United States President Joe Biden has issued a posthumous pardon for Jamaica’s first National Hero, Marcus Mosiah Garvey, more than 101 years after his 1923 conviction for mail fraud, a case long criticised for its racial and political overtones.
The decision on Sunday from the outgoing Democratic leader follows sustained advocacy from several US lawmakers legislators, including Democratic Congresswoman Yvette D Clarke, who chairs the Congressional Black Caucus.
Clarke, the daughter of Jamaican immigrants and Brooklyn representative, had led multiple calls for Garvey’s exoneration, arguing the conviction was a result of governmental misconduct aimed at discrediting the influential civil rights leader.
“Exactly 101 years ago, Garvey was convicted of mail fraud in a case that was marred by prosecutorial and governmental misconduct. The evidence paints an abundantly clear narrative that the charges against Mr Garvey were not only fabricated but also targeted to criminalise, discredit, and silence him as a civil rights leader,” according to a letter that the caucus submitted to Biden in December. He leaves office on January 20(today), when Republican Donald Trump takes over.
“In response to this blatant injustice, President Calvin Coolidge commuted Garvey’s sentence upon eligibility. Efforts to clear Garvey’s name have persisted for decades,” the letter added.
Marcus Mosiah Garvey was a renowned civil rights and human rights leader, who created the Black Star Line, the first Black-owned shipping line and method of international travel, and founded the Universal Negro Improvement Association, which championed the economic and social progress of Black people globally, inspiring millions across 40 countries. His legacy influenced iconic figures such as Martin Luther King Jr and Nelson Mandela, and his advocacy planted the seeds for the modern civil rights movement.
In May 2023, Clarke and 22 Congressional colleagues wrote to Biden urging Garvey’s exoneration, citing evidence of prosecutorial misconduct in his trial.
Garvey’s contributions remain central to discussions about racial equity and justice.
The Government conferred the nation’s highest honour – Order of the National Hero – in 1969, some 29 years after his death in England.
His body was brought back to Jamaica in 1964 and buried in the National Heroes Park in Kingston.
Biden on Sunday also pardoned immigrant rights activist Ravi Ragbir and criminal justice reform advocate Kemba Smith Pradia.
Ragbir was convicted of a nonviolent offence in 2001 and was sentenced to two years in prison. Smith Pradia is an advocate convicted of a drug offense in 1994 when she was sentenced to 24 years behind bars. President Bill Clinton commuted her sentence in 2000.
Don Scott was previously convicted of a non-violent drug offense in 1994. He was sentenced to 10 years’ imprisonment. Since his release, he has practiced as an attorney and was elected to the Virginia legislature in 2019. In 2024, he became the first Black Speaker of the Virginia House of Delegates. Mr. Scott is a U.S. Navy veteran.
In addition, President Biden is commuting the sentences of the following 2 individuals; Robin Peoples and Michelle West so that their sentences expire on February 18, 2025.
Robin Peoples is currently serving a 111-year sentence for crimes he committed in the late 1990s. Mr. Peoples would likely face a significantly lower sentence under current law and policy. While in custody, he has demonstrated remarkable rehabilitation and courage.
Michelle West is currently serving a life sentence for crimes she committed between 1987 and 1993. During her three decades of incarceration, Ms. West has demonstrated extraordinary rehabilitation and personal transformation. Ms. West’s clemency petition has received overwhelming support from the civil rights community, women’s rights advocates, former fellow inmates, and lawmakers. Supporters describe Ms. West as a role model who has built a 31-year record of rehabilitation and redemption.
