by Howard Campbell
[MIRAMAR] – The spirit of Pan African hero Marcus Garvey comes to Miramar Cultural Center on February 28 for the Garvey & Reggae event. Featuring performances by creative dance group ASHE and firebrand reggae artist Anthony B. Best of all, it closes Black History Month and Reggae Month.
ASHE’s set will be 90 minutes of dance done to reggae. As well as music from the Eastern Caribbean and Latin America. All celebrating Garvey, Jamaica’s first national hero who died in 1940 in London.
Conroy Wilson, creative director of ASHE, promises patrons a diverse set befitting the Miramar community.
“Ashe will perform a suite of great reggae hits over the years. It features musical heroes including Bob Marley, Beres (Hammond), Toots, Stanley and The Turbines. In addition to Tarrus Riley, Marcia Griffiths, Dennis Brown, among others. We will also cater to Miramar’s Caribbean and Latin American audiences with a Caribbean and Latin American suite,” he said.
The event takes place at a time when Jamaica’s government announced plans to lobby the US government to exonerate Garvey of criminal charges.
Garvey, a leader of the Harlem Renaissance of the 1920s, was charged with mail fraud in 1922. Sentenced the following year, he was imprisoned in 1925, eventually serving two years before being deported to Jamaica.
Sign the Petition
Olivia Grange, Jamaica’s minister of culture and entertainment, has called on 100,000 Jamaicans to sign a petition at www.justice4garvey.org, which will be taken to US President Joe Biden.
Oliver Mair, Jamaica’s Consul General to Miami, hopes the Miramar event will attract a strong turnout.
“This is a huge event for us in the Diaspora as we celebrate Black History Month, Reggae Month and our first national hero, the Right Honorable Marcus Mosiah Garvey. We will continue to share Garvey’s message and advocate for his name to be cleared,” he said. “ASHE is one the finest performing groups ever to come out of Jamaica. No one can afford to miss their presence here as this will be one of the big events for Jamaica’s 60th anniversary celebrations.”
