Joseph R. Biden
The President of the United States of America
- Advertisement -
The White House
1600 Pennsylvania Avenue NW
Washington, D.C. 20500
Dear President Biden,
As the historic Biden-Harris administration comes to an end, we respectfully express our strong support for the exoneration of Mr. Marcus Mosiah Garvey’s 1923 conviction for fraudulent use of the mail that was submitted to your administration.
Mr. Garvey was a Jamaican-born Pan-Africanist leader who led one of the earliest Black Civil Rights movements in the Americas. Mr. Garvey founded the Universal Negro Improvement Association (UNIA) to challenge racial inequality and inspired millions worldwide as a tireless advocate for Black self-determination and economic independence. Through the UNIA, Mr. Garvey established the Black Star Line, one of the first Black-owned shipping companies, which connected Black entrepreneurs across the Americas. Mr. Garvey published the Negro World Newspaper which, at its peak, reached a circulation of 200,000 readers weekly. Finally, Mr. Garvey authored the “Declaration of Rights of the Negro Peoples of the World” to advocate for better treatment of Black people globally.
Exactly 101 years ago, Mr. Garvey was convicted of mail fraud in a case that was marred by prosecutorial and governmental misconduct. 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. In response to this blatant injustice, President Calvin Coolidge commuted Mr. Garvey’s sentence upon eligibility. Efforts to clear Garvey’s name have persisted for decades. In 1987, under Congressman John Conyers’ leadership, the House Judiciary Committee held hearings on Mr. Garvey’s exoneration. In 2004, Congressman Charles Rangel introduced a series of resolutions calling attention to the injustice, followed by Congresswoman Yvette D. Clarke’s recent efforts to continue these strides. Despite these efforts, Garvey’s name has not yet been cleared.
Exonerating Mr. 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. At a time when
Black history faces the existential threat of erasure by radical state legislatures, a presidential pardon for Mr. Garvey would correct the historical record and restore the legacy of an American hero. As we approach the conclusion of your administration, this moment provides a chance to leave an indelible mark on history.
We thank you for your time and consideration of this important matter.
The following members of Congress have signed off on the letter, attaching their signatures to support Mr. Marcus Mosiah Garvey’s exoneration.
The listing of signees includes Yvette D. Clarke, Barbara Lee, Lisa Blunt Rochester, Frederica S. Wilson, Rashida Tlaib, Eleanor Holmes Norton, Henry C. “Hank” Johnson, Jr., Gwen S. Moore, Erica Lee Carter, Delia C. Ramirez, Robin L. Kelly, Gregory W. Meeks, Danny K. Davis, Dwight Evans, Nydia M. Velázquez, Nikema Williams, Emanuel Cleaver, II, André Carson, Jennifer L. McClellan, and Summer L. Lee and Al Green who also serves as a Scion of the Enslaved Africans – Sacrificed to Make America Great.
