Inspired by the writings of Booker T. Washington, Jamaican-born Marcus Garvey became the most prominent Black Nationalist in the United States. He championed the back-to-Africa movement, advocated for black-owned businesses—he founded the Black Star Line, a transnational shipping company—and founded the Universal Negro Improvement Association. Thousands of UNIA chapters formed all across the world. In 1921, Garvey recorded a message in a New York studio explaining the object of the UNIA.

"Fellow citizens of Africa, I greet you in the name of the Universal Negro Improvement Association and African Communities League of the World. You may ask, “what organization is that?” It is for me to inform you that the Universal Negro Improvement Association is an organization that seeks to unite, into one solid body, the four hundred million Negroes in the world. To link up the fifty million Negroes in the United States of America, with the twenty million Negroes of the West Indies, the forty million Negroes of South and Central America, with the two hundred and eighty million Negroes of Africa, for the purpose of bettering our industrial, commercial, educational, social, and political conditions."


A. Based on the text, what were the main objectives of the Universal Negro Improvement Association (UNIA) as stated by Marcus Garvey? Provide specific examples from the text to support your answer. (remember, the use of the term "negro" is no longer an acceptable term. In your answer, please use the term black American or African American).

1 answer

The main objectives of the Universal Negro Improvement Association (UNIA) as stated by Marcus Garvey include uniting people of African descent globally and improving various aspects of their conditions. Specific examples from the text that support these objectives are as follows:

  1. Global Unity: Garvey emphasizes the goal of uniting "the four hundred million Negroes in the world," which illustrates the ambition to create a cohesive identity and solidarity among people of African descent across various regions. He mentions the aim to "link up the fifty million Negroes in the United States of America, with the twenty million Negroes of the West Indies, the forty million Negroes of South and Central America, with the two hundred and eighty million Negroes of Africa." This highlights the UNIA's focus on forging connections among Black Americans, Caribbean individuals, and Africans to create a united front.

  2. Improvement of Conditions: Garvey's statement underscores the need to enhance the "industrial, commercial, educational, social, and political conditions" of Black people. This reflects a broad commitment to improving the quality of life and opportunities available to individuals of African descent in various spheres of society.

Overall, Garvey's vision for the UNIA was to foster unity among people of African heritage and to work diligently toward elevating their status and quality of life globally.