President Biden Grants Clemency to Marcus Garvey and Others on Final Day in Office

President Biden Grants Clemency to Marcus Garvey and Others

On Sunday, President Joe Biden posthumously pardoned Black nationalist leader Marcus Garvey, a figure who significantly influenced civil rights leaders like Malcolm X. Garvey was convicted of mail fraud in the 1920s, a conviction many believe was politically motivated. Following his conviction, Garvey was deported to his native Jamaica, where he died in 1940.

Reverend Martin Luther King Jr. described Garvey as the first person to instill a sense of dignity and destiny in millions of Black people.

Don Scott: Speaker of the Virginia House of Delegates, convicted of a drug offense in 1994.

Immigrant rights activist, convicted of a nonviolent offense in 2001.

Convicted of a drug offense in 1994, later became a prison reform activist.

Gun violence prevention advocate, convicted of a drug offense.

Michelle West: Serving life in prison for her role in a drug conspiracy case.

Convicted of robbing banks, would have faced significantly lower sentences under current laws.

These actions mark the end of President Biden's term with a record number of individual pardons and commutations issued. He previously announced the commutation of sentences for nearly 2,500 people convicted of nonviolent drug offenses and a broad pardon for his son Hunter. Additionally, he commuted the sentences of 37 individuals on federal death row, converting their punishments to life imprisonment.

President Biden framed these actions as upholding the "sacred covenant of our nation," emphasizing the importance of supporting individuals who have made mistakes and offering them a chance to rebuild their lives.