Practically two dozen Home Democrats have signed a letter encouraging President Joe Biden to exonerate former civil rights chief Marcus Garvey. In 1923, Garvey — one of many first internationally-known Black civil rights leaders — was convicted of mail fraud in 1923 and was given a five-year sentence.
In keeping with ABC Information, Congresswoman Yvette D. Clarke (D-NY) led the panel of 21 lawmakers—largely comprised of Congressional Black Caucus members—to request Biden exonerate Garvey after issuing a slew of pardons and commutations during the last a number of weeks.
“Exonerating Mr. Garvey would honor his work for the Black neighborhood, take away the shadow of an unjust conviction, and additional this administration’s promise to advance racial justice,” a letter from the lawmakers reads. “At a time when Black historical past faces the existential risk of erasure by radical state legislatures, a presidential pardon for Mr. Garvey would appropriate the historic document and restore the legacy of an American hero.”
Garvey, born in Jamaica in 1887, was a Pan-Africanist who believed African-Individuals work collectively due to their supposed widespread curiosity. Regardless that President Calvin Coolidge pardoned Garvey two years into his sentence, he was nonetheless deported to his beginning nation of Jamaica.
For many years, Congress members have tried to clear Garvey’s identify. In 1987, Congressman John Conyers led hearings for the Home Judiciary Committee on Garvey’s exoneration.
Congressman Charles Rangel shared resolutions and reviewed alleged injustices in opposition to the previous civil rights chief in 2004. Garvey was the founding father of the Common Negro Enchancment Affiliation (UNIA) which dealt racial inequality.
“Precisely 101 years in the past, Mr. Garvey was convicted of mail fraud in a case that was marred by prosecutorial and governmental misconduct,” the letter additional defined.
“The proof paints an abundantly clear narrative that the costs in opposition to Mr. Garvey weren’t solely fabricated but in addition focused to criminalize, discredit, and silence him as a civil rights chief.”
Per the U.S. Nationwide Archives and Information Administration, Garvey by no means returned to the U.S. once more after he was deported. In keeping with the Congress members, Garvey additionally created the Negro World Newspaper which reached 200,000 readers weekly.