There were several celebrations across the world to mark the birthday of Jamaica's National Hero, the Rt Excellent Marcus M Garvey. One of the most historical celebrations was the placement of a bust in the Hall of Heroes at the headquarters of the Organization of American States.

Published: Monday, August 18, 1980

Garvey’s greatness hailed on his birthday

National hero honoured at home and abroad

AUGUST 17 WAS GARVEY'S DAY. At home and abroad, the memory of National Hero the Rt Excellent Marcus M Garvey was marked by a special celebration of his 93rd birthday, as the Jamaican nation and a section of the international community hailed his greatness.

Heading the day's celebrations was a history-making ceremony in the United States capital of Washington, DC, where a bust of Garvey was placed in the Hall of Heroes at the headquarters of the Organization of American States, there to stand in the company of such New World heroes as Simon Bolivar, Jose Marti, Benito Juarez and George Washington.

History was made by the fact that this was the first time that a national figure from the English-speaking Caribbean has been selected for inclusion in this distinguished gallery. It was an honour to Jamaica and to the son of St Ann who gained international fame as the man who lit the torch of pan-Africanism and raised the banner of black awareness around the world.

Jamaica's Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs, the Hon P.J. Patterson, flew to Washington to take the leading role at the ceremony. To him was accorded the privilege of unveiling the bust and making the keynote speech for the occasion.

Here at home, the focus was on St Ann's Bay, the national hero's birthplace. There at Lawrence Park, during the forenoon, a civic ceremony was held in his honour, in which local dignitaries, headed by the mayor of the city, joined in paying homage to their illustrious parishioner.

Mr Rupert Lewis, lecturer in government at The University of the West Indies and a Garvey scholar, gave the main address in praise of the life and work of Marcus Garvey.

Later in the afternoon, the people of St Ann paid further tribute to the national hero at a rally in the town square of the parish capital, organised by the Jamaica Labour Party. The principal speaker was to be the JLP leader and leader of the Opposition, Edward Seaga.

PIONEER

A similar rally was held in Mandeville. This one was organised by the People's National Party, to be addressed by  Prime Minister and leader of the party, the Hon Michael Manley.

Back in Kingston, Garvey's birthday was marked by a wreath-laying ceremony at his shrine in National Heroes Park, carried out by the Pan-African Secretariat, and by a reading and discussion of his writings, led Mr Z. Munroe, a noted Garveyite, at the Extra Mural Centre of the UWI.

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