Black History Month: Amy Jacques Garvey

Born in Kingston, Jamaica, in 1895, Amy Jacques Garvey stands as a prominent activist and journalist who made significant contributions to the Pan-African, civil rights, and feminist movements. Raised in a politically engaged household with strong Victorian values, her upbringing shaped her lifelong commitment to justice, equality, and the security of Black people globally. Her father, Georges S Jacques, a dedicated newspaper editor advocating for Jamaican workers’ rights, instilled in her a strong sense of social responsibility and activism from an early age.

At the age of thirteen, Amy began her journey in activism by joining the Universal Negro Improvement ASSN. (UNIA), founded by Marcus Garvey, whom she later married after migrating to the US in 1917. Amy shared Marcus’ vision of a better future for Black people, advocating for pride, economic independence, and self-sufficiency. She firmly believed that security and empowerment hinged not only on physical safety but also on access to economic opportunities, financial stability, and robust social support systems. Her vision included the creation of an independent Black nation by financial self-sufficiency; a Pan-African political position she articulated through her role as an editor of “The Negro World”, the UNIA’s newspaper.

Amy’s influence within the UNIA extended far beyond her role as Garvey’s wife, as she played a vital role in the growth of Garveyism as a powerful philosophy and Black nationalist movement advocating for self-governing black nations in Africa. Her words and ideas were not merely echoes of Garvey’s speeches; they were distinct expressions of her own Pan-African political vision of economic empowerment, cultural identity, racial equality and justice, and gender equality. For this reason, she started earning recognition as a political leader in her own right, and crowds often chanted “We want Mrs Garvey”, highlighting her significant impact and the widespread recognition of her work.

One of her most notable contributions was her unwavering commitment to addressing issues of gender equality within the UNIA. As the editor of the Women’s page, she aimed to “give out the thought of our women on all subjects” and directly addressed “the modern Negro woman who believes… God has not limited her intellect because of gender”. This page allowed her to elevate women’s rank and influence in the UNIA and to advance proto-feminist beliefs without male censorship. She insisted on the liberation of Black women, arguing that their experiences with multiple forms of oppression had equipped them to oversee a global movement for the liberation of all Black people.

Under her leadership, the UNIA also established the Black Cross Nurses to provide healthcare and education to Black communities, emphasising her belief that education and healthcare were essential components of security and self-sufficiency within marginalised communities. The UNIA recognised challenges in accessing essential services such as healthcare and education, so by addressing these obstacles, they reduced the vulnerabilities of these communities and laid the necessary foundations for overcoming the structural barriers that perpetuated their marginalisation.

Amy Jacques Garvey understood that true security for Black people extended beyond physical safety; it also included economic, social, and political empowerment. Through her activism and writings, she promoted self-determination and self-reliance as essential components of security for all Black people. Her work continues to inspire and serve as a reminder that lasting security can only be achieved when the root causes of injustice and inequality are addressed and when all individuals are afforded their inherent rights and opportunities.

Image: Marcus Garvey Cultural Club.