Kingston
Amy Euphemia Jacques was born on December 31, 1895, in Kingston, Jamaica. She experienced a privileged childhood and was often challenged intellectually by her father. Her great-great-grandfather served as the first mayor of Kingston. Coming from a lineage rooted in British hierarchy, she had access to quality education.Education
Jacques had access to the finest schools. The fact that her father was a White English farmer enabled her to pursue a quality education. Her English father also enabled the Jacques family to live in the prominent “brown”/colored elite section of the city.Garvey
Once Jacques completed her education in Jamaica, she moved to the U.S. in 1917. While in the U.S., she met Marcus Garvey and his fianceé, Amy Ashwood. Jacques served as the maid of honor for the Garveys’ wedding. Once the Garveys divorced in 1922, Garvey and Jacques married.
Career
In the early 1920s, Jacques Garvey had served as the first lady of the Interim-Provisional Government of Africa of the UNIA and African Communities League (ACL). Sharing her husband’s views on nationalism, race, and self-reliance, she published the first volume of ‘The Philosophy and Opinions of Marcus Garvey’ and she edited the UNIA’s newspaper, ‘The Negro World.’Mail Fraud
After Garvey was given his prison sentence for mail fraud in connection with the Black Star Line, Jacques Garvey acted as his representative and raised funds to support his legal defense. Once Garvey was deported from America back to Jamaica, Jacques Garvey moved back to Jamaica as well. There, she continued to edit ‘The Negro World.’Later Years
After Garvey died in 1940, Jacques Garvey continued to fight for Black nationalism and African Independence. She wrote ‘A Memorandum Correlative of Africa, West Indies, and the Americas,’ which enabled her to convince the U.N. to adopt an African Freedom Charter. She then published ‘Garvey and Garveyism’ in 1963 and wrote two essay collections, titled ‘Black Power in America’ and ‘The Impact of Garvey in Africa and Jamaica.’ Amy Jacques Garvey later died on July 25, 1973, in Kingston, Jamaica. She was 77 years old.
**The views and actions of the DDH historical figures that are featured may not reflect the views and beliefs of Ramiro The Writer (Nikodemus Mwandishi) or We Buy Black. Thank you.**
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