Maroc - NEWSDAY.CO.TT - A la Une - 16/Oct 07:18

Opposition to Garvey’s visit

IN 1927, PLANS were being made by the local branch of the Universal Negro Improvement Association (UNIA) in anticipation of Marcus Garvey’s visit to Trinidad and Tobago. On December 11, 1927, the editorial of the Trinidad Guardian declared its opposition to such a visit. It alleged that Garvey visited British Honduras and Jamaica and made “wild promises” and “frothy utterances” that he would be the owner of 300 ships and Liberia would become the most prosperous country in the world. Furthermore, the editorial appealed to the government to prohibit Garvey’s entry on the basis of him being an undesirable immigrant and opined, “...Garvey will need but little encouragement to embark upon a campaign for hoodwinking the uninformed public for his personal aggrandisement...” Working class responses, such as a letter (signed "Atticus") to the editor of the Labour Leader, the publication of the Trinidad Workingmen’s Association (TWA), in February 1928, condemned the editorial as being “...a gross insult to the Negro race and the emanation of narrow-minded prejudice and awkward obscurantism.” In 1928, Garvey wrote to the TWA, whose president was Captain Arthur Cipriani, expressing concern over the fierce opposition to his visit to Trinidad, “I intend visiting Trinidad to spend about a week on the island on my way to England in the spring. I have learned of the agitation of the 'Guardian' against my landing in Trinidad, but I have paid no attention to it because I think the attitude below my dignity.” Garvey’s letter also indicated that he would be sailing for Jamaica in April 1928 and added, “I hope to meet Mr Cipriani there or in England. I am glad that he is doing something for the Negro people of Trinidad.” Another protest against Garvey’s visit emanated from the editor of the Teacher’s Journal, who criticised Garvey's planned visit to the colony. The condemnation was published in the Labour Leader, in March 1928, “The blacks form 80 per cent of the population of Trinidad, yet the black teachers under the urge of their employers and social patrons, think it would be harmful for someone interested in the blacks to visit the country because it will cause unpleasantness among the races.” Subsequently, several teachers in the colony contacted the Labour Leader to dissociate themselves from the contents of the article in the Teacher’s Journal which was critical of Garvey’s visit. In 1928, the Legislative Council approved the Expulsion of Undesirables (Amendment) Ordinance. It was obvious that the intention was to frustrate Garvey’s proposed visit to TT. Timothy Roodal (elected member for the St Patrick constituency and labour supporter), opposed the bill and emphasised that thousands would welcome the prominent Afro-Caribbean leader. Furthermore, he insisted that the bill was a deliberate effort to declare Garvey persona non grata, but the attorney general assured the council that the bill was not intended to debar him from visiting the colony. Garvey subsequently cancelled his visit to TT. Almost a decade later, Garvey made another effort to visit Trinidad. On July 21, 1937, while residing in London, Garvey requested permission from Governor Murchison Fletcher of TT to visit the colony, “My visit will be purely an innocent one without intention of interfering with local politics or the affairs of the country. I have visited the Colonial Office here and have acquainted them of my intention and have also assured them of the innocence of my visit.” Garvey’s proposed visit to Trinidad during October and November 1937 was part of a British West Indian tour inclusive of the Leeward and Windward Islands. The governor of Barbados, Mark Young, contacted Fletcher regarding Garvey’s visit. In July 1937, Young sent a confidential despatch to Fletcher seeking clarification of Garvey’s visit: “Newspaper reports indicate that your government has given permission for person named to land and to address meetings. Please inform me whether this is correct.” On August 3, 1937, Fletcher replied to Young’s queries regarding Garvey’s landing in Trinidad, “It was reported to me that there was a rumour that he and Cipriani were due in Trinidad on the 3rd July, and after consulting the Inspector-General of Constabulary I decided that Garvey might be allowed to land. On July 5 Cipriani spoke to me about Garvey’s intention to pass through Trinidad in September or October, and his desire to speak on the subject of education.” Another influential factor in the decision to allow Garvey to visit the island was Fletcher’s realisation that existing information did not warrant a ban. The post Opposition to Garvey’s visit appeared first on Trinidad and Tobago Newsday.