feelings and outlooks, Wint informs young readers on Garvey’s empowering teachings.

An excerpt from Marcus Teaches Us:

“Marcus Garvey is a hero of Blacks at home and abroad. He said Africans all over the world must unite to be strong. He said that Africans need to have their own ships, factories, stores, everything. Marcus Garvey urges us to love one another. His mission took his message all over the world.”

“Children worldwide should each have their own copy as they deserve to have the knowledge captured in this attractive book on Marcus Garvey.”

About the Author

Eleanor Wint is a retired professor of social work who started her career with a certificate in social work and soon moved on to gain a bachelor’s degree in applied social studies, a master’s degree in social work (research) and doctorate in sociology. She is well-known for her work with developing communities and families in different parts of the world as well as organizing international seminars and community-based action rallies for youth unification. She has published two books on Marcus Garvey in collaboration with the Institute of Jamaica, several social work texts and Bob Marley the Man & His Music together with Carolyn Cooper. Her undying interest in the teaching of Marcus Garvey led to this book, as she feels many persons of African heritage still have a great deal to learn about this great black philosopher.

Trafford Publishing, an Author Solutions, Inc. author services imprint, was the first publisher in the world to offer an “on-demand publishing service,” and has led the independent publishing revolution since its establishment in 1995. Trafford was also one of the earliest publishers to utilize the Internet for selling books. More than 10,000 authors from over 120 countries have utilized Trafford’s experience for self publishing their books. For more information about Trafford Publishing, or to publish your book today, call 1-888-232-4444 or visit trafford.com.http://bookstore.trafford.com/Products/SKU-000603718/Marcus-Teaches-Us.aspx


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Disclaimer of Endorsement


The documents posted on this Web site may contain hypertext links or pointers to information created and maintained by other public and private organizations. These links and pointers are provided for visitors' convenience. I do not control or guarantee the accuracy, relevance, timeliness, or completeness of any linked information. Further, the inclusion of links or pointers to other Web sites or agencies is not intended to assign importance to those sites and the information contained therein, nor is it intended to endorse, recommend, or favor any views expressed, or commercial products or services offered on these outside sites, or the organizations sponsoring the sites, by trade name, trademark, manufacture, or otherwise.

Reference in this Web site to any specific commercial products, processes, or services, or the use of any trade, firm or corporation name is for the information and convenience of the site's visitors, and does not constitute endorsement, recommendation, or favoring by this blog.

November 14, 2012

Call for Poets: The Bridgewater International Poetry Festiva



Call for Poets

The Bridgewater International Poetry Festival

A celebration of global poetry in English hosted at Bridgewater College

January 17-20, 2013



Poets: Submissions accepted through December 28, 2012, or until all sessions full. No international submissions accepted after October 15, 2012, unless visa application is already in process (for countries which require visa). Registration $30; meals available for purchase on and off campus.

Editors and Publishers: you may request table space to meet with prospective authors or to display and sell materials: in addition to registration, half-table $30, whole table $50.

Anthology: selected poems from the festival will be published in an anthology by unboundCONTENT (with permission of the authors), proceeds of which will be used to create financial assistance to international poets to attend future festivals.

Registration form ($30, form available approximately November 12)

Lodging information
Tentative schedule and program draft (available early January)

Travel information and directions
Some of the poets already planning to attend:

Carolyn Atkins, Lexington, VA
Jacqueline Bishop, New York, NY
Jenna Butler, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
John Hoppenthaler, Greenville, NC
Julie Ellinger Hunt, Succasunna, NJ
Geoffrey Philp, Miami, FL
Julian Stannard, Winchester, United Kingdom

Some of the publishers committed to attend

We are accepting proposals from poets for a reading of 20 minutes from their original poetry. A 5-minute question-and-answer period will follow and a 5-minute transition to another room where poets can greet and entertain longer questions, in a reception area for the Poet of the Moment.

Send 3-5 poems to one of the addresses below along with a brief biographical sketch of 200 words or less. Photographs may be attached but are optional.
lit-conf@bridgewater.edu or 

Stan Galloway
Dept. of English
Bridgewater College
402 E. College St.
Bridgewater, VA 22812 USA

Sponsored by
Bridgewater College Department of English




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Geoffrey Philp’s Blog Spot receives a percentage of the purchase price on anything you buy through links to Amazon, Shambala Books, Hay House, or any of the Google ads or Google Custom Search.

***

Disclaimer of Endorsement


The documents posted on this Web site may contain hypertext links or pointers to information created and maintained by other public and private organizations. These links and pointers are provided for visitors' convenience. I do not control or guarantee the accuracy, relevance, timeliness, or completeness of any linked information. Further, the inclusion of links or pointers to other Web sites or agencies is not intended to assign importance to those sites and the information contained therein, nor is it intended to endorse, recommend, or favor any views expressed, or commercial products or services offered on these outside sites, or the organizations sponsoring the sites, by trade name, trademark, manufacture, or otherwise.

Reference in this Web site to any specific commercial products, processes, or services, or the use of any trade, firm or corporation name is for the information and convenience of the site's visitors, and does not constitute endorsement, recommendation, or favoring by this blog.

My Schedule: Miami Book Fair International 2012


My Schedule - Miami Book Fair International 2012

Monday, November 12

Time
Location
Event
6:30 p.m.
Chapman Conference Center
8:00 p.m.
Chapman Conference Center

Tuesday, November 13

Time
Location
Event
8:00 p.m.
Chapman Conference Center

Saturday, November 17

Time
Location
Event
10:30 a.m.
Batten

11:00 a.m.



Room 8301

12:00 p.m.
Auditorium

12:30 p.m.



Room 8302

12:30 p.m.



Room 8303

2:00 p.m.


Centre Gallery
2:00 p.m.



Room 8316

2:30 p.m.


Room 8501
3:30 p.m.


Centre Gallery
Lit Takes a Schvitz: The Sweat Broadsheet Collaboration: Michael Hettich, Geoffrey Philp, C. M. Clarke and many others.

Sunday, November 18

Time
Location
Event
10:30 a.m.



Centre Gallery

10:30 a.m.


Room 8303

11:00 a.m.


Room 8302

11:30 a.m.


Room 8502

12:00 p.m.
Chapman Conference Center
12:00 p.m.


Centre Gallery

12:30 p.m.



Room 8502

1:00 p.m.


Chapman Conference Center

1:00 p.m.

Auditorium

1:30 p.m.


Room 8302

2:00 p.m.


Room 8502

4:30 p.m.


Batten

4:30 p.m.


Room 8316




See you at the Fair!

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