Clarke again leads letter to Biden urging exoneration of Marcus Garvey

U.S. Rep. Yvette D. Clarke (D-NY) on Monday led 20 of her colleagues in a letter to President Joe Biden urging the exoneration of Jamaica’s first national hero, Marcus Mosiah Garvey, for a 1923 conviction for the fraudulent use of the mail. 

Clarke, the daughter of Jamaican immigrants, represents the 9th Congressional District in Brooklyn and is chair-elect of the Congressional Black Caucus.

“Exactly 101 years ago, Mr. Garvey was convicted of mail fraud in a case that was marred by prosecutorial and governmental misconduct,” the letter to Biden says. “The evidence paints an abundantly clear narrative that the charges against Mr. Garvey were not only fabricated but also targeted to criminalize, discredit, and silence him as a civil rights leader.

“In response to this blatant injustice, President Calvin Coolidge commuted Mr. Garvey’s sentence upon eligibility,” the letter adds. “Efforts to clear Garvey’s name have persisted for decades.”

In 1987, under Congressman John Conyers’ leadership, the House Judiciary Committee held hearings on Garvey’s exoneration.

In 2004, U.S. Rep. Charles Rangel introduced a series of resolutions calling attention to the injustice, followed by Clarke’s recent efforts to continue these strides.

“Despite these efforts, Garvey’s name has not yet been cleared,” the congressional representatives write. “Exonerating Mr. Garvey would honor his work for the Black community, remove the shadow of an unjust conviction, and further this administration’s promise to advance racial justice.

“At a time when Black history faces the existential threat of erasure by radical state legislatures, a presidential pardon for Mr. Garvey would correct the historical record and restore the legacy of an American hero,” they added. “As we approach the conclusion of your administration, this moment provides a chance to leave an indelible mark on history.”

In May 2023, Clarke and 22 of her Congressional colleagues led a similar letter to Biden calling for Garvey’s exoneration. 

“We write with due respect to express our strong support for the April 18, 2023, request for a posthumous pardon of Marcus Mosiah Garvey’s 1923 conviction for fraudulent use of the mail, submitted to your administration,” say the congressional representatives in their letter.

“The evidence present and available at our disposal paints an abundantly clear narrative that the charges brought against Marcus Mosiah Garvey were not only fraudulent but executed in bad faith,” the letter adds. “A Presidential pardon for Mr. Garvey would correct the historical record and shift the narrative during a time when African-American history faces the existential threat of erasure by radical state legislatures. More importantly, exoneration would reaffirm our commitment to a criminal justice system that guarantees de facto equity under the rule of law. 

“Marcus Garvey’s contributions and influence are interwoven into the fabric of American history,” it continues. “His works have influenced leaders from Martin Luther King, Jr. to Nelson Mandela, inspiring generations of leaders and planting the seeds for the civil rights movement.”

The congressional representatives note that, as the founder of the Universal Negro Improvement Association and African Communities League, Garvey inspired nearly six million people across 40 countries with a message of social progress through economic prosperity.

They also write that, although President Coolidge commuted his sentence, Garvey was immediately deported and never permitted to return to the United States, stating that calls for Garvey’s exoneration have been constant since his conviction.

“Many people had supported pardon efforts during Garvey’s lifetime and have continued to do so posthumously,” they write. “Congressional efforts to rectify this matter began in 1987 when then-Congressman John Conyers held a Judiciary Committee hearing regarding Garvey’s unfair trial.”

Since then, the representatives say that Congressional resolutions have been introduced by former Congressman Charles Rangel of Harlem and, most recently, by Clarke, seeking to clear Garvey’s name.

“In light of Marcus Garvey’s sustained efforts to uplift and empower peoples of African descent, his determination to build communities through economic independence, and his lasting impact on society, we find it imperative that Mr. Garvey be exonerated by way of a posthumous pardon,” the congressional representatives say. “The passage of time has confirmed his place in history but has not removed the stain of this injustice from his legacy.

“Mr. Garvey’s vision of racial justice has been honored by governments around the world; this is the US government’s opportunity to honor his work for the Black community and remove the unjust stain on his legacy,” they add. “Furthermore, this is an opportunity for the Biden Administration to renew and deliver on its inaugural promise of delivering racial justice. We appreciate your time and consideration regarding this pertinent matter.”

In February 2023, Clarke and Georgia U.S. Rep. Hank Johnson introduced legislation in the United States House of Representatives calling for Garvey’s exoneration and identifying him as a champion for the liberation of people of African descent.

“The world deserves to know the truth about Marcus Mosiah Garvey and the truth about Black history,” Clarke told Caribbean Life. “I was raised under the teachings of Marcus Garvey. I was raised to believe we must come together to do the necessary work to improve our communities. And I was raised with the Garvey commitment to social service, including an abundance of faith in God.

“It’s time to reclaim Garvey’s legacy and accomplishments as a human rights activist before Congress, America, and the world,” Clarke added.

She said the resolution “exonerates Garvey of his unfounded charges and calls upon President Biden to recognize and denounce the racist smears against him and his legacy.

“America must right these wrongs and restore Garvey’s legacy,” the U.S. Rep. urged. “And the time to do it is now.”

Johnson, who represents Georgia’s 4th Congressional District, said Garvey’s exoneration is “an idea whose time has come.

“The utter lack of merit to the charges on which he was originally convicted, combined with his profound legacy and contributions to Black history in our country – it’s time to right this fundamental wrong,” he said.

“I’m honored to cosponsor this important resolution with my esteemed colleague, U.S. Rep. Yvette Clarke, particularly during Black History Month,” Johnson added. “And, as the campaign to exonerate Marcus Garvey has been steadily growing, it’s time to correct this injustice.”

Garvey was a Jamaican-born Black nationalist and leader of the Pan-Africanism movement, seeking to unite and connect people of African descent worldwide.

In the United States, he was a noted civil rights activist who founded the Negro World newspaper, a shipping company called Black Star Line, and the Universal Negro Improvement Association (UNIA). 

Hailing Garvey as a human rights activist, the resolution seeks to preserve Garvey’s legacy by exonerating him of unfounded charges brought against him by the US Government and calling for the US President to take necessary action to clear his name.

Marcus Garvey (1887-1940) was a civil rights activist for the Black Nationalism and Pan-Africanism movements. To this end, he founded UNIA and the African Communities League.

In 1922, Garvey and three other UNIA officials were charged with mail fraud involving the Black Star Line. On June 23, 1923, Garvey was convicted and sentenced to five years in prison.

He appealed his conviction, claiming to be a victim of a politically motivated miscarriage of justice, but it was denied. In 1927, Garvey was released from prison and deported back to Jamaica, where he continued his political activism.

Eight years later, he moved to London, where he died in 1940 after several strokes. Garvey’s body was interred in London, given travel restrictions imposed during World War II.

However, in 1964, his remains were exhumed and taken back to Jamaica, where the government proclaimed him Jamaica’s first national hero and re-interred him at a shrine in the National Heroes Park.