Jamaican Embassy in Washington D.C. commemorates 100th Anniversary of the Universal Negro Improvement Association
WASHINGTON, DC – Jamaican Embassy in Washington D.C. commemorated the 100th Anniversary of the establishment of the Universal Negro Improvement Association – African Communities League (the UNIA) formed by National Hero Marcus Garvey.
At ceremony hosted by the Embassy on Thursday July 17.2014, Jamaica’s Ambassador to the United States of America, His Excellency Stephen Vasciannie, Mr. Senghor Baye, President General of the UNIA and Mr. Akili Nkrumah, Assistant President General, gave reflections on the contribution of Marcus Garvey and the UNIA to progress over the course of the 100 years of the UNIA’s existence.
Ambassador Vasciannie noted Marcus Garvey’s heroic status in Jamaica and other parts of the world, and explored reasons for Garvey’s iconic standing. He suggested that Garvey’s prominence and overall impact are to be explained by the “special combination of vision and commitment that Marcus Garvey presented to the world during his 52 years, between 1887 and 1940.”
The Ambassador added: “We still look for Garvey in the whirlwind because his vision and commitment themselves created a magnificent whirlwind on behalf of the poor and the dispossessed, and because he stood firmly for the rights of all black people, at home and abroad – under the special banner, “One God, One Aim, One Destiny.””
President General of the UNIA, Senghor Baye, emphasized the continuing relevance of Marcus Garvey in the lives of persons in the Diaspora, commented on the significant contribution made by women to the work of the UNIA, and lauded the Government of Jamaica for having issues relating to Marcus Garvey placed on the school curriculum.
Both the President General and his Assistant, Nkili Nkrumah, expressed gratitude to the Jamaican Embassy for its support in commemorating the UNIA’s significant milestone, with Mr. Nkrumah stressing the links between the UNIA and Jamaica’s national motto, “Out of Many One People.”
