FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

May 22, 2022

MEDIA CONTACT: 

e: brian.phillips@mail.house.gov

c: 202.913.0126

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, Congresswoman Yvette D. Clarke (D-NY) led 22 of her colleagues in a letter to President Biden calling for the exoneration of Marcus Mosiah Garvey.

“Nearly 100 years ago, Marcus Garvey was convicted of mail fraud in a case marred by prosecutorial and governmental misconduct. The evidence present and available at our disposal makes it abundantly clear that the charges brought against Mr. Garvey were fraudulent and executed in bad faith. A presidential pardon for Mr. Garvey would not only correct the historical record, but also shift the narrative at a time when African-American history faces the existential threat of erasure by extreme, far-right state legislatures,” said Congresswoman Clarke.

“During President Biden’s inaugural address, he made a promise of delivering on racial justice and equity, and we intend to ensure he keeps his promise. Marcus Garvey’s contributions and works have influenced leaders from Martin Luther King Jr. to Nelson Mandela – inspiring generations and planting the seeds of the civil rights movement. I am proud to be joined by my colleagues to honor Mr. Garvey’s work and remove this stain on his legacy.”

Reps. Blunt Rochester, Bush, Cárdenas, Carson, Cleaver, Espaillat, Green, Jackson Lee, Johnson, Lee, McGovern, Mfume, Moore, Norton, Payne, Plaskett, Thompson, Torres, Veasey, Watson Coleman, Williams, and Wilson also signed the letter.

The text of the letter is available here.

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