- published: 22 Aug 2014
- views: 3202
The Black Star Line was a shipping line incorporated by Marcus Garvey, organizer of the Universal Negro Improvement Association (UNIA). The shipping line was supposed to facilitate the transportation of goods and eventually African Americans throughout the African global economy. It derived its name from the White Star Line, a line whose success Garvey felt he could duplicate, which would become a standard of his Back-to-Africa movement.[clarification needed] It was one among many businesses which the UNIA originated, such as the Universal Printing House, Negro Factories Corporation, and the widely distributed and highly successful Negro World newspaper.
The Black Star Line and its successor, the Black Cross Navigation and Trading Company, operated between 1919 and 1922. It stands today as a major symbol for Garvey followers and African Americans in search of a way to get back to their homeland.
The Black Star Line started in Delaware on June 23, 1919. Having a maximum capitalization of $500,000, BSL stocks were sold at UNIA conventions at five dollars each. The company's losses were estimated to be between $630,000 and $1.25 million.[clarification needed]
Black star may refer to:
Marcus Mosiah Garvey, Jr., ONH (17 August 1887 – 10 June 1940) was a Jamaican political leader, publisher, journalist, entrepreneur, and orator who was a staunch proponent of the Black nationalism and Pan-Africanism movements, to which end he founded the Universal Negro Improvement Association and African Communities League (UNIA-ACL). He founded the Black Star Line, part of the Back-to-Africa movement, which promoted the return of the African diaspora to their ancestral lands.
Prior to the twentieth century, leaders such as Prince Hall, Martin Delany, Edward Wilmot Blyden, and Henry Highland Garnet advocated the involvement of the African diaspora in African affairs. Garvey was unique in advancing a Pan-African philosophy to inspire a global mass movement and economic empowerment focusing on Africa known as Garveyism. Promoted by the UNIA as a movement of African Redemption, Garveyism would eventually inspire others, ranging from the Nation of Islam to the Rastafari movement (which proclaims Garvey as a prophet). The intent of the movement was for those of African ancestry to "redeem" Africa and for the European colonial powers to leave it. His essential ideas about Africa were stated in an editorial in the Negro World titled "African Fundamentalism" where he wrote:
[Red Foxx] ** best guess **
Follow me! Upon a Black Star Line
Off for the rest and for Brand Nubian
Now go to Africa again, watch dis!
Chorus: repeat 4X
[SX] Black Star Line [LJ] It's the Black Star Line
[LJ] Everybody come aboard [SX] And free your mind
[Sadat X]
It's the Black Star Line that's leavin at nine
Here's a paid ticket so you can free your mind
Playgrounds is filled with visions of steel
Grab the black babies IT'S TIME TO BUILD
[Lord Jamar]
See we got a mental ship somethin like Noah's Ark
Spark your brain cell now let's set sail
(with no avail) we flowin on a positive trip
All Nubians is welcome, male and female
[Sadat X]
I, wouldn't resort, to askin for a passport
Love vibes rule so your black face is cool
[Lord Jamar]
Cool, but not frozen, a trip for the chosen few..
[Red Foxx] ** best guess **
Form a line-ah, upon the Black Star Liner
Goin to Africa, one more time (3X)
Form a line-ah, upon the Black Star Liner
Goin to Africa, one more time, TRUE!
Let me tell you bout Marcus Garvey
Born in Jamaica, God left him in country
He go to America to make black people free
He walk around low and just try make money
Him buy up some ship and just start for we
America or Africa and live irie
We hav some man where wan gonna be
Young nasty and just licky licky
Some love Marcus Garvey, the place of peace
Or peace around it, and dem sparkle up him say
I just light up, make the first hungry
Writer no block it but just run follow me
Form a line-ah, upon the Black Star Liner
Goin to Africa, one more time
Form a line-ah, upon the Black Star Liner
BRAND NUBIAN!! Tell dem one more time
[Sadat X]
As we look to the stars, they take ours
Yeah we got fly cars but you can live in four wheels
We need new approaches, old style is null and void
Makes me paranoid, to think
that we own the whole ocean yet we can't even drink
[Lord Jamar]
You couldn't swim the nine thousand so we got you a means
of transportation, for the Nubian nation
Marcus Garvey had the idea back in the days
Doin for self, keepin the wealth
I gotta add on and create
though the devil thinks it's not the latest fashion
Navigatin lost, somethin like a ship's captain
Chorus
[Red Foxx] ** best guess **
When I'm ova, arms will be raised for the tom-toms
Push up ya arm they call ya proud to be black (2X)
Call me proud to be black, cause I'm not tryin to fuck
When I'm proud to be black, I'm not some young eedyot (2X)
Be gone! I want no dem I want no dem-dem dem-dem dem-dem
Never know they wickedness they haffa come to an end
Don't take a no fey word for de white boy dem
Awayaa TELL ME - all you get in de end
Awayaa TELL ME - all you get isa dem
Awayaa TELL ME - all you get more den dey spend
C'mon, tell de world black man entertainer
Rock dem one and rock entertained
Tell the Red Foxx style dem a get
When I'm ova, arms will be raised for the tom-toms
Push up ya arm they call ya proud to be black (2X)
[Lord Jamar]
Brand Nubian wanna give NUFF respect to the one Marcus Garvey
[Sadat X]
NUFF respect to Red Foxx
[Lord Jamar]
Sting International in the house
[Sadat X]
Dave Kennedy on the boards
[Lord Jamar]
KnowhatI'msayin The one Rafael
[Sadat X]
Nuff respect to the God Sincere
[Lord Jamar]
Yeah, yaknowhatI'msayin Mark the Spark is in the house
And umm, this how we work out
For the ninety-two season