Free Marcus Garvey Lesson Plans at Teachers Pay Teachers

Black History Month is the season when educators scramble for resources that go beyond the same recycled figures and safe narratives. Garvey rarely makes the rotation. He should.

I created a free lesson plan, Marcus Garvey and the Power of the Mind, designed to introduce students to Garvey’s philosophy of mental emancipation through the framework of a growth mindset. The plan is ready to download, adapt, and use in your classroom today.

Get the free lesson plan here.

While you are in the store, check out our best sellers at The Garvey Classroom store:

•         Black History Month Bell Ringers: Voices of Power (Grades 6–8)

•         Marcus Garvey and Pan-Africanism (Grades 9–12)

•         Garvey, Grit, and the Growth Mindset – SEL & Literacy Mini-Unit (Grades 5–8)

•         Marcus Garvey High School Bundle | Black History Month (Grades 9–12)

•         Marcus Garvey and the Black Star Line – Mini-Unit (Grades 9–12)

Several Pan-African heroes lesson plans are on sale for Black History Month.

If these resources speak to you, share them with a colleague, a department chair, a homeschooling parent, or anyone building a classroom where Black children see themselves as thinkers and builders. Forward this post. Send the link. The work grows when we pass it on.

Garvey taught that liberation begins in the mind. A lesson plan is a small thing. What students do with the ideas inside it is not.

Black History Lesson Plans About Marcus Garvey at Teachers Pay Teachers

   

    Most Marcus Garvey lesson plans on Teachers Pay Teachers ask students to memorize a name, recall a date, and move on. That is the lowest level of Bloom’s taxonomy. Remembering without understanding. Facts without meaning.

I spent twenty years studying Garvey and six years teaching middle school English before I understood what was missing. Garvey was a thinker. His writings contain arguments, strategies, and frameworks that twelve-year-olds can analyze, debate, and apply. The lesson plans I found treated him as a monument. I needed materials that treated him as a mind.

So I built them.

The Garvey Classroom on Teachers Pay Teachers now has 37 resources spanning Pre-K through 12th grade. Every lesson begins with either a story or an informational text grounded in primary sources. Students read, then they think. They write, then they revise. Social-emotional learning is embedded in the academic work itself. Here is what teachers find when they visit the store.

    For middle school (grades 5 through 8), the collection includes individual lessons on Marcus Garvey, Frederick Douglass, Ella Baker, Harriet Tubman, Fannie Lou Hamer, Miriam Makeba, Ida B. Wells, Shirley Chisholm, Septima Clark, Sojourner Truth, Mia Mottley, and Claudia Jones. Each lesson integrates reading comprehension, vocabulary, text-based questions, reflective writing, and SEL. The Marcus Garvey Speech Analysis lesson uses his 1925 speech “A Word Before My Incarceration” as the anchor text. Students analyze Garvey’s rhetorical choices in real time. They hear a man speaking with authority and study how he constructs his argument. The

Marcus Garvey Middle School Bundle collects five resources, forty-two bell ringers, and thirty wisdom cards into a complete Black History Month toolkit for $14.99.

    For Black History Month, the 42 Pan-African Heroes Bell Ringers give teachers six weeks of daily openers. Each page features a verified quote, three historical facts, and a reflective SEL prompt. Forty-two figures from across the African diaspora: Jamaica, South Africa, Ghana, Kenya, Trinidad, Burkina Faso, Mozambique, and the United States.

    For Women’s History Month, the 8-lesson bundle covers Ella Baker, Harriet Tubman, Fannie Lou Hamer, Miriam Makeba, Sojourner Truth, Ida B. Wells, Shirley Chisholm, and Septima Clark. Students study women who built movements through organizing, investigation, and collective action. The Women’s History Month Bundle is $35.99.

    For high school (grades 9 through 12), the collection includes Marcus Garvey and Pan-Africanism, Marcus Garvey and Rastafari, Marcus Garvey and the Harlem Renaissance, Marcus Garvey and the Black Star Line, Haile Selassie’s “Until” speech, Rosa Parks, and Mapping Marcus Garvey’s Hero’s Journey using Joseph Campbell’s twelve-stage structure. The Marcus Garvey High School Bundle brings all seven lessons together for $19.99. This bundle has been the top seller this year, with teachers purchasing it for Black History Month instruction and year-round Pan-African studies.

    For Pre-K through 2nd grade, The Marcus Garvey Coloring Book comes with 78 fully scripted lesson plans. Three lesson options per letter, A through Z. Identity and observation. Character and habit formation. Early literacy and vocabulary. Every word is written for the teacher. Print, read the script, teach.

    For elementary (K through 5), the Marcus Garvey Elementary Bundle includes Marcus Believes, Stand Firm, Claudia Brings Us Together, Young Marcus Garvey and His Big Dream, and The Power of Trying. Five lessons blending literacy, SEL, and culturally grounded instruction for $9.99.

    For the full K-12 arc, the Marcus Garvey Complete Collection brings together all 20 core resources into a single curriculum sequence for $39.99. Students begin with identity and confidence in the early grades, develop structure and discipline in middle school, and engage primary sources and critical historical analysis in high school.

    A free lesson is available. Marcus Garvey and the Power of the Mind teaches a growth mindset through Garvey’s philosophy for grades 5-8. No purchase required. Download it from The Garvey Classroom store and see how the approach works.

     Every quote in every lesson is verified against primary sources. No paraphrased attributions. No invented dialogue. The standard is Garvey’s own words, drawn from The Philosophy and Opinions of Marcus Garvey and Message to the People. The scholarship draws on the work of Robert Hill, Rupert Lewis, Tony Martin, Carter G. Woodson, and Angela Duckworth.

Dr. Julius W. Garvey endorsed this work. Professor Rupert Lewis supported this work. That validation matters because the standard is Garvey’s own.

Frequently Asked Questions

Where can I find Marcus Garvey lesson plans on Teachers Pay Teachers?

    The Garvey Classroom store on Teachers Pay Teachers has 37 resources covering Pre-K through 12th grade. Individual lessons cover Marcus Garvey, Frederick Douglass, Ella Baker, Harriet Tubman, Fannie Lou Hamer, Miriam Makeba, Ida B. Wells, Shirley Chisholm, Septima Clark, Sojourner Truth, Mia Mottley, Claudia Jones, Rosa Parks, and Haile Selassie. Every lesson integrates ELA, SEL, and culturally responsive instruction.

Are there free Marcus Garvey lesson plans available?

    Yes. Marcus Garvey and the Power of the Mind is a free growth-mindset lesson for grades 5-8. It teaches self-awareness and perseverance through Garvey’s philosophy. No purchase required. Download it from The Garvey Classroom store.

What grade levels do these lesson plans cover?

    The Marcus Garvey Coloring Book with 78 scripted lesson plans covers Pre-K through 2nd grade. The elementary bundle covers K through 5. The core collection of SEL and ELA lessons covers grades 5 through 8. The high school bundle covers grades 9 through 12 with primary source analysis, the Black Star Line, Pan-Africanism, Rastafari, and the Harlem Renaissance. The Complete Collection spans K-12. 

Do these lesson plans align with Common Core standards?

    Every lesson aligns with the Common Core State Standards for English Language Arts, including the Reading Informational Text, Writing, and Speaking and Listening strands. Lessons also align with CASEL SEL competencies. International alignment includes UK Key Stage frameworks and Caribbean national curriculum standards.

Can I use these for Black History Month?

    Yes. The 42 Pan-African Heroes Bell Ringers provide six weeks of daily openers. Individual lessons on Marcus Garvey, Frederick Douglass, Ida B. Wells, and other figures work as standalone Black History Month resources. Bundles are available for elementary, middle school, and high school. The full curriculum is designed for year-round use beyond February.

Are there Women’s History Month lesson plans?

    The Women’s History Month Bundle includes eight lessons on Ella Baker, Harriet Tubman, Fannie Lou Hamer, Miriam Makeba, Sojourner Truth, Ida B. Wells, Shirley Chisholm, and Septima Clark. A standalone Mia Mottley lesson on climate justice and Caribbean leadership is also available. All lessons integrate SEL with rigorous ELA standards for grades 6 through 8.

Are these lesson plans culturally responsive?

    Every lesson is grounded in Pan-African history and primary sources. Students study figures from Jamaica, South Africa, Ghana, Kenya, Trinidad and Tobago, Barbados, Burkina Faso, Mozambique, and the United States. The curriculum addresses the systematic exclusion of African, Caribbean, and African American intellectual history from mainstream education.

Who created the Garvey Classroom lesson plans?

    Geoffrey Philp is a Jamaican-born author, poet, and educator with 27 years of college teaching, six years as a middle school English teacher, and two decades of published Garvey scholarship. He is a Silver Musgrave Medal recipient and winner of the 2022 Marcus Garvey Award for Excellence in Education. He gathered more than 11,000 signatures supporting Marcus Garvey’s posthumous pardon. President Biden granted the pardon in January 2025. Dr. Julius W. Garvey and Professor Rupert Lewis endorse the curriculum.

Are primary sources used in these lessons?

Every quote is verified against sources, including The Philosophy and Opinions of Marcus Garvey and     Message to the People. No paraphrased or unverified attributions appear in any Garvey Classroom material. The scholarly foundation draws on the work of Robert Hill, Rupert Lewis, Tony Martin, and Carter G. Woodson.

Is there a full-year Marcus Garvey curriculum available?

    Yes. The Garvey Classroom offers a complete 39-week ELA and SEL curriculum for grades 6 through 8 called The Garvey Blueprint. It is organized around four quarterly themes: Clarity of Mind, Purpose and Obligation, Strength Through Discipline, and Legacy and Inheritance. Schools and districts can visit thegarveyclassroom.com or contact info@thegarveyclassroom.com for licensing and implementation details.

Do these lesson plans work for homeschool families?

Yes. Every lesson is designed for immediate use with minimal preparation. The scripted Pre-K through 2nd-grade plans require no planning. The classes for grades 5 through 8 include all reading passages, vocabulary, discussion prompts, and writing activities. Homeschool parents and co-ops use these resources for Black history instruction, culturally responsive ELA, and character development.

Visit The Garvey Classroom on Teachers Pay Teachers. 

For the complete guide to year-round lesson plans: Marcus Garvey Lesson Plans for Teachers: Grades 6–8

For schools exploring curriculum adoption: Culturally Responsive ELA Curriculum for Middle School

For parents: The Garvey Classroom: What Parents Need to Know

Confidence is our birthright. Education is the medium.

Posts about Marcus Garvey: Geoffrey Philp: Search results for Marcus Garvey

Teaching Marcus Garvey: Upliftment Through History, Confidence, and Purpose

From the moment students first encounter Marcus Garvey’s declaration—“while others may free the body, none but ourselves can free the mind”—they stand at the threshold of self-liberation. This Marcus Garvey teaching unit, Marcus Garvey: Mental Freedom, Purpose & Pride, does more than recount dates and facts; it ignites confidence, identity, and purpose in every learner.

Unit Components

• Who Was Marcus Garvey? A concise, engaging biography grounded in historical accuracy.
• What Is Mental Slavery? Clear, accessible language unpacks how fear and propaganda undermine self-esteem.
• Timeline of Key Events (1887–2025): From Garvey’s birth in St. Ann’s Bay to President Biden’s posthumous pardon, students trace the arc of justice.
• 20-Question Multiple-Choice Quiz: Aligned to standards, this quiz demands evidence-based answers and sparks debate.
• Writing Project—“Letters to the Future”: Learners imagine themselves as activists, drafting proclamations of unity and self-reliance.
• 15 Bloom’s Taxonomy Reflection Questions: From simple recall to creative application, these prompts foster critical thought.
• Clean, Minimal Layout: Ready for print or digital use with no preparation required.

Classroom Applications

• Black History Month: Anchor month-long studies in Garvey’s philosophy of pride and purpose.
• Morning Work & Bellringers: Start each day with a question on self-esteem.
• Literacy + Social Studies Integration: Read, discuss, and write about Garvey’s strategies for community uplift.
• SEL Writing Prompts: Guide students through self-awareness, social responsibility, and a growth mindset.
• Homework, Sub Plans, & Assessments: Versatile enough for any lesson flow.

Why Teachers Love It

• No Prep—Just Go: Print and teach immediately.
• Research-Rooted & Classroom-Tested: Crafted by award-winning educator Geoffrey Philp.
• Student-Centered: Helps learners feel seen, valued, and empowered.
• Standards Aligned: Meets Common Core and CASEL competencies, with adaptability for UK Key Stages 2–3.

Confidence is their birthright.
Bring Marcus Garvey’s legacy into your classroom today. Download the complete teaching unit and watch your students learn that true liberation begins within.

Here is the link to the Garvey Classroom: The Garvey Classroom | Teachers Pay Teachers

 

Black History Month: A Marcus Garvey Reading List

During this year's Black History Month celebrations, I will be giving lectures and reading from my recently published YA novel, Garvey's Ghost.

Here are a few of the books about Marcus Garvey that I'd recommend for students, parents, teachers, community activists, librarians, or anyone interested in learning more about this great man. While this is by no means the definitive list, I hope it is a starting point for those who would like to learn more about this great man.

College

The Philosophy and Opinions of Marcus Garvey, Or, Africa for the Africans by Marcus Garvey and Amy Jacques Garvey. Routledge.

Garvey and Garveyism by Amy Jacques Garvey. Octagon Books.

Race First: The Ideological and Organizational Struggles of Marcus Garvey and the Universal Negro Improvement Association by Tony Martin. Majority Press.

Negro with a Hat: The Rise and Fall of Marcus Garvey by Colin Grant. Oxford University Press.

Marcus Garvey Life and Lessons: A Centennial Companion to the Marcus Garvey and Universal Negro Improvement Association by Marcus Garvey, Robert A. Hill and Barbara Blair. University of California Press.

Marcus Garvey: Anti-Colonial Champion by Rupert Lewis. Africa World Press.

Marcus Garvey and the Vision of Africa by John Henrik Clarke. Black Classic Press.

A Rastafari view of Marcus Mosiah Garvey: Patriarch, prophet, philosopher by I. Jabulani Tafari. Frontline Distribution International.

The source for Garvey scholars:

The Marcus Garvey and Universal Negro Improvement Association Papers Volumes 1-10

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This is first serious study of Marcus Garvey. I am noting it only for its historical significance.

Black Moses: The Story of Marcus Garvey and the Universal Negro Improvement Association by E. David Cronon and John Hope Franklin. University of Wisconsin Press.

***

Fourth to Twelfth Grade

Marcus Garvey, Hero: A First Biography by Tony Martin. Majority Press.

Selected Writings and Speeches of Marcus Garvey by Marcus Garvey and Bob Blaisdell. Dover Publications.

Marcus Garvey (Black Americans of Achievement) by Mary Lawler, Nathan I. Huggins and Coretta Scott King. Chelsea House Publications.

A Man Called Garvey: The Life and Times of the Great Leader Marcus Garvey by Paloma Mohamed and Barrington Braithwaite. Majority Press.

Marcus Garvey by Suzanne Francis-Brown and Jean Jacques Vaysierres. Ian Randle Publishers.

Selected Utterances of Marcus Garvey and the Garveyites. Rootz Foundation, Inc.

***

Marcus Garvey: Black Nationalist by Peggy Caravantes. Morgan Reynolds Pub.

A few historical errors, including Garvey's name, which Caravantes lists as Malchus:

***

K-3

Marcus Teaches Us by Eleanor Wint. Trafford Press.

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Video

The American Experience - Marcus Garvey: Look for Me in the Whirlwind 2002. PBS.
Flawed but useful: See Tony Martin's web page.

***

And for anyone seeking information about Garvey's trial: 

"Jailing a Rainbow: The Marcus Garvey Case" by Justin Hansford, Saint Louis University - School of Law

" A Warm December" @ Julius Littman Performing Arts Theater

A Warm December

February 26,  2016

Special Screening at the Julius Littman Performing Arts Theater in The City of North Miami Beach, 7:00PM

Released in 1973 and both starring and directed by Sidney Poitier, "A Warm December" tells the story of Dr. Matt Younger (Sidney Poitier) and his daughter (Yvette Curtis) who arrive for a month-long visit to London for dirt-bike racing and unexpectedly, a new romance for the widowed Dr. Younger. His new love interest is the beautiful and playful dignitary Catherine Oswandu (Esther Anderson). But something is amiss -- strange men seem to be following her wherever she goes, and Younger assumes she's at the center of some political intrigue. His heart sinks when he learns that she has sickle cell anemia, and the men are watchdogs in the employ of her anxious father (Earl Cameron). 

Q & A with co-star, Esther Anderson concluding the film.

In celebration of African-American History Month, the screening will include a special guest film introduction by community leader and grandson of Dr. Maya Angelou, Elliott Jones.  

The screening is FREE of charge, register online for free passes. Space Is Limited. Tickets are available online at  docmiami.org

Marcus Garvey: A Forerunner of #BlackLivesMatter

Separated by a century of struggle, Marcus Garvey's Universal Negro Improvement Association (UNIA) and #BlackLivesMatter (#BLM) share striking similarities. 
During this interactive presentation, Professor Geoffrey Philp will discuss the origin stories of the UNIA and #BLM and the historical significance of these movements in the lives of Africans at home and abroad.

“Marcus Garvey: A Forerunner of #BlackLivesMatter.”

Room 1210

Tuesday, February 9, 2016

10: 00 am to 11:00 am

Miami Dade College InterAmerican Campus 627 SW 27th Ave Miami, FL 33135

RESPECT Garvey: Education

Education

"Education is the medium by which a people are prepared for the creation of their own particular civilization, and the advancement and glory of their own race.” ~ Marcus Garvey.

Garvey, Amy J., ed. The Philosophy and Opinions of Marcus Garvey. Dover: The Majority Press, 1986. Print.

***

The Coalition for the Exoneration of Marcus Garvey is petitioning President Barack Obama to exonerate Marcus Garvey:

https://www.causes.com/campaigns/71936-urge-president-obama-to-exonerate-marcus-garvey

Thank you for your support.

Museum Forum: Civil Rights in Miami

Museum Forum: Civil Rights in Miami

Wednesday, February 5, 2014

6:00 pm

North Dade Regional Library, 

2455 NW 183 St., Miami Gardens

The Museum Forum is presented by HistoryMiami in partnership with the Miami-Dade Public Library System with the support of the Miami-Dade County Department of Cultural Affairs, the Cultural Affairs Council, the Mayor and the Board of County Commissioners.  Take part in a fascinating panel discussion with pioneers from this important period.

Panelists:

·         H.T. Smith, Civil Rights Attorney, professor and founding Director of the Trial Advocacy Program at FIU College of Law.

·         Enid Pinkney, founder of the African American Committee of Dade Heritage Trust and Historic Hampton House Community Trust.

·         Garth Reeves, Civil Rights activist and publisher emeritus of The Miami Times.

·         Thelma Gibson, Civil Rights advocate and founder of the Women’s Chamber of Commerce of Dade County


Moderator:
·         Bea Hines, columnist, Miami Herald


Photo caption: Front page of The Miami Times newspaper, September 3, 1960. HistoryMiami, 78-86-3.

***

After delivering over 10,000+ signatures to Frederica S. Wilson, the Coalition for the Exoneration of Marcus Garvey is now focusing on the White House: http://links.causes.com/s/clOoxG?r=bOje

.

Please sign and share with your family, friends, and contacts: http://links.causes.com/s/clOoxG?r=bOje

One Love,

The Coalition for the Exoneration of Marcus Garvey

RESPECT Garvey

Petition to exonerate Marcus Garvey moves to the White House

After delivering over 11,000 signatures to Representative Frederica S. Wilson’s office, the Coalition for the Exoneration of Marcus Garvey is now petitioning President Barack Obama (https://www.causes.com/campaigns/71936-urge-president-obama-to-exonerate-marcus-garvey).  As part of their renewed strategy, Professor Geoffrey Philp will be delivering a series of lectures during Black History Month, “Marcus Garvey: Human Rights Champion.”

“President Obama is an inheritor of the rich human rights legacy that was initiated by Marcus Garvey and the UNIA on August 13, 1920, with the ‘Declaration of the Rights of the Negro Peoples of the World,’” said Professor Philp. “The declaration highlighted basic human rights, which were finally included in the United Nation’s Universal Declaration of Human Rights until December 10, 1948. Garvey and the UNIA were ahead of the world body by twenty-eight years!”

The kickoff for the lecture series will be on Tuesday, February 18, 2014, at the Carrie P. Meek Entrepreneurial Center, Miami, Florida, at 12:40 p.m. in Room 1114. The lecture will culminate in a call to action for the exoneration of the Right Honorable Marcus Mosiah Garvey:

https://www.causes.com/campaigns/71936-urge-president-obama-to-exonerate-marcus-garvey

Join us for a lecture on the Marcus Garvey’s visionary movement which championed the human rights of peoples of African descent in North America and the African diaspora worldwide.

About the Coalition for the Exoneration of Marcus Garvey

The Coalition for the Exoneration of Marcus Garvey is a group of activists with members from the Caribbean, North America, and the United Kingdom. Their goal is the public restoration and rehabilitation of the good name and character of the Honorable Marcus Mosiah Garvey.

***

Reading for the Children

How do you respect yourself? Your family? Friends? Teachers? Classmates?

Those were just a few of the questions that I asked the children at the North Lauderdale Saraniero Branch Library when I read for them during Black History Month.

I read from Marcus and the Amazons, which combines the values of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and Marcus Garvey into a fable about an ant who must rescue his colony from an invading army. It was a pleasure to read for the children and pass along a little of the wisdom that I have learned from my heroes.

Give thanks to Melody Chait, Youth Services Supervisor, who invited me to read for the children. I'm looking forward to another reading in June during Caribbean History Month.

***

The Coalition for the Exoneration of Marcus Garvey is petitioning Frederica Wilson, Congressional Representative and the Congress of the United States of America for the exoneration of Marcus Garvey:

http://www.causes.com/actions/1722148-urge-congress-to-exonerate-civil-rights-leader-marcus-garvey

We are also petitioning President Barack Obama to exonerate Marcus Garvey:

http://signon.org/sign/exonerate-marcus-garvey?source=c.url&r_by=4631897

Thank you for your support.

Black History Month; John Edgar Wideman

The Coalition for the Exoneration of Marcus Garvey is petitioning Frederica Wilson, Congressional Representative and the Congress of the United States of America for the exoneration of Marcus Garvey:
http://www.causes.com/actions/1722148-urge-congress-to-exonerate-civil-rights-leader-marcus-garvey
We are also petitioning President Barack Obama to exonerate Marcus Garvey:
http://signon.org/sign/exonerate-marcus-garvey?source=c.url&r_by=4631897
Thank you for your support.

Marcus Garvey on Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, and Mathematics (STEAM)

The principal aim of Marcus Garvey's foundation, The Universal Negro Improvement Association, was Black upliftment through education. In his travels through North, Central, and South America, Garvey witnessed the effects on his people, who had accepted the racist meme that Black people were "lazy, ignorant, and shiftless." In his lectures, he had to remind his audiences about the great civilizations of Africa that had excelled in Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, and Mathematics (STEAM).

Seventy-three years after Garvey's death, the effects of those crippling, racist ideas have not been eradicated. Many of our young people still believe that they are genetically incapable of excelling in Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, and Mathematics (STEAM).

But Garvey knew better. Here are a few selected quotes from his writings:

"Africa was peopled with a race of cultured black men, who were masters in art, science and literature; men who were cultured and refined; men who, it was said, were like the gods. Even the great poets of old sang in beautiful sonnets of the delight it afforded the gods to be in companionship with the Ethiopians."

"This race of ours gave civilization, gave art, gave science; gave literature to the world. But it has been the way with races and nations. The one race stands out prominently in the one century or in the one age; and in another century or age it passes off the stage of action, and another race takes its place. The Negro once occupied a high position in the world, scientifically, artistically and commercially, but in the balancing of the great scale of evolution, we lost our place and someone, other than ourselves occupies the stand we once held."

"The power and sway we once held passed away, but now in the twentieth century we are about to see a return of it in the rebuilding of Africa; yes, a new civilization, a new culture, shall spring up from among our people, and the Nile shall once more flow through the land of science, of art, and of literature, wherein will live black men of the highest learning and the highest accomplishments."

"3,000 years ago black men excelled in government and were the founders and teachers of art, science and literature. The power and sway we once held passed away, but now in the twentieth century we are about to see a return of it in the rebuilding of Africa; yes, a new civilization, a new culture, shall spring up from among our people, and the Nile shall once more flow through the land of science, of art, and of literature, wherein will live black men of the highest learning and the highest accomplishments."

"No Negro, let him be American, European, West Indian or African, shall be truly respected until the race as a whole has emancipated itself, through self-achievement and progress, from universal prejudice. The Negro will have to build his own government, industry, art, science, literature and culture, before the world will stop to consider him. Until then, we are but wards of a superior race and civilization, and the outcasts of a standard social system."

The race needs workers at this time, not plagiarists, copyists and mere imitators; but men and women who are able to create, to originate and improve, and thus make an independent racial contribution to the world and civilization."

"During the last century, a mighty revolution of mind has been made in the civilized world. Its effects are gradually disclosing themselves, and gradually improving the condition of the human race. The eyes of all nations are turned on these United States, for here that great movement was commenced. Africa, like a bereaved mother, holds out her hands to America, and implores you to send back her exiled children. Does not Africa merit much at the hands of other nations? Almost 4,000 years ago, she, from the then rich store house of her genius and labor, sent out to them science, and arts and letters, laws and civilization."

"The hope of the Black race lies in our new blood -- the New Negro -- who is already rising to the heights of nationhood. He is the man of the future. By science, art, history, politics, industry and religion, he will rise above his environments and in another hundred years shall have laid the pillars of the greatest civilization the world ever saw."

"Every student of Political Science, every student of Economics knows, that the race can only be saved through a solid industrial foundation. That the race can only be saved through political independence. Take away industry from a race; take away political freedom from a race, and you have a group of slaves."

"It is the commercial and financial power of the United States of America that makes her the greatest banker in the world. Hence it is advisable for the Negro to get power of every kind. POWER in education, science, industry, politics and higher government."

Garvey, Amy J., ed. The Philosophy and Opinions of Marcus Garvey. Dover: The Majority Press, 1986. Print.

"When I undertook the responsibility of projecting big commercial corporations the same Negroes used the force of government to smash me. They could not understand that the future, which is part of today, calls for the preparation of the race to meet scientific competition whether on the battlefield, in the laboratory or other walks of life"

Clarke, John H., ed. Marcus Garvey and the Vision of Africa. Baltimore: Black Classic Press, 1974. Print.

Let's remind our children each day about the work of Marcus Garvey, a visionary leader and educator, who appreciated the value of Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, and Mathematics (STEAM) and urged his people to excel in these disciplines.

***

The Coalition for the Exoneration of Marcus Garvey is petitioning Frederica Wilson, Congressional Representative and the Congress of the United States of America for the exoneration of  Marcus Garvey:

http://www.causes.com/actions/1722148-urge-congress-to-exonerate-civil-rights-leader-marcus-garvey

We are also petitioning President Barack Obama to exonerate Marcus Garvey:

http://signon.org/sign/exonerate-marcus-garvey?source=c.url&r_by=4631897

Thank you for your support.

Book Review: A Question of Freedom by R. Dwayne Betts

Why Did You Do It, Son?

Forget Stephen King! As a father and mentor, A Question of Freedom by R. Dwayne Betts is the scariest book I’ve read in a long time. Part cautionary tale, part story of redemption, A Question of Freedom is a riveting memoir about “a moment of insanity” that resulted in a nine year prison sentence for the author in the Virginia penal system.

The memoir starts with the poem “Shahid Reads His Own Palms,” written by Betts, which makes it immediately clear that the author possesses a keen literary imagination. Then, the first chapter, ”Thirty Minutes,” describes his arrest and descent into prison life in chilling detail.  From his dehumanizing entry into prison life, “My state number. It was a five digit number I soon learned meant more than my name,” we witness the author, who was sixteen at the time of his arrest, beginning his adaption to his changed circumstances:

On my lips and in my head was the start of a new language defined by the way words changed meanings, all because I’d decided to make a man a victim. New words like inmate, state number and juvenile certification had crept into my vocabulary (6).

A far cry from when he was taking cases such as “Pre-calculus, physics, honors English, AP U.S. history, French 4 and computer math” as an honors student and class treasurer at Suitland High School (55).

With no prior arrests or any trouble with the law, Betts is transformed from a sixteen year old kid who wears glasses (and braces for Chrissakes!) into a “menace to society.” The presiding judge tells him, “I don’t have any illusions that the penitentiary is going to help you, but you can get something out of it if you want to” (79).

As he continues his journey through the penal system, the facts surrounding his case are revealed. Betts was arrested for carjacking: “Which is the stupidest crime you can commit. There’s no money in it. Just glorified joyriding” (201). This is not the only twist in his story:

Two years before my crime I read Nathan McCall’s Makes Me Wanna Holler, the kind of book black women give their sons when teachers begin to call home too often, or when the police show up at the door to give a warning or when the word truancy becomes a word to be said at the dinner table (94).

Makes Me Wanna Holler—one of the books I’ve used in mentoring-- should have been a deterrent. But it wasn’t. Plus, it wasn’t the only media to which Betts had been exposed. At the time of his arrest he admits, “There were titles of movies and books on my mind: Shawshank Redemption; American Me; Blood In, Blood out; Makes Me Wanna Holler; Racehoss; The Autobiography of Malcolm X" (3-4).

Coupled with his honesty, one the most disturbing aspects of Betts’s story is his naiveté: “I thought it was possible to confess to carjacking and have a court let you walk away with a my bad” (13). As he later confesses, “Maybe there is no real why, no one definitive answer to give when they ask “Why did you do it?” After eight years in prison answers didn’t come any easier” (232).

What’s shocking—Betts is old enough to be my son—is that his crime and incarceration did not have to happen. Dwayne was a good student with a loving mother who did everything to make sure that he would never suffer the fate that he did. Still it happened. Armed with a gun—he had never held one before—Dwayne entered a mall and looked “for someone to make a victim” (65).

If Dwayne Betts, honors student and class treasurer, can be seduced into committing a criminal act, what hope can I have for my children and my mentees who have yet to realize their talents?

Even though Betts says the “answers don’t come any easier,” I hope I will have the opportunity to ask him the question when he comes to the African American Read In at the Lehman Theater, Miami Dade College, on February 4, 2013. Until then, I’ll be praying a little harder for my children---all of them.

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Live webcast of R. Dwayne Betts at Miami Dade College, North Campus on February 4, 2013 at 10:00 a.m.:  http://www.mdc.edu/north/live/

Here’s a video clip of Mr. Betts from C-SPAN’s video library: http://www.c-spanvideo.org/program/306453-8

BookTV: Dwayne Reginald Betts, "A Question of Freedom": http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SD_iLRYYOfE

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A Question of Freedom by R. Dwayne Betts

At the age of sixteen, R. Dwayne Betts—a good student from a lower-middle-class family—carjacked a man. He had never held a gun before, but with this first offense he’d committed six felonies within minutes. A Question of Freedom chronicles Dwayne’s years in prison, as he reflects back on his crime and makes a decision about how a “moment of insanity” would—or would not--define him. This book is about a quest for identity, one that guarantees a young man’s survival in a hostile environment. As Dwayne writes, “It’s the story of the thirty minutes it took me to shatter my life into the memory of one cell after another, and the cost of walking away from a bad idea a minute too late.” But finally, and most poignantly, this story is about the many ways that books and a passion for writing helped a young man find his way back to the life he’d lost. In 2011 Betts was awarded a Radcliffe Fellowship to Harvard University’s Radcliffe Institute of Advanced Studies and continues to share his story of empowerment and resilience all over the nation.

Grandpa Sydney's Anancy Stories on YouTube

When a bully threatens little Jimmy Harrison at school, Grandpa Sydney comes to the rescue and reads to him the story of "Anancy, Snake, and Tiger." How does the Anancy story help Jimmy to overcome the bully?  Find out in Grandpa Sydney's Anancy Stories.


Grandpa Sydney's Anancy Stories is available  exclusively at Amazon.com: http://amzn.to/SWM6wQ
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Blog Disclosure Policy

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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.

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February Roundup: The Top 20 Posts

February has been a busy month ! I've had approximately 79, 029 page views--10,000 more than January's totals. I have no doubt that the increase had to do with Black History Month celebrations in the US, but I will always welcome new readers no matter how they find the site.
 
Here are the Top 20 Visited Pages for February 2012:
 
What Can Bob Marley Teach Bloggers?
The Meaning(s) of Bob Marley's Songs
"Epitaph" by Dennis Scott: An Appreciation
New E-Book: Bob Marley: Memories of Jah People By Emmanuel Parata
A Fable of Freedom: "I Shot the Sheriff"
Bob Marley and the Seven Chakras
Call for Papers: The Caribbean Poetry Project
Black History Month @ MDC, North Campus
Marcus Garvey's Influence
Shoot the Sheriff: How to Overcome Writer's Block
Happy Birthday, Marcus Garvey (2010)
Exonerate Marcus Garvey: Petition on the White House Site
A Rubric for Poetry?
About Geoffrey Philp's Blog Spot
Dub Poetry: A Primer
"Colonial Girls School" by Olive Senior: An Appreciation
"Little Boy Crying" by Mervyn Morris: An Appreciation
Voices of Haiti: A Post-Quake Odyssey in Verse
Dust (For Kwame Dawes)
The Top Ten Things Every Writer Should Know
 
And the Top 20 Search Terms and the corresponding landing page:
 
Bob Marley: "Happy Birthday, Brother Bob"
Marcus Garvey: "Marcus Garvey's Christmas Message, 1921"
Black History Month : "Black History Month in Jamaica"
Dennis Scott: "'A Biography' by Dennis Scott"
Rastafari: "The Future of Rastafari"
Valentine's Day Poems: "Valentine's Day 2008"
Famous Black Women; "Black History Month @ MDC, North Campus"
Emancipation; "Happy Emancipation Day"
Middle Passage: "Annual Sunrise Ancestral Remembrance of the Middle Passage Ceremony"
Derek Walcott : "Derek Walcott Wins TS Eliot Prize"
Esther Anderson; "Bob Marley: The Making of a Legend"
Anancy: "Marcus and the Amazons @ Anancy Festival"
Geoffrey Philp : "'La Sirene' by Geoffrey Philp"
House Slaves: "House Slaves, Field Slaves & Dead Slaves"
Malachi Smith : "New CD: Hail to Jamaica by Malachi Smith"
Caribbean women: "Caribbean Authors @ Miami Book Fair International 2011"
Junot Diaz: "Junot Diaz Wins Pulitzer Prize for Fiction"
Louise Bennett; "Miss Lou Reading Festival Celebrates Jamaica’s 50th Anniversary"
Women's History Month: "Six Female Poets for Women's History Month @ MDC"
Oneness: "Celebrating the Global Oneness of Life"
 
 
With the changes that I made to the template, I have not been able to link to the archives and some of the posts that I enjoyed writing, but don't seem to be as popular as I thought they would have been. But it seems as if readers are landing on the referenced landing page and then, finding other pages by clicking on the labels or following the links under "You May Also Like."


Ah, well. Enjoy!





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