Do you think President Biden should exonerate Marcus Garvey? A group of Congressional members are calling on President Joe Biden to posthumously exonerate Marcus Garvey, convicted of mail fraud in 1923. In a letter to Biden, the lawmakers urged the president to continue his push for racial justice in his final days in office.
They argue that exonerating Garvey would honor his legacy, remove the stain of an unjust conviction, and further the administration’s promise to advance racial justice. “Exonerating [Marcus] Garvey would honor his work for the Black community, remove the shadow of an unjust conviction, and further your administration’s promise to advance racial justice,” reads the letter led by U.S. Rep. Yvette Clarke, D-N.Y., the incoming chairwoman of the Congressional Black Caucus.
Garvey was a pioneering figure in the Pan-African movement, dedicating his life to promoting Black empowerment through entrepreneurship and solidarity among Black Americans and people of African descent worldwide. His conviction was related to his shipping business, the Black Star Line, which was intended to facilitate trade and ultimately transport African Americans throughout the diaspora. The lawmakers assert that the charges against Garvey were fabricated and aimed at silencing him as a civil rights leader, with efforts to clear his name persisting for decades.
They believe that exonerating Garvey would serve as a powerful symbol of progress and justice, highlighting the enduring legacy of a leader who dedicated his life to uplifting the Black community. His conviction has been widely criticized as a miscarriage of justice, and many see his exoneration as a long-overdue correction. The lawmakers are urging President Biden to take swift action to right this historical wrong, and bring closure to Garvey’s family and supporters.
“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,” said the cadre of congressional members, who noted that “efforts to clear Garvey’s name have persisted for decades.”
