1920 – Founding of the Negro Factories Corporation by Marcus Garvey

On June 16, 1920, Marcus Garvey’s Universal Negro Improvement Association (UNIA) launched the Negro Factories Corporation in Harlem. The goal was to create economic independence for Black communities worldwide through a network of Black-owned businesses, including grocery stores, a publishing house, and a clothing factory. It was a cornerstone of Garvey’s larger vision of Black self-sufficiency and global economic empowerment, echoing Booker T. Washington’s call for industrial development. Though eventually facing financial and legal setbacks, the corporation inspired future generations of Black entrepreneurs. The date highlights how economic strategy was inseparable from Garvey’s cultural and political movement. June 16 serves as a powerful reminder that the fight for liberation has always included efforts to build sustainable wealth, industry, and cooperative ownership. The Negro Factories Corporation demonstrated an early model of pan-African capitalism rooted in Black pride and collective advancement.