Amy Jacques Garvey
Encyclopedia
Amy Euphemia Jacques Garvey (born December 31, 1895 — died July 25, 1973) was the second wife of Marcus Garvey
, and a journalist and activist in her own right. She was born to George Samuel and Charlotte Henrietta (née South) Jacques, in Kingston, Jamaica
.
Amy Jacques Garvey was a pioneering journalist and activist. She came to New York in 1917 and soon after became involved with publishing of The Negro World
newspaper in Harlem
from its inception in August 1918.
She became the second wife of Negro World publisher, Pan-Africanist and UNIA-ACL President General Marcus Garvey
when they married on July 27, 1922. Ironically, she had been Amy Ashwood
's bridesmaid on December 25, 1919 at Marcus Garvey's first wedding, which broke down very quickly. She and Garvey had two sons, Marcus Jr. and Julius.
During her tenure from 1924 to 1927 as a Negro World
associate editor, she added a page called "Our Women and What They Think". She was primarily responsible for the publication in the 1920s of both volumes of the Philosophy & Opinions of Marcus Garvey. After her husband's death in 1940, she became a contributing editor to a journal, the African, published in Harlem in the 1940s. After Marcus Garvey's death, she persevered, writing countless articles and letters.
In November 1963, Amy Jacques Garvey visited Nigeria
as a guest of Dr. Nnamdi Azikiwe
who was being installed as that nation's first Governor-General. She published her own book, Garvey and Garveyism in 1963, as well as a booklet, Black Power in America: The Power of the Human Spirit in 1968. Her final work was the Philosophy and Opinions of Marcus Garvey volume III, written in conjunction with E.U. Essien-Udom
.
, and was interred in the churchyard of Saint Andrew's Parish Church.
Marcus Garvey
Marcus Mosiah Garvey, Jr., ONH was a Jamaican publisher, journalist, entrepreneur, and orator who was a staunch proponent of the Black Nationalism and Pan-Africanism movements, to which end he founded the Universal Negro Improvement Association and African Communities League...
, and a journalist and activist in her own right. She was born to George Samuel and Charlotte Henrietta (née South) Jacques, in Kingston, Jamaica
Kingston, Jamaica
Kingston is the capital and largest city of Jamaica, located on the southeastern coast of the island. It faces a natural harbour protected by the Palisadoes, a long sand spit which connects the town of Port Royal and the Norman Manley International Airport to the rest of the island...
.
Amy Jacques Garvey was a pioneering journalist and activist. She came to New York in 1917 and soon after became involved with publishing of The Negro World
Negro World
Negro World was a weekly newspaper, established in January 1918 in New York City, which served as the voice of the Universal Negro Improvement Association and African Communities League, an organization founded by Marcus Garvey in 1914...
newspaper in Harlem
Harlem
Harlem is a neighborhood in the New York City borough of Manhattan, which since the 1920s has been a major African-American residential, cultural and business center. Originally a Dutch village, formally organized in 1658, it is named after the city of Haarlem in the Netherlands...
from its inception in August 1918.
She became the second wife of Negro World publisher, Pan-Africanist and UNIA-ACL President General Marcus Garvey
Marcus Garvey
Marcus Mosiah Garvey, Jr., ONH was a Jamaican publisher, journalist, entrepreneur, and orator who was a staunch proponent of the Black Nationalism and Pan-Africanism movements, to which end he founded the Universal Negro Improvement Association and African Communities League...
when they married on July 27, 1922. Ironically, she had been Amy Ashwood
Amy Ashwood Garvey
Amy Ashwood Garvey was a Jamaican Pan-Africanist activist and the first wife of Marcus Garvey.Garvey was born in Port Antonio, Jamaica, she spent some years living in Panama. As a child, she was told by grandmother that she was of Ashanti descent...
's bridesmaid on December 25, 1919 at Marcus Garvey's first wedding, which broke down very quickly. She and Garvey had two sons, Marcus Jr. and Julius.
During her tenure from 1924 to 1927 as a Negro World
Negro World
Negro World was a weekly newspaper, established in January 1918 in New York City, which served as the voice of the Universal Negro Improvement Association and African Communities League, an organization founded by Marcus Garvey in 1914...
associate editor, she added a page called "Our Women and What They Think". She was primarily responsible for the publication in the 1920s of both volumes of the Philosophy & Opinions of Marcus Garvey. After her husband's death in 1940, she became a contributing editor to a journal, the African, published in Harlem in the 1940s. After Marcus Garvey's death, she persevered, writing countless articles and letters.
In November 1963, Amy Jacques Garvey visited Nigeria
Nigeria
Nigeria , officially the Federal Republic of Nigeria, is a federal constitutional republic comprising 36 states and its Federal Capital Territory, Abuja. The country is located in West Africa and shares land borders with the Republic of Benin in the west, Chad and Cameroon in the east, and Niger in...
as a guest of Dr. Nnamdi Azikiwe
Nnamdi Azikiwe
Benjamin Nnamdi Azikiwe , usually referred to as Nnamdi Azikiwe and popularly known as "Zik", was one of the leading figures of modern Nigerian nationalism who became the first President of Nigeria after Nigeria secured its independence from the United Kingdom on 1 October 1960; holding the...
who was being installed as that nation's first Governor-General. She published her own book, Garvey and Garveyism in 1963, as well as a booklet, Black Power in America: The Power of the Human Spirit in 1968. Her final work was the Philosophy and Opinions of Marcus Garvey volume III, written in conjunction with E.U. Essien-Udom
E.U. Essien-Udom
Professor Essien Udosen Essien-Udom was born in Ikot Osong, Eastern Provinces, Nigeria , on 25 October 1928, the first son of Timothy and Adiaha Essien...
.
Death
Amy Jacques Garvey died on July 25, 1973, in her native Kingston, JamaicaKingston, Jamaica
Kingston is the capital and largest city of Jamaica, located on the southeastern coast of the island. It faces a natural harbour protected by the Palisadoes, a long sand spit which connects the town of Port Royal and the Norman Manley International Airport to the rest of the island...
, and was interred in the churchyard of Saint Andrew's Parish Church.
External links
- Chapter 1 of biography, The Veiled Garvey: The Life and Times of Amy Jacques Garvey
- Amy Jacques Garvey at Find-A-Grave