The Marcus Garvey Memorial Foundation will showcase
an event entitled "Black Star Over Brooklyn: A Story of Garvey and Garveyism,"
which serves to recognize and honor ten Brooklynites, both leaders and artists,
whose life-works embody the ideals and philosophies of Marcus Mosiah Garvey
and the Universal Negro Improvement Association. The event aims to bring together
people of all ages from the Hip-Hop, Bebop, and Garvey generations to share
in this rich legacy in Brooklyn.
A cross-section of extraordinary social, cultural, and religious figures will
be publicly recognized at this event. Some of the
honorees include: Mos Def, rap artist and actor who is one-half of the hip-hop
duo known as Black Star (named after the Garvey steamship company “Black
Star Line”); Talib Kweli, rap artist who is the other half of the duo Black
Star and one-half of the duo Reflection Eternal; AZ, Garvey-inspired Brooklyn
rap artist; Fab Five Freddy, hip-hop pioneer and entrepreneur; Max Roach, a
Garveyite who is one of the most influential jazz drummers of all time and who
is among the founders of the Bebop jazz movement; Randy Weston, jazz pianist
and musical visionary who is world-renowned for his collaborations with a variety
of African musicians; Rev. Dr. Gardner Taylor, Pastor Emeritus of Concord Baptist
Church, civil rights leader for the last 50 years, and widely heralded as the
Dean of African-American preachers; and Mr. and Mrs. Arnold Crawford, both of
whom gave many years of their lives to advancing the interests of people of
African descent in Brooklyn.
Arnold Crawford served as President of the Brooklyn
division of the U.N.I.A. for several decades, was a member of the U.N.I.A. For
over 50 years, and is one of the founding members of the Marcus Garvey Memorial
Foundation.
This event represents a rare occasion where the many contributions of Brooklyn
will be recognized and celebrated. Moreover, never before have these community
members been honored together within the context of Garvey and his legacy.
The event is taking place Saturday August 24th,
at 1:30 p.m. at the Brooklyn Public Library in New York City. The library is
located at Grand Army Plaza between Eastern Parkway and Flatbush Ave and is
free and open to the public.