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52-678: The organization was founded to work for the advancement of people of African ancestry around the world. Its motto is "One God! One Aim! One Destiny!" and its slogan is "Africa for the Africans, at home and abroad!" The broad mission of the UNIA-ACL led to the establishment of numerous auxiliary components, among them the African Legion (a paramilitary group), the African Black Cross Nurses , plus businesses such as

104-554: A historic 1939 British Supreme Court decision, President-General Francis was recognized as the rightful administrative heir to the huge Sir Isaiah Emmanuel Morter (DSOE) Estate in Belize . The organization's administrative headquarters were shifted to Belize in 1941 when the President-General relocated there from New York. Upon Francis's death in 1961 during Hurricane Hattie , the presidency shifted back to New York under

156-638: A household in the town was $ 34,643, and the median income for a family was $ 46,667. Males had a median income of $ 42,250 versus $ 30,000 for females. The per capita income for the town was $ 22,741. About 6.3% of families and 7.5% of the population were below the poverty line , including none of those under age 18 and 10.2% of those age 65 or over. Dr. John Jefferson Smallwood established the Temperance, Industrial, and Collegiate Institute in Claremont on October 12, 1892, with fewer than ten students. Smallwood

208-524: A new eastern terminus in West Norfolk on the harbor of Hampton Roads , and the line to Claremont, which was never standard-gauged, went into semi-abandonment. After some use for lumber transport as the Surry, Sussex and Southampton Railway, the rails were removed in the late 1930s. In the years since the area has remained a rural enclave, but some resort use has developed along the bluffs and beaches of

260-614: A page specifically for women readers, documented international events related to people of African ancestry, and was distributed throughout the African diaspora until publication ceased in 1933. In 1919, the UNIA purchased the first of what would be numerous Liberty Halls . Located at 114 West 138th Street, in Harlem , New York City , the building had a seating capacity of 6,000. The single-level hall with low ceilings had previously been home to

312-507: A port on the James River, and gained railroad service as a terminus for a while before being abandoned. Claremont was home to the Temperance, Industrial, and Collegiate Institute, a school for African Americans founded by a formerly enslaved person. The area includes a historical marker commemorating the institution. A granite marker in a circle in the center of town commemorates the landing here on May 5, 1607, of English settlers, before

364-399: A severe blow to the UNIA's African repatriation program and inspired speculation that the actions were linked. After Garvey's conviction and imprisonment on mail fraud charges in 1925 and deportation to Jamaica in 1927, the organization began to take on a different character. In 1926, George Weston succeeded Garvey in a UNIA Convention Election, becoming the second elected President-General of

416-626: The Black Star Steamship Line and the Negro Factories Corporation . In an article entitled "The Negro's Greatest Enemy", published in Current History (September 1923), Garvey explained the origin of the organization's name: Where did the name of the organization come from? It was while speaking to a West Indian Negro who was a passenger with me from Southampton , who was returning home to

468-485: The Firestone Rubber Company's agreement with Liberia for a 99-year lease of one million acres (4,000 km) of land. It was extracting and processing rubber for the world market. This land deal had been assisted by American and European governments. Originally Liberia had intended to lease the land to UNIA at an unprecedented dollar an acre ($ 247/km). The commercial agreement with Firestone Tire dealt

520-758: The New Negro World started publishing out of Cleveland. After the 1942 International Convention in Cleveland, a rehabilitating committee of disgruntled members was held in New York during September. Stewart moved to Monrovia , Liberia, in 1949. He took Liberian citizenship and moved the Parent Body of the UNIA there. He continued to lead the Association as President-General until his death in 1964. Stewart and his entire family relocated deeper into

572-703: The SS Yarmouth and then the SS Shady Side . The Shady Side was used by the association for summer outings and excursions, as well as rented out on charter to other organizations. The BSL later purchased the Kanawha as its third vessel. This small yacht was intended for inter-island transportation in the West Indies and was rechristened the SS Antonio Maceo . Also established in 1919

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624-483: The United States Census Bureau , the town has a total area of 2.5 square miles (6.6 km ), all of it land. As of the census of 2000, there were 343 people, 147 households, and 99 families residing in the town. The population density was 135.3 people per square mile (52.1/km ). There were 240 housing units at an average density of 94.6 per square mile (36.5/km ). The racial makeup of

676-552: The West Indies from Basutoland with his Basuto wife, I further learned of the horrors of native life in Africa. He related to me in conversation such horrible and pitiable tales that my heart bled within me. Retiring from the conversation to my cabin, all day and the following night I pondered over the subject matter of that conversation, and at midnight, lying flat on my back, the vision and thought came to me that I should name

728-687: The Western Reserve Historical Society in Cleveland, Ohio, for safe-keeping. From 1988 until the 2024, Cleo Miller , Jr. has held the title of President General. Per the 2024 UNIA Convention in Washington, D.C., the Honorable Mwariama Kamau is now currently President-General of the UNIA. Paramilitary A paramilitary is a military that is not a part of a country's official or legitimate armed forces. The Oxford English Dictionary traces

780-487: The red, black and green flag as the official banner of the African race. (Beginning in the 1960s, black nationalists and Pan-Africanists adopted the same flag as the Black Liberation Flag.) UNIA-ACL officially designated the song " Ethiopia , Thou Land of Our Fathers" as the official anthem of "Africa and the Africans, at home and Abroad". Under the provisions of the UNIA constitution, Gabriel Johnson

832-762: The American field after his ouster to Jamaica. She was a fiery orator and spoke both Spanish and English, helping with the spread of the organization through Latin America and the Caribbean . The UNIA, Inc., after Garvey's departure, continued to operate out of New York until 1941. After Weston's 1926 election to President-General, he was succeeded by Frederick Augustus Toote (1929), Clifford Bourne (1930), Lionel Antonio Francis (1931–34), Henrietta Vinton Davis (1934–40), Lionel Antonio Francis (1940–61), Captain A. L. King (1961–81) and Milton Kelly, Jr. (1981–2007). In

884-577: The Confederate ironclad Merrimac. However, Allen resigned his military commission in 1862. After the Civil War, Claremont became a shipping port for railroad ties cut for the Prussian government and shipped to Hamburg. Willie Allen, who inherited Claremont Manor, moved to New York and sold the property. J. Frank Mancha, a Maryland or Delaware real estate developer, began developing and subdividing

936-679: The House of Burgesses. By the late 17th and early 18th centuries, Claremont was a busy port town and shipped many goods, but especially hogsheads of tobacco . Colonel William Allen served in the American Revolutionary War. Speaker Allen's grandson John Allen lived at Claremont Manor House. He served in the Virginia House of Delegates and Virginia Ratifying Convention. His principal heir, Lt. Col. William Allen (1768–1831), also lived at Claremont and served many terms in

988-787: The House of Delegates before the War of 1812 and supposedly became the largest land owner and enslaver in the Commonwealth of Virginia of his day. He never married and required his great-nephew and heir, William Griffin Orgain to change his surname to Allen to inherit. That William Allen became a lumber magnate, built a railroad, and in May 1861 became a Confederate officer and captain of the Jamestown Heavy Artillery (which he financed), Rails from his railroad were re-smelted to armor

1040-446: The James River. Many homes along the riverfront were severely damaged, and Claremont's neighboring beach, Sunken Meadow, was destroyed in 2003 by Hurricane Isabel . In 2006, the old A&D station at Claremont Beach (village, not the wharf) was still standing. Claremont is located at 37°13′38″N 76°57′56″W  /  37.22722°N 76.96556°W  / 37.22722; -76.96556 (37.227291, -76.965458). According to

1092-785: The Metropolitan Baptist Tabernacle. It was dedicated on July 27, 1919. On Sunday evenings, it was the site of the weekly UNIA meeting; it also housed a restaurant. Later that year the Association organized the first of its two steamship companies and a separate business corporation. Incorporated in Delaware as a domestic corporation on June 27, 1919, the Black Star Line, Inc. (BSL) was capitalized at 10 million dollars. It sold shares individually valued at five dollars to both UNIA members and non-members alike. Proceeds from stock sales were used to purchase first

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1144-570: The Negro Peoples of the World" on August 13, 1920, and elected the leaders of the UNIA as "leaders for the Negro people of the world". The organization put forth a program based on this declaration, marking the evolution of the movement as one promoting black nationalism. It sought the uplift of the black race and encouraged self-reliance and nationhood. Among the declarations was one proclaiming

1196-640: The UNIA headquarters on West 135th Street, went uptown as far as 145th and downtown as far as 125th Street, taking it beyond the boundaries of black residence into white areas. Four mounted policemen, and the heads of Black Star Line and Negro Factories Corporation, led the parade, followed by cars carrying Garvey and Mayor of Monrovia, capital of Liberia, and other UNIA officials, then the Black Star Line Choir, on foot, and contingents from throughout US and Caribbean, Canada, Nigeria, carrying banners, and including 12 bands, with about 500 cars bringing up

1248-546: The UNIA, Inc. Many Garvey supporters were angered, and split off into rival entities such as the "Garvey Clubs" and other organizations, based on members' differing interpretation of the original aims and objects of the UNIA. But the UNIA continued to be officially recognized as the "Universal Negro Improvement Association and African Communities League". A rival "UNIA-ACL August 1929 of the World" emerged, headed by Marcus Garvey after his deportation to Jamaica. Garvey appointed Maymie de Mena as his official representative to head

1300-697: The US, Canada, Costa Rica, Belize, Panama, Java, and other countries. UNIA also purchased farms in Ohio and other states. It purchased land in Claremont, Virginia with the intention of founding Liberty University. By 1920 the association had over 1,900 divisions in more than 40 countries. Most of the divisions were located in the United States, which had become the UNIA's base of operations. There were, however, offices in several Caribbean countries, with Cuba having

1352-510: The affairs of the UNIA from New York until a successor to Garvey could be formally installed to complete his term as President-General. During an emergency commissioners' conference in June 1940, James R. Stewart , a commissioner from Ohio and graduate of the course of African philosophy, was named the successor. In the months to follow, the Parent Body of the UNIA was moved from its temporary headquarters in New York to Cleveland . In October 1940

1404-538: The aims of your organization as outlined by you, have no hesitancy in assuring you that they will afford the Association every facility legally possible in effectuating in Liberia its industrial, agricultural and business projects. About two months later, however, the Liberian President unexpectedly ordered all Liberian ports to refuse entry to any member of the "Garvey Movement". This action closely followed

1456-441: The command of a military , train alongside them, or have permission to use their resources, despite not actually being part of them. Under the law of war , a state may incorporate a paramilitary organization or armed agency (such as a law enforcement agency or a private volunteer militia ) into its combatant armed forces. Some countries' constitutions prohibit paramilitary organizations outside government use . Depending on

1508-599: The definition adopted, "paramilitaries" may include: Claremont, Virginia Claremont is an incorporated town in Surry County , Virginia , United States. The population was 378 at the 2010 census. A granite marker is a memorial to British settlers' arrival in the area. It received its name during the colonial era from the royal residence in Surry Shire in England. The town was incorporated in 1886, had

1560-692: The general condition of the country from the standpoint of UNIA members interested in living in Africa . By 1924 the Chief Justice J. J. Dossen of Liberia wrote to UNIA conveying the government's support: The President directs me to say in reply to your letter of June 8 setting forth the objects and purposes of the Universal Negro Improvement Association, that the Government of Liberia, appreciating as they do

1612-639: The interior of the country, establishing themselves in Gbandela , Bong County , Liberia . There they established a hospital, school and farm. When Stewart died from cancer in 1964, the Parent Body was moved from Monrovia to Youngstown , Ohio, where James A. Bennett took the reins. In 1968 Bennett was succeeded by Vernon Wilson. After President-General Wilson's death in 1975, Mason Harvgrave became next President General. Hargrave testified during United States congressional hearings in August 1987 in relation to

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1664-660: The landing at Jamestown across the navigable portion of the James River . English and Scotch emigrants had settled there, near the principal native American village called Quioughcohanock (probably located on what later became known as "Wharf Bluff") by 1632. In 1649, Arthur Allen patented lands in Surry County and by 1655 built Allen's Brick House in the lower part of the county. His descendants owned this property until 1882. His son Arthur Allen II in addition to his agricultural and mercantile activities became Speaker of

1716-521: The leadership of Captain A. L. King, formerly president of the Central Division of the UNIA in New York. After his death in the early 1980s, longtime Garveyite organizer Milton Kelly, Jr. assumed the administrative reins and continued to head the association until 2007. The UNIA 1929 headed by Garvey continued operating in Jamaica until he moved to England in 1935. There he set up office for

1768-862: The most. Divisions also existed in Central and South America: Panama , Costa Rica , Nicaragua , Ecuador , and Venezuela ; in Africa: Gold Coast (now Ghana ), Sierra Leone , Liberia , Nigeria , South West Africa (now Namibia ), and the Union of South Africa ; and in India and Australia . For the entire month of August 1920, the UNIA-ACL held its first international convention at Madison Square Garden in New York City . The 20,000 attending members promulgated "The Declaration of Rights of

1820-460: The organization the Universal Negro Improvement Association and African Communities (Imperial) League. Such a name I thought would embrace the purpose of all black humanity. Thus to the world a name was born, a movement created, and a man became known. Originally from Saint Ann's Bay , Jamaica , Marcus Garvey left at 23 and traveled throughout Central America and moved for a time to England . During his travels he became convinced that uniting Blacks

1872-509: The organization: "Universal Negro Ritual" and "Universal Negro Catechism". For these he drew from his interest and knowledge of religion and race history. In Philadelphia , where he had earlier been the rector of St. Thomas Episcopal Church , McGuire had been an early member of the American Negro Historical Society. The opening parade was one of the most striking features of the 1920 convention. It began outside

1924-582: The parent body of the UNIA 1929 and maintained contact with all its divisions. UNIA 1929 conventions were held in Canada in 1936, 1937, and 1938. The 1937 sessions were highlighted by the introduction of the first course of African philosophy conducted by Garvey. Garvey became ill in January 1940, and died on June 10, 1940. UNIA members worldwide participated in eulogies, memorial services and processions in his honor. Secretary-General Ethel Collins briefly managed

1976-537: The path of man but with love, faith and charity towards all the reign of peace and plenty will be heralded into the world and the generations of men shall be called Blessed. Although UNIA was not solely a "Back to Africa" movement, the organization did work to arrange for emigration for African Americans who wanted to go there. In late 1923, an official UNIA delegation that included Robert Lincoln Poston and Henrietta Vinton Davis traveled to Liberia to survey potential land sites for possible purchase. They also assessed

2028-474: The property to build a new town there in 1879. Incorporated in 1886, the town of Claremont became the eastern terminus of the new Atlantic and Danville Railway (A&D), a narrow gauge railroad , which was completed to a point near Emporia called James River Junction, where it connected with a standard gauge track towards Danville . Unfortunately for Claremont, the A&;D decided to link its western leg with

2080-594: The proposed exoneration of Marcus Garvey on charges of mail fraud. The findings of the Judiciary Committee were: Garvey was innocent of the charges against him. Although the Committee determined he had been found guilty earlier due to the social climate of America at the time, they had no legal basis upon which to exonerate a person who had died. After President General Hargrave died in 1988, all his papers and other Parent Body material were turned over to

2132-465: The rear. Similar dramatic parades were featured in the 1922 and 1924 conventions. Many photographs survive of the 1924 Convention Parade, as Garvey employed noted photographer James Van Der Zee to record the event. Even after Garvey had left Harlem (he was imprisoned in 1925 and deported to Jamaica in 1927), the UNIA paraded each August throughout the 1920s, with the place of honour given to portraits of their absent leader. The crowds were transfixed by

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2184-417: The spectacle of uniformed UNIA members, particularly the African Legion and Black Cross Nurses. According to the preamble of the 1929 constitution as amended, the UNIA is a social , friendly, humanitarian , charitable, educational, institutional , constructive and expansive society , and is founded by persons desiring to do the utmost to work for the general uplift of the people of African ancestry of

2236-435: The town was 73.18% White , 22.74% African American , 2.04% Native American , and 2.04% from two or more races. There were 147 households, out of which 23.1% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 53.7% were married couples living together, 9.5% had a female householder with no husband present, and 32.0% were non-families. 27.9% of all households were made up of individuals, and 11.6% had someone living alone who

2288-795: The use of the term "paramilitary" as far back as 1934. Though a paramilitary is, by definition, not a military , it is usually equivalent to a light infantry or special forces in terms of strength, firepower, and organizational structure. Paramilitaries use combat-capable kit/equipment (such as internal security / SWAT vehicles ), or even actual military equipment (such as long guns and armored personnel carriers ; usually military surplus resources), skills (such as battlefield medicine and bomb disposal ), and tactics (such as urban warfare and close-quarters combat ) that are compatible with their purpose, often combining them with skills from other relevant fields such as law enforcement , coast guard , or search and rescue . A paramilitary may fall under

2340-545: The world. And the members pledge themselves to do all in their power to conserve the rights of their noble race and to respect the rights of all mankind, believing always in the Brotherhood of Man and the Fatherhood of God. The motto of the organization is 'One God! One Aim! One Destiny!' Therefore, let justice be done to all mankind, realizing that if the strong oppresses the weak, confusion and discontent will ever mark

2392-449: Was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.33 and the average family size was 2.83. In the town, the population was spread out, with 19.8% under the age of 18, 5.8% from 18 to 24, 25.7% from 25 to 44, 31.5% from 45 to 64, and 17.2% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 44 years. For every 100 females, there were 92.7 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 92.3 males. The median income for

2444-575: Was born enslaved in Rich Square, North Carolina in 1863. The school's campus covered more than 65 acres along the James River and served boys and girls from Virginia as well as other states. The Richmond Planet covered the opening of Lincoln Memorial Hall on its campus in 1912, a significant accomplishment for the Institute. Smallwood became severely ill in September of that same year and

2496-444: Was elected Supreme Potentate; G. O. Marke, Supreme Deputy Potentate; J. W. [H]. Eason, leader of the fifteen million "Negroes" of the United States of America; and Henrietta Vinton Davis , International Organizer. Garvey was elected "Provisional President of Africa", a mostly ceremonial title. George Alexander McGuire , an Episcopal priest, was elected as the first chaplain-general of the UNIA. McGuire wrote two important documents for

2548-421: Was founded on August 17, 1918, as a weekly newspaper to express the ideas of the organization. Garvey contributed a front-page editorial each week in which he developed the organization's position on different issues related to people of African ancestry around the world, in general, and the UNIA, in particular. Eventually claiming a circulation of 500,000, the newspaper was printed in several languages. It contained

2600-758: Was taken to the Retreat for the Sick in Richmond, Virginia . He died on September 29, 1912, at the age of 49. After Smallwood's death, a period of mergers and name changes followed. When the school closed in 1928, it had more than 2,000 alums. A marker commemorating the school is at 37° 9.931′ N, 76° 58.404′ W. in Spring Grove, Virginia at the intersection of Colonial Trail West (Virginia Route 10) and Martin Luther King Highway (Virginia Route 40), on

2652-508: Was the Negro Factories Corporation , with a capitalization of one million dollars. It generated income and provided around 700 jobs by its numerous enterprises: three grocery stores, two restaurants, a laundry, a tailor shop, a dressmaking shop, a millinery store, a printing company, and doll factory. However, most went out of business by 1922. With the growth of its membership from 1918 through 1924, as well as income from its various economic enterprises, UNIA purchased additional Liberty Halls in

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2704-683: Was the only way to improve their condition. Towards that end, he departed England on June 14, 1914, aboard the SS Trent , returning to Jamaica on July 15, 1914. He founded the UNIA in Kingston later that month, intending to unite all of Africa and its diaspora into the organization. After traveling through the United States beginning in March 1916, Garvey inaugurated the New York Division of the UNIA in 1918 with 13 members. The Negro World

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