In a recent column titled ‘Opposition to Garvey’s Visit’ published in Newsday on October 16, 2025, UWI historian Jerome Teelucksingh sheds light on the resistance faced by Marcus Garvey during his planned visit to Trinidad in 1928. Teelucksingh highlights the objections raised by the Trinidad Guardian and the legislative council, predominantly composed of the elite class, who blocked Garvey’s entry. This move was met with criticism from trade union leaders such as Arthur Cipriani and Timothy Roodal, who voiced their dissent against the decision. While Teelucksingh briefly mentions Garvey’s eventual visit to Trinidad in 1937, he omits details about the reception he received during that time. Notably, The People, an Afrocentric newspaper, commented that Garvey ‘appears to have little sympathy for the poor.’ This observation aligns with Garvey’s broader ideological stance, as he was known to oppose American trade unions, famously stating that ‘the only convenient friend the Negro worker or labourer has at the present time is the white capitalist.’ This perspective likely influenced his interactions with Trinidadian trade unionists, who may have been unaware of his nuanced views beyond his black activism. Kevin Baldeosingh, in his historical account of 20th-century Trinidad titled ‘From Colony to Curse,’ suggests that Garvey’s Trinidadian supporters were largely unfamiliar with his broader ideological positions, which may have contributed to the mixed reception of his visit.
