THE EDITOR, Sir:

The teaching of Garveyism in Jamaican schools has been a controversial issue for more than 40 years. For while Marcus Garvey is Jamaica's first and most popular national hero, his philosophies and opinions are not popular among the majority of Jamaica's population.

The fundamental principle of Garveyism is pan-African nationalism. This is condensed in the statement 'Africa for Africans, those at home and those abroad'.

Another principle of Garveyism is repatriation: Africans and decendants of Africans living in the diaspora should unite and liberate Africa from foreign domination and take charge of the industrial and economic development of the African homeland for the benefit of Africans. This project will require the return of the diaspora to the African homeland.

Emancipation from mental slavery is another principle of Garveyism. Garvey exhorts the entire Negro race to liberate their minds from an inferiority complex by re-educating themselves about the true history of African civilisations. This is stated in the proclamation, "Up you mighty race, you can accomplish what you will. Our ancestors created great civilisations of the past. We shall create another that will astonish the world."

Our African Negro ancestors were not primitive, naked, uncivilised, pagan people. This historical fiction has already been scholarly refuted by famous African historians, anthropologists and archaeologists. However, our educators are afraid to disseminate the truth to the public, at large, out of fear of reprisals from the Eurocentric education status quo.

Readers are invited to obtain copies of the following publications: The African Origin of Civilization by Cheikh Anta Diop, Africa: Mother of Western Civilization by Yosef ben-Jochannan, African Glory: Lost African Civilizations by J.C. deGraft-Johnson, The Africans Who Wrote The Bible by Nana Banchie Darkwah, Stolen Legacy by George G.M. James, The Golden Age of The Moors by Ivan Van Sertima; and The African Presence In Early Europe by Ivan Van Sertima.

CARRYL HARRIS

carrylgurney@yahoo.com

Hopewell PO, Hanover