Marcus Garvey and What You Do

The world’s most magnificent and enduring civilisations came about through the progressive application of self-determined Afrikan life. Doing! Afrikan people are naturally prolific doers for the ascension of themselves in rightful order and triumph of their own nationhood. Not only did Afrikan souls not shy away from life engagement in this foundational way, it represented rooted spiritual-cultural substance of being. One might articulate this as natural function. Or, a life imperative norm. This is doing that was never rightfully seen as some extra curricula activity or life bolt-on. Nor was it tertiary. It was central, fundamental, necessary and nothing outside of the progressive norm.  

Of course, with the interruptions and disruptions such as that of the Maafa of recent centuries, others that mean the Afrikan ill have sought to skew the Afrikan natural norm of ascension (at best). Yet, only Afrikan souls can safeguard themselves against such alien imposition of ill and necessarily determine their own ascent.

The superlative visionary Marcus Garvey rightful challenged Afrikan souls to do for themselves to bring about their own pinnacle civilisation of rightful order. In deeply insightful articulation, Marcus Garvey articulated the following in respect of doing:

“The struggle for racial existence goes on. It is a never ending one. It is natural to life. There is always the struggle to hold on, and as a race we cannot escape our part of this natural phenomenon. What we must do is to adjust ourselves to the struggle to know how and when to do or act in a certain direction. Unfortunately, we have not made a science of this kind of behaviour, which is necessary to a complete existence. We have been transient buffeters and accidentals in nearly everything that affects the activities of life. Through this we haven’t been able in recent generations to present much, based upon racial initiative to a very high-strung and observant world, but we now realise that the positive and demonstrable accomplishments of a people are as necessary for the evidence of their real existence as the very breath they inhale and exhale, because in the practical recognition of the fact of life, it is what you do and what one sees that count”.

Here then, the restoration of self-knowingness is a vital Afrikan endeavour that can only come about through doing and the resultant application of further doings for ascension of rightful order. Surely the Afrikan cannot afford to absolve the self of natural elevation. With all the busy-ness that has may be deemed compelling in a world dominated by the interests of others, time must surely be carved out for the Afrikan self whether that be in relation to formal studies such as that of Afrikan World Studies or otherwise.

The inspiration and wisdom guidance of the great Marcus Garvey is surely mission-compelling for Afrikans worldwide. Here, the imperative thrust of independent learning can be energised throughout the levels of the self: