Marcus Garvey, a Jamaican-born Black nationalist and originator of the “Back to Africa” movement during the 1900s, was a passionate and formidable orator and founder of the Universal Negro Improvement Association. Garvey went on to become an inspiration for many future civil rights activists.  

Marcus Garvey: A Biography, by Stephen Johnson provides an in-depth look into the incredible life of this truly remarkable man, his vision for pan-Africanism, and his unrelenting fight for the right of self-determination and self-reliance for the African people.  

Johnson’s meticulously researched biography paints the complete picture of a controversial figure who stood in the spotlight during the early years of the battle for racial equality. Marcus Garvey went on to become an early pioneer in this struggle; admired by his supporters, respected by his adversaries, and feared by the government. Jamaica honored Marcus Garvey by declaring him its first national hero.  

Johnson’s work demonstrates how Garvey’s message of Black pride showed in every aspect of his life and continued even after his death. It brilliantly captures the true essence of a man Martin Luther King, Jr., called, “the first man, on a mass scale and level, to give millions of Negroes a sense of dignity and destiny, and make the Negro feel that he was somebody”.  

Stephen Johnson’s work, Marcus Garvey: A Biography is an essential and fascinating listen for anyone interested in African American history or the history of the Civil Rights Movement.