Roots of the Rastafari Movement

In the year 1887 on the 17th day of August, a bouncing baby boy was born from the belly of Sarah Jane Richards, at 32 Market Street in St. Ann‘s Bay, Jamaica West Indies. This child turned out to be, the great Honorable Marcus Garvey, African Liberator and African Patriot, who became the founder and Director, of the Universal Negro Improvement Association, which became an international organization, for the consciousness of African people everywhere, and was very active and well known, in the United States of America.

Five years later in the year 1892, on the 23rd day of July, another bouncing baby boy was born, at Ejarsa Goro, in Ethiopia, from the womb of Wayzaro Yashimabet, and this child later turn out to be Ras Tafari Makonnen, another great African leader, who was later Crowned Emperor Haile Sellasse 1, King of Kings and Lord of Lords, etc.

Marcus Garvey traveled some parts of the world, teaching Africa for the Africans those at home and those abroad, and ended up doing most of his great works in the United States of America, while Ras Tafari Makonnen, worked hard and seriously, to uplift his people in Ethiopia, and to change the degrading living conditions, which existed at that time. So although Marcus Garvey and Ras Tafari Makonnen, were living in different countries, and have never met, they were both working for the improvement of African people at the same period of time.

In the year 1930, Marcus Garvey was 43 years of age, and Ras Tafari Makonnen, was 38, and was about to sit on the great Throne of King David, as Supreme Leader of all of Ethiopia, Marcus Garvey was very much aware of this situation, and therefore informed his followers, that this King will be crowned in Ethiopia, and we as African people, must look forward to him as our leader and African Patriot.

After the Italians invaded Ethiopia, and murdered thousands of Ethiopians, with their poison gas and other weapons of mass distruction, in the year 1935-37, His Imperial Majesty Emperor Haile Sellassie I, went to Geneva, and Challenge the League of Nations, for their dishonesty and hypocrisy. He told them that they struck a match in Ethiopia, but it shall blaze in Europe, and by 1939, Europe was blazing in the event of the second world war, and it is still blazing, even now, as we are approaching the third world war. He told them that God and history will record their Judgement

As a result of the above manifestations, the Roots of the Rastafari Movement, was planted and watered, and has grown into what it has become today. Marcus Garvey as an African who was born in the Caribbean, has made great contributions, to the cause of social Justice, for African people in the USA, as well as all over the world, and the Rastafari people have taken the baton from Marcus Garvey, and carried on the great struggle, for Repatriation, Reparation, Restoration, and Compensation, for African people everywhere.

Marcus Garvey’s liberation works in the USA, is well known, since he had African people in Uniforms, marching for more than a mile long, in the Streets of Harlem, New York, and other parts of the USA, shouting, Africa for the Africans, those at home and those abroad, as well as having great conventions, as early as 1920. He was also able to put the black Star Line ships on the Sea, although he was sabotaged and imprisoned, and finally deported. So Marcus Garvey is to be credited, for starting the Rastafari Movement, and so the Rastafari people, continued the Noble struggle, for the liberation of African people everywhere, with many oceans of self determination.

We all have to agree, that as a result of Marcus Garvey, and the Rastafari Movement, which both started in the Caribbean, people like Bob Marley, Peter Tosh and many other liberation Musicians and poets, were created, and they are still singing their redemption songs. They have used their creative works, to make great contributions, to the cause of social Justice in the USA, and other parts of the world, in which we are all living today.

Marcus Garvey and the Rastafari Movement also had, and still have, great influence in Mama Africa, among African leaders like Kwame Nkuhmah, Julius Nyerere, Seke Toure, Jomo Kenyatta, Patrice Lumumba, Steve Biko and many others, as it relates to the independence of African countries, during the sixties and even today. So now I must inform you, that the struggle for the total Liberation for Mama Africa, and her people everywhere, still continues. Africa for Africans those at home and those abroad.
Again I send many oceans of blessings and self determination to African people everywhere
ONE BLACK HEART ONE BLACK LOVE
Baba Ras Marcus.