In commemoration of the 100-year anniversary of the UNIA’s “First International Convention of the Negro Peoples of the World,” a collective of grassroots organizers and Pan Africanist organizations will host the RBG Centennial Conference. The virtual convention’s theme is “Garveyism and the renewed cry for Afrikan Nationhood.” The RBG Centennial Conference will feature 70+ speakers, representing more than 60 organizations from 20 countries. The conference will also feature 50+ workshops, including panel discussions, virtual performances, and vending. Organizers are using #RBG100th to educate and bring attention to the legacy of His Excellency, the Honorable Marcus Mosiah Garvey, and the work of the Universal Negro Improvement Association (U.N.I.A).

The U.N.I.A. originally commenced the 31-day convention on August 1, 1920, at Liberty Hall, New York. Africans from across the globe participated in this significant gathering to determine the future of Africa and the African Diaspora. Regular sessions were held throughout the month, and were attended by approximately two thousand delegates, from 22 countries. The highlight of the 31-day convention was a mass meeting held at Madison Square Garden, with more than 25,000 attendees, that was preceded by an exuberant parade.

Under the banner of the Global Commission for Afrikan Sovereignty, Garveyites from around the world are continuing the work of their ancestors. 100 years later, we are once again calling on the best hearts and minds of our race, to virtually convene on August 8-9, 2020, to examine, and celebrate the past 100 years, and plot our course for the next.

We call on all those who have held fast to the sacred principles of race first, self-reliance, self-determination, self-defense, and nationhood, to join us on August 8th, as we carry on the work of His Excellency, the Honorable Marcus Mosiah Garvey.