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"Life of M.M. Garvey"

Part 3

A varied cultural programme was pursued at Edelweiss Park. Dramatic productions, elocution contests,
vaudeville shows, dance contests, musical presentations, and boxing were all part of the fare at Edelweiss
Park. Garveyites also composed poems in dialect and Standard English for recitation at Edelweiss Park.
On Sundays, Garvey conducted a non-denominational, religious service.

Garvey himself wrote plays and poems for presentation at Edelweiss Park. Among his plays were, Slavery --
from Hut to Mansion; Coronation of an African King and Roaming Jamaicans.

Several Jamaican entertainers who went on to become popular locally, received their initial exposure there.
These included Kidd Harold, Ernest Cupidon, Bim & Bam and Ranny Williams.

Garvey left Jamaica for Londonin 1935. He lived and worked there until his death in 1940.

During these last five years in London, Garvey remained active, keeping in touch with events in Ethiopia where
war was being waged, and also with events in the West Indies. In 1938, he gave evidence before the West
Indian Royal Commission on conditions in the West Indies.

In that year also, he set up a Scholl of African Philosophy to train the leadership of the UNIA. He also
continued to work on the magazine The Black Man.

However, Garvey's health was failing. He suffered two strokes and in June 1940, he died. His body was
embalmed and interred in the Kendal Green Cemetery, London. In November 1964, his remains were returned to
Jamica and reinterred in he National Heroes Park, Garvey having been proclaimed Jamaica's first National Hero.

Worldwide, Garvey's memory has been kept alive in many ways:

- schools and colleges, highways and buildings in Africa, Europe, the Caribbean and the United States have been
named for
Garvey;
- the UNIA's red, black and green flag has been adopted as the Black Liberation Flag;
- a bust of Garvey was unveiled at the Organization of American States' Hall of Heroes, located in Washington,
DC in 1980.

In Jamaica:

- a statue of Garvey has been erected on the grounds of the St. Ann's Bay Parish Library;
- a Secondary School in St. Ann has been named for him;
- a major highway in Kingston bears his name;
- a bust of Garvey was unveiled at Apex Park, Kingston in 1978;
- his likeness appears on the Jamaican 50 cent coin;
- the building housing the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (New Kingston) bears his name.

Marcus Garvey was an international crusader for black nationalism. He awakened the consciousness of black
people, advocating racial pride and dignity among blacks around the world. In a fitting tribute to him,
someone said, "Marcus Garvey was the Negro's best hope of finding dignity."