Garvey’s early years

Marcus Mosiah Garvey was born on August 17 1887, in St Ann’s Bay. As a boy he enjoyed swimming in the river, and playing cricket. He also loved to read. Garvey attended St. Ann’s Bay Primary School. But his parents were poor, so he had to leave school when he was 14. He started work as an apprentice – to learn a craft – to his godfather, a printer in St Ann’s Bay. Garvey was good at his work, and his godfather sent him to Port Maria, to look after a printery there. But after a few years, he left to get a better job in Kingston. He went to work in the printing department at P.A. Benjamin. He did well, and when he was 18 he was made a foreman – in charge of a group of workers. In Kingston, Garvey studied elocution – speaking clearly, especially in public. He represented his parish in an all-island speech contest in 1910. Garvey’s experiences helped him in later life.