Marcus Garvey’s speech If You Believe the Negro Has a Sole in 1921 is one of the most influential speeches that protect equal rights for all races. It discusses the problem of discriminatory treatment of African American people which has been ongoing for more than a century. The theme of the speech is revolutionary and yet peaceful (Garvey, 1921). The chosen article related to this theme is Michelle Obama’s comment on the ‘black lives matter’ movement. It drives humans’ spirits and makes everyone think about the racism issue. The former first lady called for people’s morality and claimed that only unified work could solve the problem of inequality. The project analyzes the commonalities between the speeches at different periods.
The protests against law enforcement’s aggressive behavior towards representatives of African ethnicity spread worldwide in the summer. The presidential elections in the US could not be held without discussing this massive event. Michelle Obama, the country’s ex-president’s wife, expressed her thoughts about the issue and shared her political insight. There were many cases of black people’s murders by policemen at the attempts of the arrest. One of these cases happened in Kenosha when an African American, Jakob Blake, was shot seven times by an officer when the suspect tried to reach his vehicle with his children (Forgey, 2020). This was a sparkle for the massive demonstrations that urged justice for black people. Obama stated that people needed to take action to change the situation. According to her, the demonstrations help the world’s population open their eyes, and the right to vote in the elections can affect the unrighteous system (Forgey, 2020). Thus, her speech became the topic for debate all over the country.
The primary source is the black nationalist’s speech, Garvey, about the challenges faced by African Americans after World War II. Garvey was an activist and the founder of the Universal Negro Improvement Association (UNIA). He states that the African nation is no different from other nations globally and must be treated the same. He proposes all black people unite their powers and improve their conditions. The speaker states there are unreasonable discriminatory actions against his race in all the countries. He requested people to treat African Americans in the same way as white individuals. The speech suggests that it is tough to reach a change in the system unless there is a visible dispute (Garvey, 1921). Garvey emphasizes that people of his race are human beings who have the same rights as other races and expresses his sorrow that not everybody understands that.
The two appeals share many similarities in their context and aim. For instance, they both discuss the racism issues and convey pain regarding the conditions of the African natives. Both Garvey and Obama are influential figures who represent black people’s interests. They call for the unity of humanity and peace for everyone. Garvey wanted all Africans worldwide to fight for their rights and build a strong impression of them on the rest of the globe. Obama accepts that the nation’s choice and protests against discriminatory behavior might transform the situation that has been ongoing for centuries. The racism matter did not lose its actuality since Garvey’s times and still faces controversies. Back then, white men did not accept Africans as equals. Now, people have stereotypes against black people that are still widespread among law enforcement workers. The two speakers express their devastation on policies that ignore the problem and demand for actions.
In conclusion, Obama’s comment on the protests and the government’s ignorance is strongly connected to Garvey’s speech, which was given at the beginning of the 20th century. Both speakers are authoritative leaders who openly talked about the seriousness of the discrimination against African Americans. The speeches gave power to people’s active involvement in solving the issue and critiqued the political systems’ ignorance of the racism question.
Reference
Forgey, Q. (2020). Michelle Obama: ‘Systemic racism’ coming from the White House. Politico.
Garvey, M. (1921). If You Believe the Negro Has a Soul: Back to Africa. History Matters.