Marcus Garvey’s Son Says Adwa is Seminal Victory to Global Black History

Addis Ababa, March 1 /2024 (ENA) Son of the renowned Pan-Africanist Marcus Garvey, Dr. Julius Garvey described the Adwa Victory against the Italian invaders in 1896 as a seminal victory in global black history.

Every year on March 2, the victory of Adwa is marked in remembrance of the Ethiopians who defeated the Italian colonizers 128 years ago with unwavering and splendor courage for the independence and liberty of  Ethiopia and all oppressed nations across the globe.  

The victory was widely reported around the globe as the continent's first-ever triumph over a colonial power that ignited the spirit of Pan-Africanism.

Marcus Garvey was an orator for the Black Nationalism and Pan-Africanism movements, to which end he founded the Universal Negro Improvement Association and African Communities League. Garvey advanced a Pan-African philosophy which inspired a global mass movement. 

Julius Garvey, son of the most influential 20th century black nationalist and Pan-Africanist, Marcus Garvey, told ENA that the Victory of Adwa pertain special place in the history global blacks.

Ethiopia is a special country for the black people across the globe, he said, and added “so we're very proud of Ethiopia.”

“The history of Ethiopia not being ever-colonized is very significant for us in the diaspora; because it is the one country that we look up to in terms of carrying our traditions from the past, to the present and into the future,” Garvey noted.

The word itself is out of balance; because civilization in history didn’t begin with either Greece or Rome, son of the Pan-Africanist stated, and emphasized “It began at Nile Valley civilizations, of course, Ethiopia being a significant part of that.”

The global black needs to validate its earliest civilization, he stated, and, added “we need to write the wrongs that have been done to us over time.”

Adwa Victory initiated a great deal in terms of Pan-Africanism in the diaspora, because it is sort of very much like the victory of Haiti in 1804, he explained.

“That is a seminal moment for us in the diaspora. It is the same thing with the 1896 the Battle of Adwa, and Menelik II and that is also a seminal moment in our history. When we are able to defeat those who want to colonize us and this is being validated …It is all part of our heritage and our culture, and our traditions, and it should be part of our educational process,” Garvey underscored.

People without the knowledge of their past history and traditional culture is like a tree without roots, my father used to say; he said, and noted “so we need to educate the young people properly, so they understand their culture, and they can spread our culture around the world.”

“The fact that Ethiopia was not colonized; that was a great victory over the Italians Menelik II in 1896. So, we all will celebrate that all around the world.

And again, especially, we do in Jamaica; we have a significant Rastafarian community that valorizes Ethiopia and Emperor Hailesilassie. And we are all a part of that. So it is very important,” Dr. Garvey elaborated.