Marcus Garvey was an inspiration to many; however, he encountered many difficulties in trying to implement his plan to return Africans to Africa. It was not only fought against by non-Africans, but also by African-Americans. His speech at Madison Square Garden, on Africa for the Africans, Egypt for the Egyptians, Asia for the Asians, and Ireland for the Irish, was very emotional and moving to many of African descent.

Marcus Garvey’s plea had a message of freedom for Africans. His message stressed the point that all men should be free to work out their own salvation. As other nations are working towards their salvation, Africans must be allowed to do the same and given the freedom to create their own cultural heritage. His appeal was to the white world to give Africans a place where they could develop their national freedom; that place is Africa.

His plea was not for Africans to take America away from non-Africans, but for those who were not of African descent to give Africa back to Africans and allow the scattered and abused children of Africa the blessings of returning to their homeland in Africa. He did not believe that any one race had a monopoly on the world, since it would be impossible for such a race to rule the others and itself.

Garvey felt that no black was good enough to rule whites, and as a result no white was good enough to rule blacks. He advocated that the Blackman should have freedom from white oppression. He expressed the idea that other civilizations have failed when they tried to rule other than their own nation. Consequently, each one must govern his own people and in justice all must live and let the others live in peace.

He expressed the idea that no one had the exclusive right to rule others and that each nation should be equal to the next. He asked that the whites help the Africans to return to Africa. He articulated the fact that the United States has helped Jews, Poles, Russians, Germans and Armenians, and should also help Africans to return to Africa, making Africa for Africans.

Finally, his policy regarding black intellectuals expounded the principle that they are no less astute than their illustrious master. This throws such individuals into the light of being a rouge and also a wanderer. Individuals of such caliber are lazy, dull, uncreative and agitators like their so-called non-African industrious masters who trained them; therefore, they are not welcome in Africa.

Citizen reactions to Garvey’s speech

Many reacted by stating that Marcus Garvey had a workable plan for the Africans. They believed in his plan for Africa for Africans. Others have stated that whites did not want Africans to leave the United States for Africa and that they were unwilling to help with such an event. As a result, they fought Marcus Garvey and employed others to fight him. If Africans were allowed to leave the United States and return to Africa, such an event would have left whites in a very embarrassing position. They would have no one to clean their houses, wash their dishes, take care of their children, and do other menial, low-level jobs that they themselves were unwilling to do in the workplace.

Garvey’s philosophy appealed to non-African Americans. They felt that Africans were happy in the United States. They had a philosophy that Africans had nothing to do with Africa since they were not born there and have lived in America for such a long period of time. Some also claimed that in an effort to keep African descendants in further psychological bondage after slavery, some non-Africans fought Garvey in a coveted fashion.

Finally, others have pointed out that during the illness that followed his speech, even WEB Du Bois fought against Marcus Garvey and his plans. They also stated that it is interesting to note that Du Bois himself had to leave the United States and changed his citizenship to that of an African and resided in Ghana until his death. Furthermore, working with Marcus Garvey would have proved to be a valuable undertaking for both of them and the achievement of their respective organizational plans.

Some people have asked a series of very interesting questions on this subject which are the following: 1). Why did WEB Du Bois and Marcus Garvey refuse to unite their organizations and refuse to work harmoniously towards an effective plan of coordination to achieve their goals and objectives instead of working as individuals against each other?

2). Why did non-African Americans fight against Marcus Garvey and his plans to return Africans to Africa by not helping him achieve his goals and objectives?

3). Why were some African Americans reluctant to accept Marcus Garvey’s plans and return to Africa, the land from which they were forcibly removed and dragged into slavery through the Middle Passage to America?