The PJ Patterson Centre for Africa-Caribbean Advocacy has thrown its full weight behind the decades-old campaign for the posthumous exoneration of Jamaica’s first National Hero, Marcus Garvey.

Former Prime Minister PJ Patterson, statesman-in-residence at the PJ Patterson Centre based at The University of the West Indies (The UWI), said the Centre, in a letter to CARICOM heads of government, invoked its endorsement by three specific steps, including:

1. A letter co-signed by all Heads addressed directly to US President, Joe Biden, invoking his assent to the petition;
2. Launching in each Member State a public appeal for 100,000 signatories to the petition, which transcends partisan political boundaries;
3. To extend their outreach through all regional institutions and organisations via the CARICOM Secretariat and externally through their Embassies and Consulates located in countries where
   the Caribbean Diaspora reside.

“It should be generally known that signatories are not confined to citizens or residents in the United States. This is a global campaign and the more persons above the age of 18 who sign, the more effective will the petition prove,” the Patterson.

“Marcus Garvey was a heroic pioneer in the fight against racial inequality. At this time when the struggle to obtain equal rights and justice is experiencing a necessary rejuvenation, the pursuit to obtain a posthumous exoneration must be unrelenting and must confront and conquer the insistence of the racists who are determined to deny voting equality – the bedrock of any democracy.

“This is a most propitious time for Marcus Garvey’s long overdue posthumous exoneration.”

Patterson said the Centre was making an urgent plea for the region’s voices to “be heard loud and strong on the Continent, across the Caribbean Sea and throughout our Diaspora as one in this plea, for the tenets of justice demand it”.

The former prime minister noted that the Marcus Garvey Institute has conveyed his deep appreciation of the Centre’s support in the global campaign to obtain a minimum of 100,000 signatories to the petition.

Tomorrow (February 16), The UWI in collaboration with The PJ Patterson Centre and The Centre for Reparation Research will host a Vice-Chancellor’s Forum themed, ‘Exonerating Garvey’, airing live from 10:00 am EST/Jamaica and 11:00 a.m. AST/Eastern Caribbean via www.UWItv.org or www.facebook.com/UWITV.

To learn more about the global campaign to exonerate Marcus Mosiah Garvey, see the petition here

READ: Jamaica to push US government to exonerate Marcus Garvey