Garvey's ideals were great for their time and much of his philosphies are relevant even today. Perhaps especially today.

I, in many ways see myself as a Garveyite and make no apologies for that. I strongly believe in his striving for self-sufficiency and entrepreneurship. He had his failings like all of us do (his almost rigid adherence to "race purity" for example) but overall he was definitely what the the African and Afri-Diasporic world needed at that time.

Whether now is a time for a Garvey renaissance depends partly on how far one chooses to re-interpret and re-implement his ideas and philosophies. There is definite need for more African people across the globe to at the very least establish more solid links that include entrepreneurship and politics. Ventures like the Black Star Line can be revamped (and managed more professionally) as well as the whole concept of the Liberty Hall which back in the 1920s and 30s were little centres of community-enhancing, educational and commercial programs.

At the same time I often ask if his dream ever really went away; his speeches and writings influenced people from Kwame Nkrumah to Malcolm X. There was a lot of what can be identified as Garveyite self-help in the Black Panthers' ventures back in the 70s. Perhaps if more of these ventures, which I believe still can be found albeit in pockets around the Diaspora, were highlighted, perhaps we can find ways of linking them and in so doing bring about a real Garvey renaissance.