The name goombay is a Bantu word for a goatskin drum that is beaten with the hands; it also refers to music associated with the drum. Goombay has been celebrated by African slaves in the Caribbean for centuries (see also Goombay!). Read the rest of this entry »
The Miami/Bahamas Goombay Festival is an annual street festival held during the first weekend in June in the Coconut Grove neighborhood of Miami, Florida. This massive event celebrates the community’s Caribbean—and particularly Bahamian—roots, and features the arts, music, and food. Read the rest of this entry »
Celebrations of Marcus Garvey’s birthday originated in various years, depending on the location. In Jamaica, for example, on the centennial anniversary of Garvey’s birth in 1987, the government declared August 17 a public holiday in St. Ann. Since then, annual celebrations have been held at 32 Market Street, St. Ann’s Bay, where Garvey was born. Read the rest of this entry »
Even allowing for inflated statistics, Garvey inarguably led the largest mass movement known to date in African-American history.
UNIA’s endeavors were varied: the organization owned grocery stores, published newspapers, and operated a factory and a shipping line. Read the rest of this entry »
