January 17th this year is ten years since the untimely passing of legendary warrior scholar Baba Tony Martin at 70 years young. Prof. Martin distinguished himself being the prolific and reliable authority on Garvey and Garveyism – the life and legacy of the Most Eminent Prophet and King – His Excellency: Marcus Mosiah Garvey. As such he was appointed and anointed the official historian of the UNIA-ACL, by President Generals Baba Thomas W Harvey and Baba Charles L James.
Titles from his self-published New Marcus Garvey Library include : the definitive classic study of the Garvey Movement Race First: the Ideological and Organizational Struggles of Marcus Garvey and the Universal Negro Improvement Association; Marcus Garvey, Hero: A First Biography; Message to the People: The Course of African Philosophy; The Philosophy and Opinions of Marcus Garvey; African Fundamentalism: A Literary and Cultural Anthology of Garvey’s Harlem Renaissance; The Poetical Works of Marcus Garvey; The Pan- African Connection: From Slavery to Garvey and Beyond; Literary Garveyism: Garvey, Black Arts and the Harlem Renaissance and Amy Ashwood Garvey: Pan-Africanist, Feminist and Mrs. Marcus Garvey No. 1, Or, A Tale of Two Amies.
He was responsible for introducing legions of activists across the generations to Garveyism, yet, as Bro. Ldr. Mbandaka remarked:
“For all his academic brilliance, professorial status and international renown, Baba Martin was humble and devoted to maintaining meaningful connections with the Afrikan grass-roots, whom he greatly valued. Embodying the tradition of the Afrikan Griot.”
At the time of his passing, the then President General of the UNIA-ACL and ninth successor to His Excellency: Marcus Mosiah Garvey, Baba Senghor Jawara Baye opined:
“Our Brother shall be memorialized, revered and remembered all over the African world. His service to Africans at home and abroad, his teachings of Race First and his lectures the world over have been a blessing and factual presentation of lessons the world over for us to learn from.”
The high regard for which Baba Martin was held in the UK was amply demonstrated by the powerfully successful 2003 campaign to defend his integrity from then London Mayor ‘Red’ Ken Livingstone, ostensibly at the behest of the Jewish lobby whose USA counterparts had placed him their crosshairs for decades. (1)
Since his passing interest in the Garvey Movement has continued to grow through academic texts and even films. Yet it is not clear whether the renewed focus on The Prophet and his organisation is designed to endear Afrikan people to him or repel them.
(1) Blacks and Jews.com (2004) Dr. Tony Martin to Speak in London! http://web.archive.org/web/20081026203944/http://www.blacksandjews.com/Martin.UK.Disinvitation2.html
we ask the question:
BABA TONY MARTIN: 10 Years On – How have we used his legacy?
1) What is your favourite Tony Martin book?
2) How has Garveyism fared in the 10 years since his passing?
3) Have the recent books/films on Garveyism/Black Nationalism helped to galvanise our people?
Our Special Guests:
Bro. Ldr. Mbandaka: Resident guest who is Spiritual Leader of the Alkebu-Lan Revivalist Movement and an Afrikan-Centred Education Consultant. Bro. Ldr is a veteran activist of almost 40 years standing, a featured columnist in The Whirlwind newspaper and author of
Baba Senghor Jawara Baye: is the 1st Assistant President-General Government of the UNIA-ACL RC2020. He has been a member of The Universal Negro Improvement Association and African Communities League, the organization founded by Marcus Mosiah Garvey in 1914 for over 40 years and served as its President General between 2008 and 2016. That period saw the profile of the UNIA-ACL raise significantly around the world. Baba Senghor is the author of A Garveyite’s Whirlwind Journey 1980 to 2016 (for which Baba Runoko Rashidi wrote the introduction) and From Vibe To Spirit And The To Soul.
Queen Mother Nzingha Assata: is Grandmother, Mother Daughter, Sister, Pan-African and Garveyite organiser if international renown. She is currently a member of GACuk (Global Afrikan Congress uk); committee member of Friends of Black Cultural Archives. Queen Mama has been active in founding or organising within a range of organisations including: The Black Unity & Freedom Party, The Universal Afrikan People’s Development Association, The Black Action, The Harriet Tubman Sisters, Moyo Wa Taifa Pan-Afrikan Women’s Network and Alliance of Afrikan Women. Queen Mama Nzingha the is author of Women in the Garvey Movement book and In Praise of our Ancestors.
Eld. NNA Pepukayi: is a world-renowned activist and organizer. He is a founder member of the Pan-African Congress Movement one of the first truly nationalist pan-Afrikanist organizations in the UK. Eld Pepukayi is one of the leading distributors of Africentric books in Europe. He is also owner of the Maa Ma’at Centre in Tottenham, north London
Bro. ShakaRa Mbandaka: the son of Bro. Ldr. Mbandaka, Father, Partner, Universal Afrikan Nationalist, Organiser, Spoken Word Activist, Writer, Cultural Scientist, Educator, Sema Tawi and graduate of the UNIA-ACL’s Course In Afrikan Philosophy (ShakaRaSpeaks.com).