Africa for Africans; Or, The Philosophy and Opinions of Marcus Garvey is a historical text that provides insight into the ideas and perspectives of the influential figure, Marcus Garvey. The book offers a glimpse into Garvey's vision for the African diaspora and his philosophy of self-reliance and empowerment.

The writing style in this book is reflective of the era in which it was written. It can come across as somewhat dated and might require patience for modern readers, as it lacks the accessibility and flow of contemporary literature. While the content is of historical significance, it's important to approach this text with an understanding of the time it was written and the context in which Garvey was operating. Some of his ideas and language may not align with contemporary sensibilities.

Africa for Africans serves as a window into the past, offering an opportunity to explore the early 20th-century Pan-Africanist movement and the Garvey's aspirations. For readers interested in African diaspora history and the evolution of black empowerment movements, this text can provide valuable insights.

In conclusion, Africa for Africans; Or, The Philosophy and Opinions of Marcus Garvey is a historical document that offers a perspective on the ideals and vision of Marcus Garvey. While the writing style may not resonate with all readers, those with an interest in the history of Pan-Africanism and the development of black empowerment movements will find it a valuable resource. I recieved this book from the LT Early Reviewers program. I'm not sure why I requested it, probably because other then his name, I knew little about Garvey.

I received this book through the Early Reviewers program not knowing what the book is about, really. I picked it because I saw Africa in the title & Africa is a place that I don't know enough about. Well, the book is only marginally about Africa and mostly about how African-Americans and their struggle for equality. I had never heard of Marcus Garvey or the Universal Negro Improvement Association before reading the book and that is a shame.

Marcus Garvey was a Black Jamaican who founded the Universal Negro Improvement Association and they were "competitors" (for lack of a better word) with W.E.B. Du Bois and the National Association for Advancement of Colored People. I knew about Du Bois and that he has fallen out of favor with historians for reasons that I wasn't clear on before reading the book, and you have to live under a rock to live in the USA and not know about the NAACP.

Personally, I would classify Garvey and Du Bois as both racist/colorist by modern standards. Garvey disdained light-skinned blacks and advocated segregation and racial purity laws to keep Black people black. Du Bois actively discriminated against dark-skinned Blacks and the NAACP in the early 1900s had only people who could pass as white as their public representatives.

In this book, Garvey advocates for Black people to immigrate to Africa and to improve the standard of living in Africa to better than Europe/America. He doesn't see any way for true equality to happen without Africa becoming THE world power or at least equivalent to the white world. He was writing this in the 1920s and it's debatable whether it is true. I think that he would have been shocked to find out that Obama became the president before Africa became either an economic or military powerhouse. Colonialism was thrown off....but replaced with corruption. Garvey talks about the corruption during his time and not much has changed. I'm hopeful that the internet and the free exchange of information about who's corrupt will eventually bring about a more just society in Africa. Africa has truly immense potential that is just being wasted; the natural and human resources of Africa are being squandered currently.

What has aged well is his opinion that the Great War (World War I) was going to lead to World War II because of the punitive nature of the "peace" deal. Garvey really understands that revenge doesn't take you to good places.

I didn't read the entire book; half of it is a transcript of the trial where he was framed for a crime he didn't commit. The US government now acknowledges that he was innocent and that the forces of racism and politics combined to send him to jail and then deported. The first half of the book is a series of short sermons, speeches, letters, and essays that I found quite enlightening, even though I disagree with him on many points.

His anti-miscegenation screeds sound entirely too much like the racist BS that white supremacists write, though he writes from a Black supremacist view. Black is beautiful, brown is beautiful, and white is beautiful. The very dark skin of a South Sudanese person is stunning and I appreciate it very much. However, it is not better or worse than any other shade of skin and one should celebrate and enjoy the color of skin that God chooses for them. It is my hope that racism will slowly die out due to so many mixed-race couples and children and the inability to determine through appearances what race a person is. (After all, the idea of different races is extremely unscientific. We have no race categories for Arabic people, Sri Lankans, indigenous Australians, Nepalese, Hispanic people, etc., etc. Lumping an Inuit with a Waodani is hardly scientific. The most "scientific" we can get is different ethnicities, though that is a very fluid category with most white Americans and Brits/French/Germans being quite the mutts.)

I recommend this book to anyone who wants to learn more about the civil rights movement and Black history from a primary source. I don't agree with his philosophy and opinions fully, but I believe that it is very useful for scholars and philosophers and historians to understand that era.

Since this book is now out of copyright and the book publisher is a new one, I should probably also provide a review of the Mint Editions binding. Mint Editions is printing books on demand. What I received was a POD hardcover. When you look at the book closely, you can tell that a softcover book was glued into a hardcover jacket. There is no fabric on the spine of the book and it is not sewn together. I don't think that the binding will hold up as well as a sewn binding. The hardcover itself feels very nice & sturdy. It's most certainly better than a softcover, but probably not as durable as a hardcover if you are going to be frequently using the book. ( )

Africa for the Africans; Or, The Philosophy and Opinions of Marcus Garvey by Marcus Garvey and Amy Jacques Garvey was first published 1923-1925 in two volumes with the title, Philosophy and Opinions of Marcus Garvey, edited by Amy Jacques-Garvey. This 2022 Mint Editions reprint has a durable, quality binding and includes a brief introduction, "A Word on the Philosophies of Marcus Garvey" by [the editors of] Mint Editions, Berkeley, California.

More to come -- ( )

Marcus Garvey is one of the most important voices in 20th Century America, so this collection is an integral part of any history library. Unlike many similar collections, however, there are no introductions or prefatory remarks -- no editor providing context for Garvey's own remarks or writings.

I'm reviewing the Mint Editions version of this book, which contains all of the original material, i.e., about 550 pages of Garvey's essays. The book in any edition is phenomenal for anyone researching Garvey's life & thought but this edition is a beautifully bound hardback with a one-page introduction warning readers that Garvey's writings may not always be the easiest pill for some to swallow. I'll let you find out why -- it's all about context. So, while Garvey's work is thrilling, it can also be disturbing for some. Highly recommended for anyone studying Garvey. ( )