Negro with a Hat

Colin Grant`s biography of Marcus Garvey, a significant, if little understood, figure in African and African American history, relates the life and achievements of the man who is most known for his controversial return to Africa movement. Colin Grant describes Garvey`s early years in Jamaica, where he derived his internationalist perspective, and his arrival in Harlem, where he established the Universal Negro Improvement Association. Garvey shared the stage with other thinker/activists--including W. E. B. DuBois--and he had both admirers and critics. Believing that people of color would never get a fair shake in America, Garvey conceived the Pan-African movement, which advocated a return to Africa. Because of his unique personality, as well as the events that came after him (especially the Civil Rights movement), Garvey has always been a difficult person to understand. His creative, complex, and (many would say) ultimately doomed insights attracted many believers while repulsing others, and his influence stretches well beyond his lifetime. In NEGRO WITH A HAT, Colin Grant strives to render Garvey`s life and his legacy in a balanced, comprehensive manner. Copyright (C) Muze Inc. 2005. For personal use only. All rights reserved.