Patterson hails Biden’s historic pardon of Marcus Garvey
Published:Sunday | January 19, 2025 | 7:41 PM
Former Prime Minister and Statesman in Residence of the University of the West Indies' PJ Patterson Institute for Africa Caribbean Advocacy, PJ Patterson, says Sunday's presidential pardon by Joe Biden "represents a powerful acknowledgement of the struggle for mental emancipation and self-determination that Marcus Garvey championed".
He points out that this initial redress comes on the eve of Martin Luther King Jr Day and is a long overdue step forward for justice and reconciliation in the struggle for victory and historical reconciliation.
"Our ultimate goal must remain the posthumous exoneration for Marcus Garvey.The timing, immediately preceding Dr King's holiday, powerfully connects two towering figures in the fight for human dignity and equality," he said in a media release Sunday.
He notes that the breakthrough follows sustained diplomatic efforts and advocacy from Caribbean prime ministers, scholars, citizens and community, and faith leaders.
The recent appeal led by Yvette Clarke, chair of the Congressional Black Caucus, was instrumental in securing this historic outcome, he says.
He adds that the Patterson Institute was among those urging President Biden to take earlier action through fresh judicial proceedings which would have resulted in a full exoneration which would have required additional judicial proceedings through the US Department of Justice.
“However, we regard with some relief the President's expression of his awareness that outstanding legal scholars regard the trial as unjust and a clear miscarriage of justice," Patterson states.
"This pardon reminds us of the continuing relevance of Garvey's message of unity and self-reliance for peoples of African descent,” he adds.
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