1914: Universal Negro Improvement Association (UNIA)

Founded by Marcus Garvey in 1914, UNIA was part of a global movement to unite, empower, and improve the lives of people of African descent. The UNIA became one of the most successful Black organizations in world history. It had 1,000 divisions and claimed to have 6 million members in 40 countries with nearly 5000 members in Nova Scotia, Quebec, Ontario, Manitoba, Alberta, and British Columbia. In Canada, Garvey’s legacy remain. Marcus Garvey Day has been celebrated in some communities on 17 August since 1993.
In 2018 Canada designated the UNIA Movement “An Event of National Historic Significance”. The plaque is located at 2741 Notre-Dame Street West, Montréal, Quebec. Today, the Glace Bay, Nova Scotia UNIA Community Hall runs a cultural museum.