St Kitts and Nevis commemorates Marcus Garvey’s Legacy with Monumental Memorial Ceremony

 St Kitts and Nevis: Prime Minister Dr Terrance Drew led a national tribute to Marcus Mosiah Garvey - an influential Pan-African visionary and icon of Black liberation, with the official opening of a memorial park and port marker at the historic Pump Bay site in St Kitts and Nevis. The tribute was part of a broader “Remembrance Ceremony,” organized by the St Kitts and Nevis National Commission for UNESCO and the Routes of Enslaved Peoples Committee.

PM Drew was accompanied by Dr Julius Garvey, son of the late Marcus Garvey, who delivered a very moving tribute to his father’s legacy, as his life and work continues to play in the world stage of justice, equality, and cultural pride for the African diaspora.

The ceremony was a milestone celebration, which also had significance for St Kitts and Nevis as well as the greater Caribbean as they remember Garvey’s arrival into the Federation on November 2, 1937. 

Pump Bay’s historical significance

The tribute ceremony was held at Pump Bay, which was once a very active port. It is where Marcus Garvey first stepped into the Federation. The area has now been transformed into a reflective and celebratory space. 

Community members, descendants, cultural artisans and students gathered to honor this milestone, as it saw the official installation of the commemorative port marker which marks Garvery’s arrival as a very significant ideological event.

Reflections from the Prime Minister

In his keynote address, Prime Minister Drew highlighted the fact that Marcus Garvey is a historical figure and a present day force whose teachings remain relevant in shaping today’s society. 

“He arrived aboard the SS Lady Nelson, not as a conqueror, but as a messenger of purpose. He came with a vision, one that stirred the consciousness of our people and planted seeds of self-worth, pride, and possibility,” said the Prime Minister.

He also reflected on the long-lasting legacy of Garvey’s thoughts and said, “Garvey’s call to ‘uplift ourselves by ourselves’ still echoes in the work we do today to build a fairer, freer, more confident nation and region.”

PM Drew also shared a post on his Facebook which read, “While commemorating Marcus Garvey’s historic arrival to our shores, in 1937, it was also a full circle for me as my great-great-grandfather, Mr. William Seaton, was one of the founding members of the St. Kitts Mutual Improvement Society, an institution that carried forward the very spirit of Garvey’s message: self-improvement, collective upliftment, and the unshakable belief in the power of our people.”

He wished for people of the Federation to remember Garvey’s story as a reminder that their story began not with struggles as it does not end with remembrance. “It lives on through us,” noted the Prime Minister of St Kitts and Nevis.