Congress members call on Biden to exonerate civil rights leader Marcus Garvey

A group of 21 House Democrats has urged President Joe Biden to exonerate civil rights leader Marcus Garvey. This request follows Biden's recent commutation of 37 federal death row sentences. Garvey was convicted of mail fraud in 1923 and deported after serving two years. The lawmakers, led by Congresswoman Yvette D. Clarke, argue that exonerating Garvey would honor his contributions to the Black community and correct a historical injustice. They claim his conviction was based on fabricated charges aimed at silencing him as a civil rights leader. Garvey, a prominent Pan-Africanist, founded the Universal Negro Improvement Association and the Black Star Line. He advocated for Black self-determination and economic independence during a time of severe racial oppression.