Marcus Garvey Descendant Renaldo Ricketts!

As We Celebrate President Obama's Historic, First Time Ever, African Summit, let us reflect on our history, Marcus Garvey,  Paul Cuffe and Ron Brown with Garvey's descendant, Renaldo Ricketts, Historian and Genealogist.

Cuffe, first a whaling ship captain, eventually became a ship owner, operating a number of vessels which sailed between ports along the coast of Massachusetts. By 1811 he was reputedly the wealthiest African American in the United States and the largest employer of free African Americans. Cuffe helped to establish “The Friendly Society of Sierra Leone,” a trading organization run by African Americans who had returned to West Africa. Cuffe and others hoped the success of this enterprise would establish business enterprises, generate a mass emigration of free blacks to West Africa who, once there would work to abolish slavery. 

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"Garvey and my great grand mother were cousins. While Garvey visited Panama he stayed at my great grand mother's home.. I'm currently searching for the photographs that were taken back then. I am currently restoring a family gem. A garvey Poster!"

~ Renaldo Ricketts