Universal Negro Improvement Association and African Communities League

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Image:Flag of the UNIA.svg The Universal Negro Improvement Association and African Communities League (UNIA) is an educational and charitable organization founded by Marcus Garvey in Jamaica in 1914.

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History

Image:3a03567r.jpg First chartered as the "Universal Negro Improvement and Conservation Association and African Communities League" (the word "Conservation" later removed), the organization is also known as the UNIA-ACL or simply the UNIA. The red, black and green flag originated with the UNIA at its convention in Madison Square Garden on August 13, 1920. The flag has been adopted by black nationalists and Pan-Africanists as the Black Liberation Flag. The UNIA did not and does not recognize any version of this flag that includes yellow or gold.

By 1920 the association had over 1,100 branches in more than 40 countries.Most of these branches were located in the United States, which had become the UNIA's base of operations. There were, however, offices in several Caribbean countries, Cuba having the most. Branches also existed in places such as Panama, Costa Rica, Ecuador, Venezuela, Ghana, Sierra Leone, Liberia, Nigeria, Namibia and Azania/South Africa.

In 1920 the UNIA-ACL held its first convention at Madison Square Garden in New York City. During that convention the 20,000 members of the UNIA in attendance promulgated the "Declaration of Rights of the Negro Peoples of the World", and elected Garvey "Provisional President of Africa" under the provisions of the UNIA constitution. A programme based on The Declaration of the Rights of the Negro Peoples of the World was adopted, marking the evolution of the movement into a black nationalist one, seeking the upliftment of the black race, encouraging self-reliance and nationhood. One of which resolves that the colors Red, Black and Green symbolize all people of African ancestry. Another officially designated the song "Ethiopia the land of our fathers" as the official anthem of "Africa and the Africans, at home and Abroad".

Although it would be a poor summation to view the UNIA solely as the "Back to Africa" movement, the organization did make strides to repatriate Black Americans, contrary to popular belief. Beginning in 1921 UNIA officials travelled to Liberia to survey potential landsites and the general condition of the country as an endpoint for UNIA members interested in living in Africa.

By 1924 President William Tubman conveyed via his Chief Justice, "The President directs me to say in reply to your letter of June 8th, setting forth the objects and purposes of the Universal Negro Improvement Association, that the Government of Liberia, appreciating as they do 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."

However 59 days later the President unexpectedly ordered all Liberian ports to refuse entry to any member of the "Garvey Movement". Conservative historians tend to omit or cloud that 11 days before this announcement that Firestone Rubber Company, with assistance from both American and European governments convinced Liberia to offer the company a million acres (4,000 km²) of land, originally intended for the UNIA at an unprecedented dollar an acre ($247/km²) for 99 years. This agreement dealt a severe blow to the UNIA's African repatriation program.

According to its 1929 constitution, the UNIA was meant to be a "social, friendly, humanitarian, charitable, educational, institutional, constructive and expansive society, and is founded by persons desiring to the utmost to work for the general uplift of the people of African ancestry of 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 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."

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