Originally written during his two year imprisonment in Atlanta, The
Tragedy of White Injustice and Other Meditations is a collection of
short thoughts or, impromptu poetry, from one of the Fathers of Black
Nationalism, Marcus Garvey.
In 1925, Garvey was tried and sentenced for the crime of mail fraud in
relation to his business with the Black Star Line. Left to the mercy
of the United States Federal Penitentiary of Atlanta, Garvey had not
much to do except write--to his wife, to the U.N.I.A, and to anyone who
could help spread his message of total and complete independence for
Black people across the world. With the support of his wife, Amy Jacques
Garvey, he was able to publish, The Philosophy and Opinions of Marcus
Garvey in 1925, and The Meditations of Marcus Garvey in 1927.
Beginning with the lines, "Lying and stealing is the white man's game /
For rights of God nor man he has no shame / (A practice of his
throughout the whole world) / At all, great thunderbolts he has hurled,"
Garvey penned "The Tragedy of White Injustice," a cry for the people of
the world to wake up to the atrocities of colonialism and racism.
Described by Garvey as neither verse nor orthodox prose, "The Tragedy of
White Injustice" as well as his other meditations, showcased his
never-ending pursuit of worldwide Black independence and his everlasting
Black pride even in the face of the harshest of circumstances.
Including such pieces as, "Keep Cool," "The Black Woman," and "Hail!
United States of Africa!," The Tragedy of White Injustice and Other
Meditations is an essential piece of Black history, professionally
typeset and reimagined for modern readers.
