Jamaican leaders have welcomed U.S. President Joe Biden’s decision to grant a posthumous pardon to Marcus Mosiah Garvey, the nation’s first National Hero and an iconic Pan-Africanist.
The pardon, issued on Biden’s final day in office, seeks to correct the injustice of Garvey’s 1923 conviction for mail fraud—a case widely criticized as politically motivated.
Prime Minister Dr. Andrew Holness described the pardon as a monumental step toward justice for Garvey, whose legacy as a champion for civil rights and Pan-Africanism remains deeply ingrained in Jamaica’s history.
“The Jamaican Government welcomes the posthumous pardon of our National Hero, the Right Excellent Marcus Mosiah Garvey,” Holness said. “We consider this as a first step in the total exoneration, absolution, and expungement of a historical wrong done to one of the most significant civil rights leaders and Pan-Africanists.”
Holness also expressed gratitude to President Biden, the Garvey family—particularly Julius Garvey—and countless advocates who lobbied for this decision. “It has been a long and persistent struggle,” Holness added, acknowledging the role of successive Jamaican administrations, diaspora communities, and private citizens in pushing for Garvey’s exoneration.
Opposition Leader and People’s National Party President Mark J. Golding also praised the move, describing it as a corrective to a grave miscarriage of justice.
“Marcus Garvey’s exoneration acknowledges the profound impact he had in shaping the narratives of freedom, equality, and justice,” Golding said. “His principles of unity and self-determination served to solidify and embolden the mandate of social justice movements in Africa and its diaspora.”
Golding highlighted Garvey’s role as a visionary leader whose ideas of African pride and empowerment transcended borders, inspiring generations to reclaim their heritage and demand justice. “This decision is a call to action to African peoples to advance the agenda Garvey was promoting over a century ago,” he said.
Both leaders emphasized Garvey’s enduring relevance, noting that his philosophies remain critical in addressing contemporary issues of racial inequity and injustice. The pardon, they agreed, restores honor to Garvey’s legacy while opening new opportunities for dialogue on race and equality.
Jamaicans at home and abroad have long championed the exoneration of Marcus Garvey, who was deported from the United States after serving a portion of his prison sentence.
In 1984, Marcus Garvey was granted a royal pardon by then-Governor-General of Jamaica Sir Florizel Glasspole, following a request from Prime Minister Edward Seaga. However, this pardon, issued under Section 91 of the Jamaican Constitution, affected only the sentence and not the conviction. As a result, Garvey’s criminal record remained intact, prompting subsequent efforts by the Jamaican government to fully expunge his record.
