Fight or Flight- Marcus Garvey

After hearing about Marcus Garvey today in class, I decided to look into the work that he did for the newspapers. I found one newspaper called, Negro World that he began publishing in 1918. This was a weekly paper that included a front-page editorial written by Garvey, as well as poetry and other articles. One of his editorials that I found especially compelling was entitled, “African Fundamentalism.” This piece stresses Garvey’s belief that blacks need to regain racial self-confidence by setting aside racist labels that cause them to feel inferior. He also focuses on his belief in God, in that God and the sky should be the only limitations for blacks. Additionally, he looks back into history and emphasizes the successful accounts of African descents that currently living blacks need to strive to get back to. In short, this editorial is a very inspiring and motivational piece of writing.

            Garvey begins the editorial by saying that the time has come for Negros to take control of their lives and stop living it according to whites’ standards. He says they must realize that countless numbers of men and women have come from Africa and have lived a very successful life. So, if they can do it, why can’t anyone else? Garvey also clarifies that everyone is entitled to his or her own opinions and does not need to listen to any one else’s. He then goes on through his editorial comparing the lives of Negros to those of Jews and whites and he declares that no matter who or what you are you must represent yourself with no shame and no fear. You must be true to yourself and “’thou canst not then be false to any man.’”

            All of Garvey’s writing is very moving however it is the end of his piece that really hits me. Here, he states, “God and Nature first made us what we are, and then out of our own creative genius we make ourselves what we want to be. Follow always that great law.” Garvey reinforces the notion that people control their own destinies and motivates black to take back what have always been theirs, their lives and their self-assurance.

            Although Marcus Garvey was a proponent of, “Africa for the Africans” this editorial, in my opinion, is not necessarily a piece encouraging blacks to go to Africa. It instead, is a piece of writing encouraging, and almost ordering, Negros to gain back their self-confidence and overcome any and all stereotypes or negative banter that comes their way. I could understand why some blacks would want to go back to Africa, given all the horrible things that they had gone thorough, but in a way by doing that they would be letting the whites of the time period win. Therefore, I think it is better to stay and to fight, especially given the fact that America was their home. So, I do think that this editorial by Marcus Garvey is very powerful, but it would be even more powerful if he meant it as a reason for Negros to stay and fight.