Education has been foremost on the agenda of the Marcus Garvey Memorial
Foundation since its beginning in 1960. During the early years individual members gave
generously of their capital and human resources to aid students from Africa in getting a higher
education in the United States. Members of the Universal Negro Improvement Association
and African Communities League played crucial roles aiding Africans in getting visas,
paying tuition, application fees and often providing housing gratis (this normally included
daily home cooked meals.) Once the Foundation came into existence, referrals and inquiries
began coming in to assist Africans in their efforts in attaining education. This was the pattern
for the first two decades (1960's and 1970's) of the Marcus Garvey Memorial Foundation's
Garvey Curriculum Module Developed
The decades of the 1980's and 1990's saw changes in the composition of the board and
the establishment of an Educational Research and Publications Committee. It also was a time
for expanded public programs. The centenary of the birth of Marcus Garvey
in 1987 was marked by a number of important activities that were aided by foundation members. These members indeed
helped plan and implement a full week of activities in Jamaica, culminating with an unprecedented cultural program where
the leading Reggae, Dancehall and Dub Poets actually performed at the International Convention of the UNIA and ACL.
During the centenary year the Foundation was also active in the United States. It developed a curriculum module on Marcus
Garvey and the Universal Negro Improvement Association for Philadelphia public school students. Since there was no precedent for this undertaking,
many, many hours were spent.
A three member committee, chaired by James G. Spady, developed the Marcus Garvey/ UNIA
Curriculum Module in order to enhance the educational opportunities of all students in the
Philadelphia Public School System. Other committee members included: Leandre Jackson
and Louis Jones.
The module was designed for 4th-12th graders. Such a module required
the approval of key school officials: the Superintendent of the Philadelphia School
District, School Operations Director, Associate Superintendent for Curriculum and Instructional
Development, District Superintendents, Supervisors, Principals, and Teachers. Extensive
discussions were held with the following Department heads: English/Language Arts,
Social Studies, and Afro American Studies. A solid rationale had to meet the approval of
curriculum specialists prior to presenting the module to classroom teachers.
At the time the MGMF introduced its curriculum module in Philadelphia the school
administration was implementing its standardized curriculum, applicable to each school in the
system. The usual bureaucracy associated with large organizational units was clearly evident
in the School District's operation. It was felt that the introduction of the Garvey/UNIA
curriculum module was a significant achievement. In order to general interest in this new
African American studies module, the Foundation developed guidelines for a city wide
essay competition in conjunction with the Office of African American Studies, School
District of Philadelphia.
Months of meeting with department heads and other schools officials yielded
approval of the Marcus Garvey/ UNIA Curriculum Module. To nearly everyone's surprise, including the curriculum specialists and associate departmental directors,
the teachers responded overwhelmingly.
Seventy five teachers, representing
schools throughout the district, attended a faculty/staff/ Garvey Foundation meeting
and signed up to begin teaching the Garvey module and encouraging their students to
participate in the city wide essay competition. The initial group of teachers were African
Americans, Euro Americans, Asians and Latinos.
Nine cash prizes were established by the Foundation for the best essays in
this city wide competition. Recipients were awarded the prizes on the stage of the
Academy of Music. On hand to present the awards to student winners was Marcus
Garvey, Jr., son of the Honorable Marcus Mosiah Garvey, founder of the Universal
Negro Improvement Association.
Participates in International Conference on Garvey at the
University of the West Indies in Jamaica
The unprecedented accomplishments of the Marcus Garvey Memorial Foundation
prompted the organizers of International Conference on Marcus Garvey to invite James G. Spady of
the MGMF to deliver a paper on the Marcus Garvey Curriculum Module. The response to the paper on introducing
Garvey and the UNIA into the Philadelphia Public School System was remarkable. Many of
the scholars in attendance learned about the Marcus Garvey Memorial Foundation for the
first time. Useful conversations were held with educational officers, teachers and others
interested in scholarship on Garvey. This was most significant because the Foundation
entered into meaningful dialogues with Garvey scholars from around the world who were
assembled at the University of the West Indies, Mona Campus in Jamaica.
The University of the West Indies-sponsored conference on Garvey attracted scholars
from Africa, the Caribbean, the USA and elsewhere. Upon learning of the success
the Marcus Garvey Memorial Foundation had in introducing the "Garvey /UNIA Curriculum
Module" into the School District of Philadelphia, the conference convener stated, "this is
an area that we would like to emphasize."
Foundation Forum at the Greenfield Intercultural Center
on Garvey and the Latin American Connection
As a part of its ongoing educational initiative, the Marcus Garvey Memorial Foundation was asked to participate in The Greenfield Intercultural Center Distinguished
Lecture Series. This lecture /exhibition, "Marcus Garvey: The Latin American/Caribbean
Connection" took place on the campus of the University of Pennsylvania.
Public Libraries and The Mass Education Program of the Foundation
Just as the Foundation's academic colloques were held at universities to attract students
and scholars, there are mass education public programs to reach the broader community.
Neighborhood branches of the Philadelphia public library system have been most cooperative in
working with the Foundation in planning exhibitions and public forums. What we have found
is that these activities create considerable interest in the library's holdings on Marcus Garvey,
the Universal Negro Improvement Association, Pan Africanism, and African American Studies.
One of the more popular themes that attracted large audiences and stimulated school trips was
" Marcus Garvey and The UNIA: The Philadelphia Experience. " The first two in this series
took place at the West Philadelphia Regional Library and the Northwest Regional in Germantown.
Many in attendance told stories about their own family's connection to the U.N.I.A.