Whereas Marcus Mosiah Garvey, Jamaica’s first national hero, was born in St. Ann’s Bay, Jamaica, on August 17, 1887, and died on June 10, 1940;

Whereas Marcus Garvey emigrated to the United States, where he founded the Universal Negro Improvement Association;

Whereas Marcus Garvey was the father of the largest African-American movement for human rights and economic self-sufficiency of all time, attracting millions of followers in the United States, the Caribbean, Latin America, Africa, and Europe;

Whereas Marcus Garvey’s philosophy inspired some of the world’s great Black leaders;

Whereas, leading a movement for economic independence among Black Americans, Marcus Garvey became the target of surveillance and harassment by United States Government law enforcement agencies;

Whereas Marcus Garvey was prosecuted and convicted of mail fraud, imprisoned, and later, deported to Jamaica;

Whereas the case against Marcus Garvey was politically motivated, the charges unsubstantiated, and his conviction unjust;

Whereas millions of petitioners have appealed for his exoneration;

Whereas Marcus Garvey is recognized as a national hero in his native Jamaica, and as a towering figure in nations around the world; and

Whereas Marcus Garvey’s life and contributions to the United States should be recognized and appropriate steps taken to restore his name and reputation in this country: Now, therefore, be it