St Kitts and Nevis unveils Memorial Park Honoring Marcus Garvey at Historic Pump Bay

St Kitts and Nevis: Prime Minister Dr Terrance Drew revealed a commemorative port marker and memorial park to pay tribute to Marcus Mosiah Garvey - one of the most influential Pan-African leaders of the 20th century, on Wednesday, August 6, 2025. He was accompanied by Dr. Julius Garvey, son of Marcus Garvey, who also paid tribute with a powerful address.

This event was hosted by the St Kitts and Nevis National Commission for UNESCO and the Routes of Enslaved Peoples Committee as part of the “Remembrance Ceremony.” It was held on the hallowed shores of Pump Bay, which was once a very successful port and the very spot where Garvey arrived on November 2, 1937. 

Notably, Pump Bay is a place which holds deep cultural and historical importance. It also serves as a symbol of community strength and resistance. Several dignitaries, descendants, community members, and cultural performers gathered to celebrate Garvey's lasting legacy. 

PM Drew reflects on the significance of Garvey’s 1937 visit

PM Drew gave his remarks as he shared the historical and spiritual significance of Garvey’s visit to St Kitts and Nevis almost 9 decades ago. He said, “He arrived aboard the SS Lady Nelson, not as a conqueror, but as a messenger of purpose. He came with a vision, one that stirred the consciousness of our people and planted seeds of self-worth, pride, and possibility.”

The Prime Minister also highlighted Garvey’s legacy as an international champion of Black Liberation, while putting emphasis on his teachings. PM Drew added, “Garvey’s call to ‘uplift ourselves by ourselves’ still echoes in the work we do today to build a fairer, freer, more confident nation and region. This site, this living memory, stands as both a tribute and a torch, a tribute to a man who dared to believe in us and a torch that will light the minds of future generations.”

In a post shared on Facebook, PM Drew shared, “While commemorating Marcus Garvey’s historic arrival to our shores, in 1937, it was also a full circle for me as my great-great-grandfather, Mr. William Seaton, was one of the founding members of the St. Kitts Mutual Improvement Society, an institution that carried forward the very spirit of Garvey’s message: self-improvement, collective upliftment, and the unshakable belief in the power of our people.”

The Prime Minister of St Kitts and Nevis asked his people to see Garvey’s visit and his teachings as a reminder that “our story didn’t begin with struggle, and it doesn’t end with remembrance. It lives on through us.”