Garveyism

[JemChi]

Just sharing as usual..Peace Fam



GARVEYISM/BLACK NATIONALISM IN OKLAHOMA

As you will recall, late last year I wrote a number of
letters-essays on the little-explored subject of
Garveyism and, more generally, black nationalism in
the early years of the state of Oklahoma.

I should probably pull all of these together and
publish them. It might be useful and spur others to
add more chapters on these rich and varied subject of
black nationalism in the Sooner state.

At any rate, I read something last nite that again
stimulated my interest in Oklahoman black nationalism
and I'd like to ask for your kind assistance.

GOLD COAST LETTER

In Robert A. Hill, editor in chief, "The Marcus Garvey
and Universal Negro Improvement Association Papers,"
Vol. IX, "Africa for the Africans June 1921-December
1922" (Berkeley: U of California P, 1995), p. 316, a
letter by one James T. Afari on behalf of his chief,
K. Takji, of the British Gold Coast colony (now Ghana)
is republished from "The Negro World," the UNIA organ,
14 Jan. 1922.

Significantly, Afari reports that he learned of this
paper "almost two years since [Chief Takji] had an
interview with one Mr. H. B. Hall, C. Welectka
[Weleetka], Okla."

As Hill points out in an endnote, Weleetka was "a
stronghold of the Chief Sam African movement. ..."

In an undocumented reference in the following volume
of Hill's "edition" of Garvey papers, he asserts that
Mr. Hall was "one of the original members of Chief
Sam's 1914 'African Movement'..." (Ibid., Vol. X,
1923-1945 [2006], p. lxxii).

CHIEF SAM

Of course, the latter refers to Chief Alfred Charles
Sam, also from the Gold Coast, who is reputed to have
nearly depopulated several "black" towns in eastern
Oklahoma and Arkansas when his repatriationist
movement helped stimulate "African Fever" thruout the
southwest during 1913-14.

The movement purchased a ship, appropriately
rechristened the "Liberia" after the fragile West
African nation created for formerly enslaved Africans
a century before, and managed to transport some 60
African American "delegates," mostly from Oklahoma, to
Sam's homeland.

Sadly, most died or returned to the U. S. as Sam's
dream, and plans, quickly collapsed in the harsh light
of the cruel realities of early 20th century
colonialism and racism and the poverty and dependency
that they engendered.

(Less well known is the fact that a small number of
the colonists remained and became integrated with
local ethnic groups. They also contributed
technological skills that enriched these cultures.
Sadly, present-day African Americans who have settled
in Ghana know NOTHING of this amazing history.)

For a good summary of the Chief Sam movement, see the
article by J. Ayo Langley, "Chief Sam's African
Movement and Race Consciousness in West Africa,"
Phylon 32:2 (2d Qtr., 1971), which could be found
here:

http://www.inmotionaame.org/migrations/topic.cfm;
jsessionid=f8302443631164909003733?migration=4&topic=4&bhcp=1

Since Hill has often proved himself unhelpful to me
and other scholars, I would ask you to kindly help me
identify "Mr. H. B. Hall" and, if possible, confirm or
refute that he was one of Chief Sam's original
partisans.

LINK

If so, this would be an important link between the
Chief Sam and Marcus Garvey movements, which scholars
have mused over for years, with almost no concrete
evidence.

I, for one, am convinced that Chief Sam's movement
laid the foundation for the popularity of the UNIA
thruout Oklahoma. If so, this would fly in the face
of claims by Chief Sam's contemporary critics and
latter-day scholars that the failure of his movement
soured "black" Oklahomans on black nationalism and
Africa.


LETTER

Chief K. Takji to the Negro World

[[Amonfoposy [Gold Coast], W.C.A.,
ca. 14 January 1922]]

Sir—

Allow me space in the most valuable paper of today to
say a few words to my fellow black men.

It is almost two years since I had an interview with
one Mr. H. B. Hall, C. Welectka [Weleetka], Okla.
[Endtnote] 1

Our correspondence has been carried on and it is still
going on and which, I hope, will in the near future
end for the good of both of us.

It is through this correspondence that I got to hear
of that wonderful paper "The Negro World."

Under the reading and translation of this paper by my
clerk, Mr. Jas. T. Afari, I have clearly understood
the contents and speeches delivered by some of the
members of the U.N.I.A.

I wish I were there to witness the grand meetings; but
I hope it will not be long before all things will come
into light for every man to see in this universe.

Many people speak of a victory to come; but as for me,
I say it is already come.

How many days does it take a steamer from New York to
our coast here, is it not 30 days? But how many days
have the Black Star Line Steamships taken to Liberia,
is it not 25 days?

Did our dear fellow Negroes come to Liberia with
swords in hand? I hope not. Did the Black Star Line
Steamships land on the coast guarded by submarines[?]
I doubt it. For justice sake, victory is already come.


If it is so, why do you linger on the way[?] Come
fellow men, for out of 30 days to the Gold Coast, you
have crossed twenty-five.

I am the only chief on the coast here who is a
subscriber, but in order to reveal its precious
secrets to all the people I have entrusted this work
unto the kind care of two native ministers who have to
read and translate it to the chiefs and their
subjects.

Everywhere they go the contents of the papers are of a
high reception, which I believe will do much good
among Negroes.

Oh, come, comrades, come, for the way is clear, come
for all things are there untouched.

Let us fight again and again for our freedom, for by
hook or by crook, they will not deny us our rights.
Thanking you for space allowed, I am your dear one,

JAMES T. AFARI
For Chief K. Takji

Printed in NW [Negro World], 14 January 1922.
Headlines omitted.

1. Weleetka forms part of Okfuskee County in east
central Oklahoma. Its population in 1920 was 8,617, of
which 34.4 percent was black. Weleetka, a stronghold
of the Chief Sam African movement, had one of
Oklahoma's thirty-two UNIA divisions (Fourteenth
Census of the United States, vol. 1; MGP ["Marcus
Garvey Papers"] 7:994).