Most of the biblical, historical and scientific facts that you are about to embark are realities which the commission need not be reiterated. However this intellectual discourse is merely purposed to prove that the Pan African Nationhood as revealed under the auspicious patronage of the Right Honorable
Marcus Mosiah Garvey has an inherent succession and had provided an applicable model of civil order and nation building, moreover a black print for present and future generations of Africans at home and abroad. His philosophical and ideological principles, was not just geared to view spirituality from an African vantage point or racial perspective, in addition he has boosted the self esteem of an oppressed, deceived and a miseducated people to see our God through our own spectacles. Moreover the motto; “ One God, One Aim, One Destiny ” as used by his predecessors, Dr. Martin Delany and Dr. Edward Blyden has prompted his vision of a free and redeemed United States of Africa upon which the sun shall never set.
He gave our deprived African family on the continent of Africa hope, though dispossessed of our glorious homeland . And we the displaced and disenfranchised Africans dispersed into the diaspora through the 17th century transatlantic slave trade pragmatic solutions through the initiatives of The Universal Negro Improvement Association ( U.N.I.A. ) and The African Community League (ACL) . Which in and of itself has produced practical resolutions; e.g. The Black Man Bill of Rights addressing and seeking redress to our social, economic and political problems of inequality that we had faced back then. Some of which has since been addressed and many of which still existed today, compounded with current challenges we as a people are still facing today this globalized quagmire.
It’s important to note that one of Garvey’s mentors was Dr. Joseph Robert Love an African Nationalist /Pan African freedom fighter born in the Bahamas in ( 1839-1914 ),and emigrated to Jamaica after impacting the struggle for racial equality in the USA, Haiti, Costa Rica and Panama . His work had a profound impact on Marcus Garvey. Many prominent Authors such as Hartley Saunders of; The Other Bahamas, Dr. Rupert Lewis of; Marcus Garvey The Champion Of Anti Colonialism and Dr. Anthony Martin’s Race First. They all expounded on the fact that Dr. Love had a paramount influence on young Garvey’s life. Hartley Saunders in his book; “ The Other Bahamas “ refers to Dr. love as the architect of the UNIA. Subsequently providing a foundation for many black power movements to build on including the Rastafari Movement. Who’s goal is to return home to a free and redeem Africa and restore the peaceful and harmonious balance between the creator, mankind and nature which we have previously experienced before the foreign invaders arrived. As the Prophet Marcus Garvey proclaim; “ Wake up Ethiopia ! Wake up Africa !let us work toward for one glorious end of a free, redeemed mighty nation. Let Africa be a bright star among the constellation of nations.”
Introduction
As an elder Rastafari brethren trodding on this road from the 1970’s from lowland to highland over mountains rocks and valleys. Eventually ascending to the plateau of The Bobo Shanti Priesthood, consequently my defining moments were the initial commencement of dialogue, first via written correspondence right up to face to face reasonings with The Black Christ In Flesh; our worthy founder, leader champion of human rights and shepherd of the fold. Retrospectively recapping my first ever conversation with The Ethiopia Africa Black International Congress ( EABIC and otherwise referred to as Boboshanti Royal sons and daughters of Ethiopia Africa Mount Zion) spiritual leader King Emmanuel Charles Edwards in 1993. I must say it was rather cordial and warm, I was offered a seat before His Excellency in his lowly pomp and neatly kept Majestic Palace by the Royal Palace Guard. The wooden palace was engulfed in the Regal Ghana’s Ashanti nationalistic colors of the red, gold and green, black five point star, the letter “ R “ and lion symbols , also was his Majesty dignifiedly attired. He looked me straight in the eye with a kind lance that pierced into the soul to search one’s heart and firmly asserted; “ My Lord, this is a reality of black man’s dynasty, coming from Angel, Saint, Patriarch, Prophet, Priest and King “. ( Referring to the chronology of Rastafari dynastic lineage and legacy and actually himself and the Black man in General of whom he proclaims to be divine. Teaching; man of right is God in flesh, Men of wrong are satan in flesh, woman of right is Goddess in flesh, Women of wrong are sataness in flesh.)
HOLY EMMANUEL I SELASSIE I JAH RASTAFARI
The origin of mankind
The biblical symbolic story of Genesis describes creational man’s origin in a garden of 4 rivers in in the region of Ethiopia and Havilah ( both in Africa )Genesis chapter 2, verse 7; “ And the lord God formed man from the dust of the ground…”Genesis chapter 2, verse 13; “ And the name of the second river is Gihon: the same is it that compasses the whole land of Ethiopia. Ethiopia today have the oldest human fossils displayed to the public, Lucy dating back to 3.18 millions years, unearthed out of Ethiopia’s soil in 1974 by the American anthropologist Donald C. Johanson and the Turkish anthropologists Richard and Mary Leakey supported by the Leakey foundation.
Paradoxically suffice to say; scientific and biblical facts often conflicts, how ever on the contrary our African historians and scientist during the 20th century have done their own research to validate the fact that Africa was indeed the birthplace of mankind and the cradle of civilization.
Furthermore a world acclaimed historian Dr. Ivan Van Sertima charged that; Lucy’s fossil is not that of modern man. In addition a brilliant internationally renowned scholar Dr. Cheik Anta Diop has shaken, broken and toppled the foundational infrastructure of conventional white supremacist wisdom, theory and philosophy that taught and propagated the illusion that the black man is inferior and modern man evolved from an ape. (Dr.Kent Hovind has offered a long standing award of $250,000 to anyone that can provide scientific proof that apes evolved to modern man, to this day it has not been proven. Not to mention the Piltdown man which was proven to be a hoax,)
Dr. Diop has proven to the world that Africa is the only existing continent on the planet that contains in its soil today remains of the six anatomical specimens of mankind that God and nature has created. These specimens are on display in Dakar Senegal West Africa today. Dr. Diop and his long time associate Dr. Theophile Obenga has conclave at a UNESCO symposium in 1974, Cairo Egypt North Africa where he and his associate Dr. Obenga forcefully asserted and contended that the Egyptian Pharaohs and their citizens were Black and not as otherwise proliferated by mainstream Eurocentric-Egyptologist.
The African golden ages
Paraphrasing Dr. John Henrick Clarke; Africa and her noble people had experienced three golden ages after the predynastic period in Cush (Cush would represent Ethiopia, Kenya, Tanzania, Somalia and the Ugandan region) Ethiopia or Abyssinia has produced 98 sovereign monarchs before Makeda the Queen of Sheba, from King Ori to Queen Makeda including Nemrod. ( google List of Ethiopian Kings- Rastaite rastaites.com/HIM/lineage.htm ) Then 225 monarchs from Menelik I ( the son of King Solomon of Israel and the Queen of Sheba ) to Emperor Haile Selassie I. The African Solomonic lineage from the Primary source of The Kebra Negus Ethiopian Chronicals ( Glory Of The Kings. )
Egypt is the oldest daughter of Ethiopia chapter 2 of Dr. Chancellor Williams’; ” The Destruction Of Black Civilizations”. The Kemetic Age in the Nile Valley also know to Africans as Tameri, Ta Seti, Napata, Meroe among other distinguished African names also commonly called Egyptian civilization by Europeans. Kemet gave to the world all of the fundamental rudiments of arts and science, hence our construction of the pyramids today still is an enigma to modern science and engineers. Africans from the north east and west Africa converged on the Nile Valley and achieved racial and cultural homogenous kingdoms/queendoms and communities thousands of years before the word Pan Africa was coined. West Africans still today possesses attributes of the Kemetic culture and language e.g. Wolof, Twi, Dogan, Ga, Ibo just to name a few. The biblical story of baby Moses ( many Kemetic scholars contend that the name Moses derives from Thutmose ) in Exodus chapter 2 verse 7-9 by the fact that Pharaoh’s daughter offered to pay the Hebrew nurse a wage for nursing and weaning the child, for in ancient Kemet a child could be weaned for up to five years during such time the mother will not be impregnated. Kemet’s people were very civil, family oriented and compassionate to children not as taught that Kemet citizens were otherwise. They were governed by the laws of Maat which taught kindness, balance, law, order,morality, truth, justice and reciprocity. Thus dispelling many unfounded myths (a) if slavery for the Hebrew people in Egypt existed note the compassion of the Pharaoh’s daughter to the Hebrew nurse offering her a wage.( Kemet practice a form of customary servitude, peon or serfdom in juxtaposition to the dehumanization of chattel slavery as practiced and deliberately and excruciatingly inflicted on Africans during the transatlantic slave trade ) (b) Moses is to grow up in the house of Pharaoh as his grandson and later married to an Ethiopian woman Zipporah of which Jah approved smiting Aaron and Miriam white with leprosy for their disapproval so they all had to be black. e.g. vitiligo or depigmentation of the black skin of a person with melanin. ( c ) Thirdly when Moses was exhausted and inundated on his trek to lead Israel to the promise land, it was his Ethiopian father in law Jethro who became his consultant advising him and assisting him in setting up the Judges of Israel. It was the first Israelite governmental framework, and a workable structure of governance. Exodus chapter 19 verses 14 - 24. Therefore Israel did not became a functioning nation until it’s assimilation and interaction with Ethiopia and Kemet. Notwithstanding millennia thereafter Yeshua ( known also as Jesus ) found refuge in Kemet to assimilate into a populace that resembles him. Thus; the flight into Egypt North Africa; Matthew chapter 3 verse 14-16. By this period Kemet has lost political power to Rome.
Centuries later in 615 AD with the advent of lslam , as Muslims begin to be persecuted in Arabia, the Prophet Mohammed and a small group of muslims seeked refuge in Ethiopia under the wings and protection of the Christian King Al Najashi this migration is considered the first hijra. As the Moslem empire gain momentum in Africa and Kemet now officially called Egypt became a Greco-Roman state after Carthage made her last and mighty stand in an attempt to prolong Africa’s first golden age, King Hannibal fought a good fight taking the fight to the enemy but the pages of history turned on Africa and the wealthy ports of the Mediterranean felled in the hands of Rome. Then they defaced, desecrated and graffiti our holy temples and shrines, stole and plagiarized our sacred literatures then burn down the blessed records. Moreover changing names, places and dates at the Council of Nicaea AD 325.
Ethiopia still unconquered retires to the inland waning in size when she once waxed in territory and her Kings had commanded illustrious militaries advancing with strategies, truth, rights, courage and might to drive out the foreign invaders. ( Ethiopia boast of never colonizing any nation only liberating. )Subsequently defending Jerusalem among other African states. II Kings chapter 19 verse 10 stated that the Ethiopian King Tirhakah sent comforting words to King Hezekiah of Israel to trust in Jah to deliver Jerusalem. So Marcus Garvey summed it up, by asking the questions; “ did they not laugh at Moses, Christ and Mohammed ? was there not Carthage, Greece and Rome ?
As the Arabs mobilized the Islamic Empire to contend and rival the Roman empire. While the rationale for this war was portrayed as religious, however it’s motives was based on profit, wealth and greed. In an attempt to control African commerce, tariff, shipping and ports,( in particular the ports of the Mediterranean the cultural melting pot of that era.) the Arabs convinced Africans to help them to take the Romans off our backs by joining the fight but sadly we only jumped out of the frying pan onto the fire. Regrettably so according to Dr. John Henrick Clarke; “ we helped the Arabs to take the Roman off our backs and we ended up with the Arabs on our backs”. Furthermore; if I may add in some cases both of them for they have double crossed us and teamed up on us. Yet Africa has still maintain her second golden age in Zimbabwe, Ghana and the North African Moorish Empire which ruled southern Europe from 711-1492 AD ending Europe’s dark age and inspired a rebirth in learning commonly called the renaissance. Now Europe possesses the power of African arts and sciences to construct the worlds greatest deception, the paintings distributing and the proliferation of the white Christ, and the white Madonna and child, the anti reality of the true black messiah; by these acts of the deception and subterfuge, was the world deceived.
The third golden age of Africa was experienced on the west coast of Africa with Ghana remaining a fortress of glory, strength and power. (Ghana produced over 400 Kings from BC ;according Dr. Chancellor Williams.) While Mali, Songhai, and the Mossi States rise to power around the twelfth century blossoming with commerce, literacy, medicine and military might also the Congo Empire shared the glory of the third golden era. Right up to the time when Europeans arrived in West Africa, Africans enjoyed the zenith of their third golden age. The establishment of the Elmina Castle on the coast of Ghana by Portugal’s Prince Henry the Navigator was the beginning of the end for Africa’s final golden era. Thus the chattel slavery that followed has disoriented our race from then to now psychologically, sociologically, economically and politically at home and abroad, which is unparalleled in the annals of humans history. ( This disorientation or civil disorder is deemed Yurugu by Dr. Marimba Ani and the suffering of the African slave trade in called Maafa which is much more intensified than the holocaust . Europe took away resources, black gold, yellow gold the Ashanti golden stool , among many other holy, sacred and priceless shrines and literature. Disrupting the harmonious and cultural equilibrium of the people and misbalancing the biodiversity of the environment. Today our ancestor’s treasures are mounted and poised as the epi-center pieces and the invitation to treat as their museums permits the voyeuristic passion of Europe to uncover, discover, explore, excite, defile and exploit with a sense of covetousness and greed. ( Hence; Sarah Baartman and all our ancestor who were exploited may they souls find peace at rest )
Now that Europe has establish a homogeneous nationalistic plan through a process of reorientation subsequently utilizing the universities built, managed and tutored by Africa Moors. The Salamanca University in Spain ( en.wikipedia.org/wiki/salamanca )and the University of Sankore in Mali also know as the University of Timbuktu, between the 14th and the 16th century the University of Sankore enrolled more foreign students than the University of New York today ( www.muslimmuseum.org/1005/sankore-univerity ) Europe exploited the African academy in order to dominated and control the world.
.
Awaken from a long dark night of slavery
During the dark age of slavery ( Maafa )in the western hemisphere and on the continent of Africa where Europe’s now newly recovered oriented initiation of imperialistic capitalism and colonialism in Africa that raped the resources. Furthermore coveted the choice land, shrines and artifacts yet in spite of it all, one bright spot stood out. And that is the resistance to colonialism by African at home and abroad. Queen Nzinga(Queen Nyahbinghi ) fought the Portuguese in the Congo and Angola, Madam Efunroye Tinubu in Nigeria, resisted the Slave Trade when she realized there was a contrasting difference between the customary servitude or domestic slavery as traditionally practiced in Africa in juxtaposed to the trans-Atlantic/plantation horrific and dehumanization of Africans. Nana Asantewaa roused the Royal Ashanti soldiers to rally and face off with the wicked British soldiers to retrieve the Royal Ashanti golden stool our Sacred Holy Shrine stolen by the Brits. While in the USA Nat Turner, John Brown and Cinque Mtume among others stood tall, between 1830-1834 there were several Black Rebellions and Uprisings in Exuma, Eleuthera and Cat Island. However in the Caribbean Maroon proto-states formed the bastion of African independence and has championed the cause of resistance. Nanny and Cojoe in Jamaica, Fabule’ of Martinique according to Dr. Anthony Martin’s “Caribbean History from pre-colonial origins to present.” ( chapter 6-7 )Africans (were sold to the Portuguese by Arabs slave trader from 14th century ) hit the ground running when arrived in Brazil during the 16th century there were Maroon communities all through the Caribbean and South America wherever the terrain or environment was conducive to successful resistance.
The Haitian revolution has broken the backs of the Colonial French chattel slave trade 1781-1804. The great African freedom fighter Toussaint L’Ouverture declared Haiti a refuge from slavery or rather a sanctuary state. Furthermore he offered asylum and protection to African running away from slavery, apart of his Declaration of Independence he proclaimed; “ It is not enough to have expelled the barbarians who have bloodied our land for two centuries” in addition he charged; “ Independence or death ….let these sacred words unite us and be the signal of battle and of our reunion... we have dared to be free…” And they were free indeed until France manipulate the Haitian government with reversed racism absurdly taxing Haiti for reparations for their agonizing defeat. Now Haiti is the region’s poorest nation and her people reduced to economic serfs and slaves. All because of the high mindedness, resentful and revengeful grudge of Neo-Colonial France and her European allies.
The victory of good over evil in Ethiopia on the 1st of March 1896 which the battle of Adwa was won against the Italians under the able Commander-in-chief Emperor Menelik II alongside his wife Empress Taitu. The royal couple faced and defeated the enemy on the battlefield to keep Ethiopia free. ( Emperor Menelik II once said he would rather have his wife die on the battlefield with him than to be raped and killed at home by the Italians ).This victory was an inspiration to Africans at home and abroad who saw Ethiopia as the black man and woman’s promise land ( Black Ethiopia Africa Mount Zion ) which has never been conquered. Emperor Menelik shortly thereafter provided land for Africans willing to return and received the Haitian ambassador to open diplomatic relations with Africans in the west. Up to that time Ethiopia, Haiti and Liberia ( of which became a republic in 1847 )were the only free African states on the planet.
No volume of books or documentary can fully express the catastrophic emasculation, mutilation carnage and irreparable damage that the inhuman monstrosity of the 17th century transatlantic slave trade ( Maafa ) have left on African people the world over. Malcolm X once declared that Europeans should pray every morning that we Africans would not become like them. The 60,000,000 Africans shipped across the middle passage and to other parts of the world to be martyrs and sacrificed to build an economic empire second to none that has astound the world without apology or compensation.
The Birth of the Pan African ideal
During the mid 18th century a son of an Ashanti ( ethnic Akan of Ghana ) Paul Kofi( 1759-1817 ) a successful mariner bought several ships. He began to provide transportation to return Africans from the west to Sierra Leone West Africa from North America including the United States and Canada also London with the help of the African Institution, The American Colonization Society and the Friendly Society, but many ambitious Africans provided funds for their voyage. Even though president James Madison and Thomas Jefferson supported the idea of African repatriation they did little to nothing to help. Dr. Martin Delany (1812- 1885) went as far to speak to president Lincoln to support mass repatriation to Africa or Haiti to no avail. Delany like other early African Nationalist in America sought a home land for Africans in the west but resigned to honoring West Africa as the point of return. Frederick Douglass ( 1818-1895 ) a brilliant abolitionist, social reformer, orator and statesman became the first African American to represent the America government overseas as ambassador to Haiti. He was instrumental in an appeal to the Haitian government to free Dr. Love from a possible execution. Apparently Love was accused of inciting a revolt in Haiti, Douglas also used his status to assisted Dr. Delany in America. Dr. Alexander Crummell an African Methodist Episcopal Priest who taught; “racial solidarity could solved slavery discrimination” he spent twenty years in Liberia preaching and teaching Liberians after encouraging his fellow African Americans to return to the homeland.
Dr. Edward Wilmot Blyden (3 Aug-1832 - Feb-7 1912)Was born in St. Thomas, Virgin Island. He move to the United States to further his education, disappointed with racial inequality in America he repatriated to Liberia where his talents were appreciated. He became Dean of the university of Liberia, after Gabriel Johnson edged him out for the presidency, he was assigned Liberian Minister Plenipotentiary and Envoy Extraordinary. He was editor of the Liberia Herald, a member of the American Philosophical Association and became vice president of the American Colonization Society. Blyden wrote a number of books and commenced the volumes of the Africana Encyclopedia, Wikipedia refers to Blyden as the Father of the Pan African Ideology (the suffix ism denotes a connotation of doubt and it is never applied to Pan American by Eurocentric writers.) Dr. Love bibliography is in Brief remarks.
Henry McNeal Turner ( 1834- 1915 ) Was also an African Methodist Episcopal Priest Who formed the International Migration Society to repatriate Africans to Africa. Some 500 were repatriated through the initiatives of that society. Turner spent some time in Liberia also. From Dr. Martin Delany to Henry McNeal Turner, they are the some of the most outstanding pilgrim fathers and pioneers of the Pan African ideals and nationhood. They all being writers and publishers, through their vision, experiences and philosophical conceptual message, basically laid the foundation for the early Pan African Movement.
Mr. Henry Sylvester Williams (1889-1911) was born in Trinidad, He became a lawyer, Counsellor and writer, widely recognized for his involvement in forming the African Association in 1897 to challenge racism paternalism and imperialism. he later organizing the first Pan African Conference in 1900 at Westminster hall in London. It created a forum for the protection of white aggression and the oppression of colonialism. Mr. Williams went on to practice law in South Africa after setting up a branch in Trinidad, the idea became some what dormant besides the phrase Pan African movement making it’s way to the English Dictionary and African in intellectual circles expounding on the term through Black international media and social discourse.
Dr. E.W.B. Du Bois must be commended for carrying on the Pan African Congress ( PAC )from
the first PAC in 1919 culminated with the Versailles Peace conference in Paris, (UNIA sent a representative), to the fifth PAC in Manchester, U K from the 15-21 Oct. 1945. By Than 90 delegates attended 26 from Africa including Jomo Kenyatta and Kwame Nkrumah, George Padmore of Trinidad and Dudley Thompson from Jamaica. When Dr. Kwame Nkrumah came to Power in Ghana in 1957 he invited Dr. Du Bois, Dr. George Padmore and Dr. john Henrick Clarke all distinguished Pan African Nation Builders as consultants to his administration, thus Pan African ideals took root in Africa and has since spread like a wild fire across the continent.( Through the initiatives of The All African People’s Revolutionary Party started in Guinea Conakry in 1968 by Nkrumah and give Stokely Carmichael leadership of a branch in America, he also formed The African Independence Day Conference in Accra Ghana April 15th 1958-1962, May 25 1963 His Divine Majesty Emperor Haile Selassie I convene the first Organization of African Unity conference 32 free African states met in Africa Hall ,Addis Ababa Ethiopia the first African Liberation Day. The OAU was disbanded on July 9 2002 by outgoing chairman Thabo Mbeki and replaced by the African Union. )Nkrumah insured that the pragmatic philosophies and practical ideals of Marcus Garvey would never diminish by placing the Black five point star on the nations flag, naming the public square Black Star Square and the national shipping company in honor of The Right Honorable Marcus Garvey’s Black Line Shipping Company which is still operating today. All over the world African people responded to Ghana’s Independence King Emmanuel form the EABIC the the following year on 1st March 1958.
He was a burning and shinning light
Meanwhile during the early 20th century in Jamaica Marcus Garvey was being prepared for the ultimate racial hierarchy as never before experienced on the Planet as he prepare the way of our God and King; “ JAH RASTAFARI “( “We live, work and plan for the establishment of a great and binding racial hierarchy. “)At no time during the history of mankind has one man spoke forcefully and passionately on behalf of all Africans, as our Divine Majesty Emperor Haile Selassie has declared; “ search the pages of history for precedents alas there are none “. Referring to the state of world affairs in 1963 , but the same can be attributed to the state that the African people were in before the advent of the Prophet Marcus Garvey. Search the pages of history; the three golden ages of Africa and come up wonton of a spokesman to umbrella the entire race. Therefore it took a peculiar and unique person to fill this void. The fact that Marcus was the son of a Maroon of whom, as aforesaid represented the greatest independence and resistance to European colonialism and imperialism. His early knowledge of the press, it operation and benefits proved very helpful to his success. This is where Dr. Love’s mentoring was profound. Another attribute that placed Garvey in a Priceless exorbitant or extraordinary position was the benefits of being self taught ( autodidactic intuition ) outside of the colonial, conventional academic mode compound with his universal concept of learning from others of all ethnic backgrounds.
Prophet Marcus Garvey once prophesied; “ look to Africa, for there a king will be crowned , he shall be your redeemer”. When this prophecy was fulfilled with the crowning of King Haile Selassie I ( The Ethiopian Orthodox Church baptismal name of King Ras Tafari. )on November 2nd 1930, Marcus Garvey’s press, The Black Man, Jamaica carried the story these are excerpts; “Last Sunday a great ceremony took place in Addis Ababa, capital of Abyssinia. It was the coronation of the new Emperor of Ethiopia -RASTAFARI.
The coming of Rastafari
We do hope that RASTAFARI will live long to carry out his wonderful intentions. He is ready and willing to extend the hand of invitation to any African who desire to settle in his Kingdom.
The Psalmist prophesied that Princes shall come out of Egypt and Ethiopia shall stretch forth her hand unto God. This great Kingdom of the east has been hidden for many centuries, but gradually she is raising to take a leading place in the world and it is for us the African race to assist in every way to hold up the hands of Emperor RASTAFARI.”
This coronation symbolized a new era for Africans across the globe and for the Rastafari Movement in Jamaica. Seventy two nations bowed before His and Her Majesty Emperor Haile Selassie I and Empress Menen acknowledging the rebirth of the African Empire. The title King of Kings, Lord of Lords, the conquering Lion of the tribe of Judah elect of God, light of the world and earth rightful ruler of the universe was bestowed upon him by the Ethiopian Orthodox Church. The 225th King in the line of the Ethiopian Solomonic Dynasty fulfilling history and prophecy Revelation chapter 5 verse 5; “ And one of the elder said unto me, weep not: behold, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the root of David, hath prevailed to open the book, and to loose the seven seals thereof.” ( note the King and his Queen was crowned the same time proving an ancient quality of African gender equality in the face of euro-centric global dominated male chauvinistic climate at the time )
“ kings shall bow down before him
and gold and incense bring.
All nations shall adore H.I.M.,
his praise all people sing”
Shortly after the coronation Italy under the ignoble leadership of Benito Mussolini, blessed by the pro fascist Pope Pius xi invaded Ethiopia in 1935. His Majesty defended our glorious home on the battlefield while the battle raged on, Italy used outlawed mustard gas bombed churches hospitals and schools. His majesty was encouraged by his people to go into exile. He went to Bath England in 1936, after stopping off to pray in his Solomonic temples in Jerusalem; giving His Majesty a moment of reorientation to re-organize and strategize his plan to return home and continue the fight against the enemy.
“ Those great beasts, which are four, are four Kings which arise out of the earth earth “
Daniel chapter 7, verse 17
( King Napoleon, King Mussolini, King Hitler and King Stalin ) the four Kings posing as leaders or Presidents employed the war strategies of African warrior King Hannibal. Mussolini and Hitler mimicked the Prophet Marcus Garvey’s African Nationalist plan. They converted it to white supremacy fascism/ Nazism )
His Majesty pursued a diplomatic strategy; the war of words. his fight was taken to the Leagues of Nations in Geneva Switzerland in June 1936. Declaring an historic appeal to the conscience of the world at the League he decreed; “ Apart from the Kingdom of the Lord there is not on this earth any nation that is superior to any other, should it happen that a strong government finds it may without impunity destroy a weak people, then the hour now strikes for that weak people to appeal to the League to give judgement in all freedom. God and history will remember your judgement. “ These prophetic words went unheeded to but history testifies to the accuracy of that warning which prophesied World II discarded and dismantle the League and give rise to The United Nation post World War II. His Majesty returned to his throne after defeating the Italians on the 5th of May 1941 the Lion of Judah hath prevail and did cast out the dragon out of Zion.
Jah bless our Negus high, and Keep Ethiopia free, to advance in truth and rights, to advance in love and light, with righteousness set speeding we haste to the calling.
humanity is pleasing one God for us all.
As the battle fire rages and the tumult of war swept over Europe. Fire consumed the German submarines in the English Channel fire burned the body of Adolf Hitler and Mussolini was slain by his own people .
“ Yet he shall come to his end and none shall help him. “
Daniel chapter 11, verse 45.
In 1963, 27 years after our God and King had mounted the rostrum in Geneva, he reminded delegates of the world gathered at the United Nations; “ 27 years ago my words went unheeded but history testified to the accuracy of the warning that I gave in 1963.”
“ And out of his mouth goeth a sharp sword that with it he should smite the nations “
Revelation chapter 19 Verse 15
King Haile Selassie I opened schools for the children of former slaves of whom he freed also giving them money clothing and scholarships abroad at the finest colleges and universities doing some of the same wherever he went throughout the world.
“ He came to break oppression,
to set the captive free.
To take away transgression
and rule in equity.
He shall judge the poor of the people. He shall save the children of the needy, and shall break in pieces the oppressor.
Psalm chapter 72 verse 4
The pragmatic and practical application of Marcus Garvey’s African Fundamentalist philosophy has taken root; “ The time has now come for black men and women to forget and cast behind him his hero worship and adoration of other races. And to start out immediately to create and emulate heroes of his own. We must canonize our own martyrs and elevate to the position of fame and honor Black men and women who have made their distinct contribution to our racial history.”
Prophet Marcus Garvey gain the esteemed title John The Baptist the forerunner to Christ in his Kingly character by early Rastafari brethren during the 1930’s. Among them were; Ras Leonard P. Howell, Ras Archibald Dunkley, Ras Nathaniel Hibbert and Ras Robert Hinds. Similar to the early Pan African leaders they were basically Christian ministers, using the bible to decode and correlate the event of His Majesty’s coronation to connect the dots, coordinate and formulate a socio-economic and African spiritual based movement called the Rastafari Movement. Notably Howell a Garveyite will be remembered as the first Rastafari leader to set up a functional community at Pinnacle , he also called for the Jamaican government to discard the colonial sovereign head; King George and accept our Ethiopian Royal Monarch King Haile Selassie I. The Maroon African revivalist was the socio-religious base for early Rastafari adherents however during the 1940’s the advent of the Youth Black Faith led by Bongo Watto/Bono Gees became an innovating factor that reconstructed the norms, rituals, language, customs and practices as the movement gradually developed to a faith. In 1954 when members of Youth Black were arrested and asked their names they collectively replied our name is Rastafari ( The Star Oct. 6 1954 ) it was a precedented of spiritual victory in good over evil for the faith solidifying a royal black and kingly identity. Bongo Wato became one of the founders of Haile Selassie I Theocracy Reign Order Of The Nyahbinghi.
On the 1st of March 1958 the then Prince Emmanuel leader of the Ethiopia Africa Black International Congress called together a Rastafari convention seminar reasoning conference with twenty one nights of Nyabinghi drums and chant ceremony. The place was Acke Walk commonly called Back-O-Wall in Kingston Jamaica, the topic of that reasoning was; “ freedom redemption and international repatriation to Africa, with universal reparations and compensation from Europe for the 17th century transatlantic slave trade” Rastafari leaders came in from across the island and abroad including Bongo Wato and Statesman Reverend Claudius Henry among many others. The delegates Discussed matters of concern “and formulated resolutions that concretized both the doctrine and practices of the livity ( faith )” page 49 of The Philosophy And Opinion Of The High Priest. Author Priest Douglas Smith. This marks the first international gathering and an attempt to centralize the Rastafari community in Jamaica.( Rastafari International Groundation )
With Prince Emmanuel ( affectionately called Dada ) the Chairman and Bongo Wato the High Priest together they represented the new guards for charting the way forward. (Boboshanti and Nyahbinghi ) Unfortunately this gathering was brutally dispersed by the police and Dada’s Commune ( camp ) was eventually burnt to the down and bulldozed. Dada endured many form of persecutions as he plead the cause of his people petitioning the Jamaican government, the Queen of England, the United Nations and heads of governments internationally lobbying for freedom, redemption and international repatriation with reparations also human rights and justice consistently for decades.
Dada has structured the EABIC as a Government, Parliament, Church, State with Sabbath observance. Through his aim and object of African Liberation, Redemption and International Repatriation with Reparations and restorative justice to bring a fundamental world peace. In this way there is always something to do that is fulfilling to perform sacred duties in Melchisedeck Righteous Kingdom. The Government is the administration of the EABIC from headquarters at 10 miles Bull Bay Jamaica to the many branches each branch throughout the world with an Ambassador, Chairman and an executive council or committee. The 33 member ( representatives from HQ and all branches )Parliament is proposed to meet on our anniversary March 1st. every year to formulate and strategize effective ways to carry out the mandate of the 1958 convention, compound with current issues and challenges as they may arise. The Church's one foundation, it is the central organ of the EABIC, all members and the general public are welcome with clean hands, pure heart, bible and hymn book and the ordained Prince, Prophet and Priest with robe and turban also Princess and Empress with robe and fall to learn of the High Priest of Salem Emmanuel the Black Christ Salvation. Consecrated to our God His Divine Majesty King Haile Selassie I as prophesied by Prophet Marcus Garvey our Prophet, Priest and King the Holy Black Trinity and Powers. Services at the EABIC Bahamas Branch East Fire Trail Road, includes Psalm Reading, Roll Call, Fasting Service, Foot Wash Tradition, Sabbath, Enfants Delegation, Reasoning, Choir Practice, Celebration, Marriage and a proposed Memorial for our fallen soldiers. ( hence; Priest Anthon Foulkes ) The State is the Ethiopia African Nation-Wealth Kingdom living in good health well being, peaceful, harmonious, balance with the Creator, humanity and nature while learning the discipline ways, culture, skills, ideals and Royal African traditions of our Ancestors. Whether ones are ordained or not all is welcome to live within the state with an open mind to purge white supremacy, colonialism and imperialism in preparation to enter into a freed redeemed Africa.The Sabbath to be kept Holy this fifth proponent of the Kingdom is the Holy day that JAH has blessed a day of rest and reflection on Jah word. The keeping of the sabbath is the foundation of this association; as the Royal East Guard gives Sabbathical Reverence in the Courts Of The Mighty King David. Enter the Tabernacle at five thirty (5:30) a.m. Sabbath morning and part take of the food of seven, the seven Priest on the Altar symbolically represents; seven flaming candle sticks of the book of revelation. As they fast, pray and chant for African Redemption of the saints, on the golden altar of Melchizedek. Subsequently pouring out wrath and indignation on the wicked for the gross atrocities and inhumane carnage excruciately inflicted on our noble heroes, saints and martyrs of the Maafa( African Holocaust ). Tune in to the Daniel number one Nyahbinghi band rocking the souls of the righteous. After a morning of reading seven Psalms, singing seven hymns, culturing, reasoning , Sabbath lesson Exodus 20 and 31 and text read, singing sweet Nyahbinghi choruses ,praying for the peace and protection of the saints, then the Priest descends from the Alar, blessing his fellow Priest, the Royal Musicians, Royal Choir of Priest and Prophets, Royal Congregation and Stateical visitors, Royal Empress Freedom Liberation League and Princesses, Royal Guards banner bearers of the Red, Gold and Green, also Red Black and Green with Black five point star, “R” and Lion symbol respectfully. ( Symbolizing the Prophet, Priest and King ) The Priest sojourns to the courtyard with the congregation following in peace and love the whole of Jah love singing peace and love Rastafari bring peace and love. Leading the reassembled congregation in the courts of the Mighty King David with a closing prayer, the Leading Priest representing the Black Christ give words of Love make announcements acknowledge engagements and earth strong(birthdays) then dissembles the congregation. Now it is time to say a midday prayer and wash, mouth face and hands and part take in the Sabbath feasting. As a token and legacy of the Black Shepherd who led his Apostles and the multitude from Back-o-wall ( Nazareth where according to Babylon society nothing good cometh ) to the mountain top Bobo Hill, Mount Taman, Holy Mount Sion, when they were set, he had the sermon on the mount and fed the multitude fish and bread. At the Redemption Ground preparation yard for a free and redeemed Africa Holy Mount Zion. Therefore the fifth proponent of the EABIC ties in all the other four standing Governmental, Parliamental, Churchical, Statical and Sabbatical with our worth founder leader President God and King Holy Black Prophet, Priest and King with his Queen….
HOLY JOHN MARCUS I, HOLY EMMANUEL I, HOLY KING SELASSIE I, HOLY EMPRESS
MENEN I JAH RASTAFARI
How our Rastafari faith relates to Africans in the Bahamas.
And British Colonialism and Slavery negative impact on the development of the Rastafari faith.
As for the Bahamas hyphenated between the Caribbean and the United States of America bridges and absorbs both influences reciprocally. Many of our African "kin" had sojourned and migrated from the Carolinas accompanied by the Loyalists after the American revolution as a result they migrated to the Bahamas. Slavery here in the Bahamas notwithstanding the attempt to water down its intensity in juxtaposed to the United States and the Caribbean, the impact and aftermath is obviously pronounced and the cultural ,socio-economic, political and psychological scars are visible in Bahamian society today.
Due to the terrain of the Bahamas, successful resistance to Slavery was miniscule. Unlike the hilly terrain of the Caribbean and South America which was conducive and provided our ancestors the base for a unique communication network to recruit, orientate, initiate, mobilize, raid, and retreat to reorient for future engagements. However; environment and conditions might have retard the process but in no way circumvented our ancestors triumph in the victory of good over evil, for they only could have brutalize their bodies but they could not totally break their spirit.
There were a number of arm resistance to slavery here but unfortunately they were always quelled by colonial powers. The first recorded was in Abaco in 1787 when Africans apparently presumed to be freed and arm themselves with muskets and other weapons, engaging in skirmishes with the Europeans. Governor Lord Dunmore went to the island and offered amnesty to those involved and those who proved their freedom were granted paper freedom. During 1829 in Exuma when Africans were attempted to be relocated to San Salvador without time to sell their cattle and reap their corps, a rebellion ensued led by Pompey. They ran away and concealed themselves in bushes 44 in number until stealing a boat in order to sail to Nassau so they could petition the governor. Their weapons were confiscated their leader Pompey and most of his entourage received flogging, 50 lashes publicly for 5 male. 39 lashes for one male child and eight women one of the women was five months pregnant and two were weaning their young enfants, then ordered back to work. There were many other incidents where arm rebellions were vanquished and put to rest, on one occasion an African male was hang.
During this dark oppressive era the minds of African people were control by fear and intimidation with public whipping, lynching, burning, raping, emasculation, castration, mutilation and so many other gruesome barbaric tactics. According to Dr. Gail Saunders’; “ Slavery in the Bahamas 1648-1838 life on the plantation/ punishment pg. 160-161“ an African could be whipped profusely both male and female pregnant or weaning a child, they could be brutally whipped, have pepper rubbed into their eyes, placed in stock houses made to stand all day and night for weeks without lying down. Before 1824 amelioration laws were passed mutilation and other horrific acts were common, an African could be put to death for assaulting a European, also sealing cattle, burglary and rape ( when Europeans kill, mutilate and raped by the thousands African men and women at will. Note that during this saga and drama of five hundred years of colonialism and neo-colonialism a European has never been executed for killing an African in the Bahamas.)
Emancipation changed very little for the Africans in the British Colonies. The Apprenticeship system was eventually deemed futile and redundant. 1807 the bill was past only freeing Africans in the United kingdom, this contributed to much of the unrest in the colonies in the west. Coupled with the fact that the Haitian Revolution had its impact on Britain’s decision to free Africans. As the war drums sounds from the hill of the neighboring islands like Jamaica; England was only playing for time to unwind. And give her nobles in the colony time to wrap up. As a result of the moral conscience and bringing pressure to bear on Britain's Parliament by the Abolitionist and sugar prices dropping. Queen Victoria granted twenty million pound sterling for the Africans on their release from slavery as partial compensation. However the colonial nobles and stewards of the slave trade decided to share the monies between themselves, claiming that they needed reparations because the chattel Africans was the machineries of their industry. Therefore from the time emancipation was proclaimed in 1834 to August 1st 1838 when it went into effect and all fetters fall from Africans necks, hands and feet in the British colonies there was no form of compensation in place for Africans. Consequently Africans were released from a three hundred year old institution ill prepared for the socio-economic challenges they were about to face, the only institution for our ancestors to turn to, was the Church, not by coincidence but by design.
The Christian church in the Bahamas has an inherent succession of British euro-centric dogma and has been segregated throughout its history, propagating a doctrine of white supremacy. In contrast ; “ Black liberation theologians’ critique of the white Christ emerged out of the social context of it against white supremacy.” James H. Cone, God Of The Oppressed. As a matter of fact the first slave ship to take its maiden voyage from Britain was named the “ Good Ship Jesus “ captain by Sir John Hawkins accompanied by his cousin Sir Francis Drake, having two christian services per day onboard. The ship was leant to him by Queen Elizabeth I in 1562 to offer Africans a free cruise to the west; “with their own free consent”. The ignoble captain apparently robbed Portuguese slave ships and used, subterfuge promising Africans free land and wealth in the new world, then subsequently sold them to slave plantation owners in Dominica then eventually other places in the Caribbean and the Americas . Epitomising the words of Bob Marley; “Old Pirate yes they rob I, stole I from the merchant ship” and words of Malcolm X; “We have been tricked, bamboozled and run amuck “. Queen Elizabeth I was said to be outrage at first of his endeavours claiming; “ It was detestable and would call down vengeance from heaven upon its undertakings.” She later joined in with the profits and became an accomplice to the barbaric practices of butchery, plunder, pillage and piracy resulting in the interruption of Africa’s progress and stability. Bearing down on Africa’s ethnic diversity, depopulating her once rich demographic and inducing a brain drain. Recognizing the fact that the likes of Benjamin Banneker, Edward Wilmot Blyden, George Washington Carver, and so many others, far too numerous to mention were, all extracted from that rich and Royal gene pool.
The Abolitionist had ascribed to the Methodist and the Baptist faith and allowed Africans to become ministers. According to Dr. Gail Saunder their missionaries had set up churches throughout the islands, there were about twenty baptist churches in the Bahamas by the time Africans were set free. The Baptist faith afforded the African most of the ritualistic practices that was customary to west African culture like enthusiastic services, the wakes, clapping and singing also feeling passionate about spirit possession. There was also an African by the name of Prince Williams who run away from the United States to the Bahamas and established Bethel Baptist church on Meeting Street. Even though the Baptist amassed great support in the African community during and after slavery, our true African identical and African spirituality was still suppressed. The sermons were jerri picked to pacify Africans, passages like; “servant be obedient to your master”, “ the meek shall inherit the earth “ among others were common and we were given an image of a god that resemble the colonial master. Subsequently subjugating our minds to a mental defeat, incapable of rising above the colonial master, and reluctant to resisting his oppression which he taught his god inflicted on you to make you civilized. Thus producing a people clueless of who they really were, unrooted ethnically and psychologically dependent with low self esteem.
Despite the vigorous attempts by the colonial and neo-colonial powers to cut us off from being a Nation. With a rationale that taught us we are no longer Africans, we are now Bahamians, however there are still manifestations of strong African culture that has prevailed to survive the middle passage and the Maafa. Junkanoo with its roots anchored deep in West Africa, the game warri which I use to watch during the 1960’s and 70’s as the elder men play with pebbles on a wooden board with six pairs of holds. It was played on West Street at Calabash Courts, on Polhemus Street near Mr. Gerald Dean’s place and on Meeting Street across from Bethel Baptist Church. Accara a West African snack made with Black eye peas has survived up to the early and mid twentieth century, replaced with conch fritters which Rastafari innovate and augment to ital fritters discarding sea snails, shellfish or meats. Titles like Nana which derived from Ghana and is still common today to called our grandmothers; “ Nana” also Nee, Bullah and Titta. Asue is derived from a West African culture, in Africa it is called sue sue. This is a prominent and pertinent financial culture in the African diaspora surviving the Maafa, it is a discipline, honest, cooperation of non usury savings and loan African association of which many of our ancestors have employed in order to purchase land and send their children to school. Our rich African ethnicity reflects the diversity of West Africa; among us are; Yoruba, Ibo, Ashanti, Hausa, Ga, and so many more ethnic groups from West and Central Africa. The former prime minister and father of the nation Sir Lynden Pindling while entertaining the Nigerian head of State, Major General Yakubu Gowon during the 1970’s mention in detail that the ethnicity of the Black Bahamians and Nigerians are one of the same. Specifically naming Yoruba, Hausa and Igbo as I listened tentatively and keenly to the radio broadcast.
Granted that our history, culture and ethnicity are rich is one thing yet on the other hand, convincing the diasporic African to see beauty in themselves, see God through their own spectacle or to hold Africa in high esteem as our promise land to returned one day and work towards a free and redeemed Mother Country is a daunting task. Due to the intergenerational transmission of trauma and depression, also post traumatic Slave syndrome. Sir Winston Churchill once commented that it would take two thousand years to reverse this euro-colonial traumatic syndrome. Marcus Garvey proclaim that it can be reserved in fifty to one hundred years, the agents of change has but one generation to make this practical solution which has been cultivated by our ancestors operational and functional.
Up to the time when Marcus Garvey visited the Bahamas in November 1928, there were African Men in particular who stood tall for the cause of African Liberation and Redemption. Men like A F Adderley, Frederick A Toote, R M Bailey, L W Young, Steven Dillet, Dr. C R Walker and Uriah McPhee just to name a few great nation Builders laying a firm foundation that future generations in succession can build upon. ( Note that many of the public schools bear their names but most of the students therein knows very little about them or their connection to Love or Garvey and UNIA members at least 90% of them.)
After Marcus Garvey had made a tour of New Providence Touching Grants Town and Fox Hill and made two speaking engagements at Lewis Hall and Liberty Hall ( UNIA Bahamas Branch ) he made his historic speech on the Southern Recreation Grounds; as usual extolling the merits of the europeans and charging that the African is a “ lazy and good for nothing” he declared that this same lazy and good for nothing was “a man capable of managing his own affairs “ he called for an African Empire. He referred to Joshua Cockburn an African born in the Bahamas and captain of the ill-fated Black Star Line vessel The S S Yarmouth, as “ a damn skamp “ shortly after changing the subject when he began to” lose his audience. Declaring that; “ their would be a new Black Star Line “ he also declared that Africans born in the Bahamas will be on the forefront of African Liberation in the future.” ( Note that Prophesy of the new Black Star Line did fulfill in an Independent Ghana )The Marcus Garvey Papers by Robert Hill and The Nassau Tribune, 21 November 1928
Sir Randol Fawkes a Garveyite and the nation’s father of the labor movement then at the age of five or six went with his father to see Marcus Garvey and heard him spoke in 1928. Sir Randol in an interview with a local journalist claimed that; “he just never vanished from my memory. He was a prophet and a forerunner much of the revolutions and changes taking place in Africa today he foresaw and wrote about it. I was acquainted with his wife who wrote a famous book about his life. I was minister of labour and commerce, I invited her here but the powers that were here did not allow her to come. ( The same treatment was afforded to Dr. Ivan Van Sertima and African American revolutionary vocalist Nina Simone was placed on the Bahamas immigration stop list among others who were perceived to be bad for tourist dollars. )
The colonial and neo-colonial government has suppressed the African Liberation Movement in the Bahamas and stifled its growth in an attempt to circumvent our development.
In The Faith That Moved The Mountain page 5, written by Sir Randol he relates that ; “ In 1928 when Marcus Garvey was denied entrance into the Bahamas by the white majority government it was cousin Leon ( Walton Young ) who successfully intervene on his behalf and assisted him in launching his “ Back to Africa movement “ on the Southern Recreation Grounds. Sir Randol was one of the founding members of the Citizens Committee which incorporated many of the Garveyites returning from North America and locally, many of whom later joined the Progressive Liberal Party. It can be construed that Garvey’s UNIA and its impact as an agency for African liberation social justice and equality was the major vehicle driving force and the influence of those who supported the transition from Colonialism to self governance in The Bahamas.
Kermit Ford a Garveyite and Dame Dr. Doris Johnson formed the Pioneers Drum and Bugle Corp. in the late 1960’s that lasted through the early 1970’s . It was one of the UNIA youth auxiliary marching brands that proudly paraded through the streets of Nassau. With their Red, Black and Green uniforms with the Black Five Pointed Star also hoisting the African Liberation banners of the Red, Black and Green which was designed by Marcus Garvey. Mr. Ford also pioneered The Bahamas Youth Cadets their uniform was Red, Gold, Green and Black . I had the privilege of speaking with Mr. Ford, he told me that he was a member of Marcus Garvey’s UNIA in America . when asked what happen to the Cadets he replied ,“ they were eventually incorporated into The Bahamas Defense Force.”
There were many attempts to incorporate African consciousness , Identity and Redemption into the national fabric but its always discouraged and discarded by the old colonial/neo-colonial guard whose twisted rationale is that it will drive away the tourist dollar, on the contrary Jamaica for decades had in many cases exploited Rastafari, Ganja and Reggae as a main attraction and invitation to treat and Jamaica has surpassed the Bahamas in the tourism . ( That is not at all to say ; that Rastafari and reggae were parallel nor do we promote tourism as Rastafari way of life. )
The greatest negative impact that has retard the progress and development of Rastafari firstly came from the christian church then the neo-colonial state working in tandem. “Rastafari is not a good image for this country “ they would say especially in the early eighties when it became evident that our presence here was on the increase. Sermons were preached against us, town meetings were kept, religious and civic pundit resolved to neutralize, oppress and suppress our will to be ourselves. A fury of persecution was unleashed on our noble and humble community, and the shooting, killings, profiling, marginalizing, victimizing, ostracizing, brutalizing and dehumanizing that followed was history. ( See document attached entitled Rastafari call on Bahamas government to end discrimination and Jimcrow. )
Eventually the stigmatic aura that the Bahamian society has vilified our community with, began to dissipate. Our African brothers and sisters began to see us as agents of change for a better community bringing peace, love, morality and social justice to our people. Returning the African Father to the broken home, promoting healthy living, vegetarian dietary codes, mannerly African etiquette, African kindred with an unbroken spirit, teaching communal living, conflict resolution; through African restorative justice and most important teach our women the nation first teachers (teach a woman and you have taught the nation ) to see beauty in themselves and stop bleaching their skin and putting harsh chemicals on their hair to look white .Today usually when a police officer sees a congregation of Rastafari Brethren gathered around a green dish of herb they can breathe a sigh of relief because they knows there is peace and love. Rum cuts the heart string yet barrooms and clubs gets liquor license, lottery keeps most poor players depress yet web shop gets license, when will herb be free and license, Jamaica just recently relax and decriminalize Ganja laws when will The Bahamas relax and decriminalize the herb laws, it is one of the most vexing problem. Sometimes brethrens complain that they has been framed with a joint gets a record, loses his locks broke up his family then circumvent one from traveling to visit family and further one's education a system that extends jim crow and slavery all over again the Maafa reloaded in a globalized matrix.
Obviously during the 1970’s throughout the 90’s our friends, family and neighbors saw an early underdeveloped stage of our community or an embryonic state straggling through infancy which they in their conventional wisdom, with all the social scientists and pundits certainly did not understood and were then to proud to seek our overstanding of Babylon moreover understanding Jah love who is ever apt to teach through the oracles of his people Rastafari . I n I took the blows like the Black Christ who was beaten, scoffed, criticized and persecuted to restore us as a Priestly Kingdom.
I leave you with an excerpt from Sir Randolf Falkes book ,The Faith That Move The Mountain, page 77, When Emperor Haile Selassie I visit Harlem in July 1954 and he spoke in the Abyssinia Baptist Church of the rape of Ethiopia , I was there . I heard this Lion describe how Mussolini’s armies in 1935 sprayed his homeland with Mustard Gas killing people and crops and poisoning rivers. I heard him tell how bombs dropped on innocent villages causing pregnant women to give premature birth. I heard him tell how these women pick up their newly born babies navel string , still uncut , and continue their flight . this little man with a heart full of emotion concluded , “ God and history will remember your judgement never in history has prophesy been so amply quickly . Poland , France , England , Denmark ,Holland , Belgium , Rome and Germany , all who had recognized and sanctioned the rape of Ethiopia saw their own cities destroyed and tens of millions of their people killed in World II”
When the Emperor was finish speaking there was only silence that was awe-inspiring . then a collective “ Amen “ and a standing ovation .
Submissions by the Hon Priest Blyden to the Reparations Commission.