Marcus Garvey's Back To Africa Movement

Marcus Garvey is viewed as one of the primary “Race Men” of the Harlem Renaissance. He established the Universal Negro Improvement Association (UNIA), based upon a “Back to Africa” movement. Garvey argued that African Americans were fated to be a permanent minority if they remained in a white United States, so he suggested carrying back over four million African Americans to Africa, primarily Liberia, on his Black Star Line cargo ships. He claimed that an Africa for Africans was the only way for African Americans to have true equality and freedom. However, despite gaining great popularity amongst working-class African Americans, his plan was impractical, farfetched, and simply a delusion. Ultimately, Garvey’s “Back to Africa” movement was
“The redemption of Africa is unattainable, but it serves the purpose of engaging the Negroes’ brains, energy and funds in a highly nebulous, futile and doubtful movement so far as beneficial results to Negroes are concerned (33).” That is why so many white leaders in the south were in support of Garveyism, because they knew it was unrealistic and was just further setting back African Americans from achieving full equality.
Garvey clearly did not think very far through his plan, because all that he offers is his vision of the future, “a redeemed Africa, with her dotted cities, with her beautiful civilization, with her millions of happy children, going to and fro” (41), but no way of getting there. He inspires with his naive words and ideals, but without a well thought out plan that actually could be attained. The “Back to Africa” movement was deemed to be unsuccessful from the very beginning because it was too farfetched. There were far too many African Americans to transport and not enough capital. I believe W.E.B. DuBois said it best, “Let the world meet as men with