Marcus Garvey struggled with the charge of liberating states, liberating minds and liberating races.
Today, FAMU’s Marcus Garvey Club works diligently with the purpose of liberating the state of consciousness in the FAMU community, encouraging its young African Americans to unite and press forward in a world where the struggle continues.
Garvey stood on the belief of “one God, one name, one destiny,” which encompassed his vision of uniting African Americans around the globe, namely in the Caribbean, America, Africa and Jamaica, his birthplace.
Along with moves toward a united race, Garvey led the largest mass movement in black America.
He organized the Universal Negro Improvement Association in 1914 and its coordinating body, the African Communities League.
He established black businesses such as the Black Star Shipping Line to improve the well being of his black brothers and sisters.
The Marcus Garvey Club continues his legacy.
“We really want to benefit from unity, and raise the level of education as Garvey did,” said Art Wallace, 30, a history graduate student from Fort Washington, Md.
“Our generation is still being ‘miseducated’ on black and African reality,” Wallace added.
“As a collective generation, materialism seems to motivate young black America, and as a result, our mind state lacks the reality in the shortage of black businesses and failing schools in the black community; we aren’t being educated on that.”
The club hopes to reach the young minds of FAMU through radio, film and events on campus, with aspirations to motivate people to movement.
“It seems our generation embraces complacency, and thinks being conscious is all about Afros and dashikis, but it’s not that deep,” said Sabriya Linton, a 21-year-old senior environmental science student from Philadelphia.
“It takes nothing more than awareness and concern for black people to want to get involved, and that is what the Marcus Garvey Club is trying to promote.”
The club has had success in their film series and events such as The Elements, which combines dance, theater, poetry and music.
Members also hope to start a study group program with the Tallahassee Prison Work Release Center in an effort to reach another aspect of the black community that is often neglected.
Garvey once said, “I do not speak carelessly or recklessly but with a definite object of helping the people, especially those of my race, to know, to understand and to realize themselves.”
Awareness and elevation of young, black America’s process of social thought is an important issue, and the Marcus Garvey Club continues to make strides in the direction of consciousness, and in getting young African-Americans to wake up.