100th Anniversary of Black Star Line Enterprise to be Observed June 28-29

The 100th anniversary of the incorporation of Marcus Garvey’s Black Star Line Enterprise will be commemorated with two days of activities in Kingston from June 28 to 29.

The celebration, which is open to the public, is being organised by the Marcus Garvey Fair Steering Committee in partnership with the Universal Negro Improvement Association (UNIA) and the Social Development Commission (SDC) with support from Hamilton Knight Associates Limited.

Activities will begin on June 28 with a commemorative lecture and cultural concert at the Institute of Jamaica (IOJ), beginning at 11:00 a.m. It will engage members of the Jamaican Diaspora, the public and private sectors, and primary and secondary schools.

On June 29, the annual Marcus Garvey Fair will be merged with the Black Star Line celebrations, with the staging of the Marcus Garvey Black Star Line Centennial Fair on the Kingston waterfront.

The event will showcase African retention in communities across the island, along with various cultural items and local enterprises. It will also feature the awards ceremony for the centennial oratorical competition, which was targeted at fifth- and sixth-form students.

Lady President of the UNIA, Valerie Dixon, told JIS News that the fairs have been held in Resource, Manchester, since 2004 to improve knowledge about the legacy of Garvey and the Tainos and support the community’s Liberty Hall, which was one of the first established by the National Hero.

She said that the proceeds from the annual events have been used to assist the indigent, facilitate training courses for UNIA members, establish a post office in the community, and upgrade sanitary facilities at the Liberty Hall Basic School.
She noted that this year’s staging in Kingston will facilitate even more local and international attendees.

The Black Star Line was a shipping line incorporated by Marcus Garvey as a way to promote trade and transport black people to Africa.

Meanwhile, Mrs. Dixon informed that on Thursday (June 27),which is the actual date for the anniversary, a special film called ‘The Promised Ship’ by Luciano Capelli will be shown at Café Africa on Trafalgar Road, St. Andrew, beginning at 7:00 p.m.