Marcus Garvey Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Marcus Garvey - Essay Example Marcus Garvey a Jamaican saw the predicament of his people and joined Jamaican Nationalist Organization (Haugen 3). He valued the rights of his people and sought for an approach that would liberate his people from the tyranny of racial discrimination. Garvey toured many nations i.e. London, Central America, Jamaica, and United States of America among others. He was motivated by the predicaments of his people to form a civil right movement that intended to deliver the blacks from psychological bondage of racism. This paper analyses choices, motivation, and strategy of non-violent campaign and the leadership style of Marcus Garvey. Garvey’s approach to racial discrimination and colonialism in Africa and the rest of the world relied on his love for the black race. History quotes that he believed that Africans were able to compete with the whites for the top jobs (Haugen 8). The most pressing need that inspired Garvey to rally against the independence of Africans was taking contro l of their own destiny. He believed that Africans would improve their lives when they took control of their own destiny by instituting their own leaders. Garvey used UNIA as a tool that would bring the blacks together under one umbrella to address their social, economic, and freedom issues. For instance, the UNIA Conference held on 1 August 1920 intended to equip the African leaders with the conscious they required in order to fight for their independence (Haugen 6). The deliberation in the conference as expressed through the opening speech of Garvey shows that Garvey sought to change the conditions of life of Africans through a united movement. Garvey’s uses his own life a model that would shape the lives of the blacks. It is evident from his speech that his personal life motivated him to leadership position. His wish was to mould similar mind, which emulate his ideologies throughout the world. â€Å"I came from an environment that is not better than you†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (Hill & Garvey 45). The above is one of the quotes that he made during a gathering where he was addressing blacks. The nature of life in Jamaica and psychological inferiority of the blacks in the United States played a motivational role in influencing the writing, political and social life of Garvey. History documents that Garvey made unique choices in his political movement and social life. For instance, his letter to Theodore Roosevelt portrays an inclusive leadership approach that aim at promoting peace as well as quest for primary rights such democracy in the society. Garvey believed in freedom movements, which advocates for basic human rights through peaceful negotiation. He fought for black pride, which he believed, would come from education and self-realization. Another unique choice that he made during his leadership is to influence the opening of UNIA offices across the world where the blacks existed (Lawler & Davenport 85). This choice posed a great threat to his personal life as well as the governments that oppressed the blacks. The choice to meet the leaders of Ku Klux Kean is unique in the sense that the organization was against liberation of the black. Critical analysis into the leadership style of Garvey takes us to the transformational leadership style. In transformation leadership, four factors form the basis of transformational leadership. These factors are inspiration leadership, charismatic leadership, individualized consideration, and intellectual stimulation. Garvey intention was to rally intellectualism in creating leadership for Africa and the Negroes. He addressed large audience and insisted on the need for education as the foundation for freedom for the blacks (Haugen 4). Another observation is the charisma in his approach to political issues of