Welcome to The Rastafari Chronicles, a series of articles, utterances, links from the archives of Rastafari history. This is an encouragement to all Rastafari worldwide to revive memories of InI glorious trod.
Give thanks to ones and ones for helping to uplift this initiative, to share and exchange works, greetings, stories, memorabilia, reminiscences, and ephemera of Rastafari. Let InI rise up a thunderous orchestration of Ises to the Majesty and elevation of the Movement.
One perfect love in His Imperial Majesty and Empress Menen.
- 1914 – Ras Tafari Makonnen installed as Prince Regent of Ethiopia
- 1914 – Marcus Garvey’s Universal Negro Improvement Association created in Jamaica with branches to follow worldwide – Caribbean, Central & South America, USA, Africa, UK & Europe
- 1919 – Three-delegate Abyssinian Mission to the United States visit New York City and Chicago. On behalf of Ras Tafari Makonnen. Delegates extend invitations to African Americans to repatriate to Ethiopia.
- 1920 – Marcus Garvey holds first UNIA Convention in Harlem and receives telegram from Ras Tafari applauding his efforts
- 1923 – Ras Tafari negotiates Ethiopia’s entry to the League of Nations
- 1930 – Coronation of H.I.M. Emperor Haile Selassie 1st and Empress Menen of Ethiopia – November 2nd Crowned King of Kings, Lord of Lords, Conquering Lion of the Tribe of Judah. Rastafari rise to hail the Black African King chanting “Redemption, Repatriation, Restoration”
- 1933/34 – Leonard Howell, the first person in Jamaica to preach the Divinity of Haile Selassie, is subsequently arrested, tried and jailed for sedition
- 1935 – Leonard Howell publishes The Promised Key
- 1935 – The Italians under Mussolini invade Ethiopia, October 3rd
- 1936 – Emperor Haile Selassie I leaves Ethiopia on May 5th for a 5-year exile in Britain.
- 1936 – His Imperial Majesty Emperor Haile Selassie addresses the League of Nations on June 30th
- 1937 – Ethiopian World Federation Incorporated – unification of Africans worldwide – August 25th
- 1937—Leonard Howell founds the Ethiopian Salvation Society which becomes active in the parish of St. Thomas, Jamaica
- 1940—Leonard Howell establishes Pinnacle, the first independent Rastafari commune in St. Catherine, Jamaica
- 1940s – Youth Black Faith – Predecessor of Nyahbinghi Rastafari mansion established
- 1941 – Jamaican authorities raid Pinnacle and arrest Howell, the first in a series of colonial attacks on Howell’s Rastafari community, July 25th
- 1941 – H.I.M. Emperor Haile Selassie 1st re-enters Ethiopia on May 5th after the defeat of the Italians
- 1943 – Leonard Howell is released from prison and returns to Pinnacle
- 1947 — Sylvia Pankhust circulates the ‘Black International”
- 1948 – Shashamane Land Grant – Gift of land made by H.I.M. Emperor Haile Selassie 1st of Ethiopia for Africans of the diaspora to dwell on in Africa
- 1948 – Hon. Prince Emmanuel [RastafarI elder] lobbies the heads of the Jamaican and British governments for free transportation to repatriate enslaved African children of Jamaica and the western world back to Africa http://www.darcfoundation.org/prince-emmanuel.html
- 1950 – Count Ossie plays Nyahbinghi drums and Rastafari spreads in Jamaica
- 1954-56 – Hon. Prince Emmanuel, Ras Boanerges and others hold annual conventions in Back-o-wall, Kingston, Jamaica
- 1954 – Pinnacle raided and destroyed by Jamaican Government forces May 22nd
- 1955 – Official letter confirming the “land grant” of 1948 submitted to members and executives of the Ethiopian World Federation
- 1955 — Emperor Haile Selassie 1 and Empress Menen celebrate their Silver Jubilee in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. Repatriation marches and Nyahbinghi gatherings led by Ras Boanerges (Bongo Watto), Prince Emmanuel and other leaders take place in Kingston, Jamaica on the occasion of the Silver Jubilee
- 1955 — African American artist and activist Mamie Richardson travels to Jamaica to represent and establish the Ethiopian World Federation.
- 1958 – Hon. Prince Emmanuel (Charles Edwards) convenes the first national groundation March 1-21. Official formation of the Ethiopian African Black International Congress (EABIC)
- 1960 – UWI academics, at the invitation of Rastafari, conduct research into the Movement. The Report recommends that Jamaica government send a mission to Africa to explore possibilities of repatriation
- 1960 – Police arrest Rev Claudius Henry on April 7th, charging him and some of his followers with treason
- 1960 – Hon. Prince Emmanuel of EABIC writes to Queen Elizabeth II requesting Repatriation with compensation for RastafarI. Receives negative reply
- 1961 – Rases Filmore Alvaranga, Mortimer Planno, Douglas Mack and Samuel Clayton are 4 RastafarI who participated in the Jamaica Government sponsored “Back to Africa” Mission to 5 African countries to determine their receptivity to repatriation of African Descendants.
- 1962 – Ras Sam Brown stands as candidate for political office in Jamaica
- 1963 – Police raid Coral Gardens, Jamaica and instigate widespread persecution of the Rastafari Movement
- 1966 – Visit of H.I.M. Emperor Haile Selassie I to Trinidad, Barbados, Jamaica, Haiti. H.I.M. advises that there is enough space in Ethiopia to accommodate all Africans who wish to return. However, ones must come home as skilled persons in order to make a positive contribution. Also advises that space is allocated to Jamaica within OAU
- 1968 – Vernon Carrington (Prophet Gad) establishes 12 Tribes of Israel in Kingston, Jamaica
- 1968 – Walter Rodney banned from Jamaica – Oct.15, triggering widespread student protest and civic unrest
- 1970’s – Rastafari music (reggae) begins to impact on world audiences, taking its poignant messages far beyond the Caribbean.
- 1971 – Rasta Voice the first Rastafari newsletter, starts publication by Ras Historian, Ras Gil Tucker, and Ras Sydney DeSilva. Forms the basis for the Rastafari Movement Association (RMA) of Jamaica
- 1974 – Theocratic Government of Haile Selassie I established by Nyahbinghi elders
- 1975 – Ras Boanerges carries the Nyahbinghi Order to the eastern Caribbean (Barbados and St. Vincent), in April
- 1980—Publication of Rastafari Speaks begins in Trinidad
- 1980 – Bob Marley performs at Zimbabwe Independence celebrations, April 18th
- 1980 – Rastafari celebrates Golden Jubilee of His Majesty’s Coronation in JA. RMA re-formed as Rastafari Int. Theocratic Association
- 1982 – 1st International conference of Rastafari held in Canada, Toronto 23rd-25th July
- 1983 – 2nd Rastafari International Theocratic Assembly, July 18-25, Jamaica
- 1984 – Voice of Thunder: Dialogue with Nyahbinghi elders. 1st official mission of Nyahbinghi elders outside Caribbean, Toronto Sept 23rd– Oct 21st
- 1986 – ‘Focus on Rastafari’. JA elders trod to UK for events related to “Caribbean Focus 1986”
- 1987 – Rastafari celebrate the Centenary of Marcus Garvey’s earthstrong (birthday)
- 1987 – Ras Michael Lorne and Ras Junior Manning begin publication of Rastafari International News
- 1987 – Ras Emmanuel ‘Pinto’ Fox forms the Church of Haile Selassie 1st
- 1988/89/90 – ‘Rainbow Circle Throne of Jah Rastafari’ JA elders trod to New York, Baltimore and Washington, DC
- 1992 – Centenary trod to Ethiopia June 28th – August 1992. 1st International Assembly of Rastafari in Ethiopia, organized by the Centenary Committee for Rastafari based in UK
- 1992-3 – Centenary mission through the Eastern Caribbean led by Ras Boanerges to 12 islands including Dominica, which until that time had prevented any Rases/dreadlocks from entering on account of the infamous Dread Act of 1974.
- 1996 – Ras Boanerges leads international trod to South Africa October-November
- 1997 – First international gathering of Rastafari in Guyana
- 1998 – International Rastafari Conference, Bridgetown, Barbados held in August. Resolution officially recognizes birth of Leonard Howell as important Rastafari date
- 1999 – Official opening of Nyahbinghi Tabernacle in Shashemane Ethiopia
- 2000 – Rita Marley hosts International Bob Marley concert in Ethiopia
- 2000 – Caribbean Rastafari Organization (CRO) established in Dominica with main focus on organizing Caribbean Rastafari towards Reparations and Repatriation
- 2001 – Registration of ICAR (Ichirouganaim [Barbados] Council for the Advancement of Rastafari)
- 2001 – Setting up of the Jamaica Reparations Movement – Kingston – by Sister Barbara Makeda BlakeHannah
- 2001 – World Conference against Racism, Racial Discrimination, Xenophobia and related Intolerance, Durban, South Africa – Rastafari participation, ICAR/CRO: presentation on religious intolerance. TransAtlantic slavery declared a crime against humanity
- 2002 – Africa and African descendents NGO conference, Bridgetown, Barbados, Rastafari participation, ICAR/CRO
- 2002-2003 – All Mansions’ Secretariat of the Ethiopian Peace Foundation, Jamaica Branch, write to Queen Elizabeth II demanding Repatriation with compensation
- 2003 – Reparations Conference, UWI, Kingston. Preparation and presentation of the JaRM Proposal
- 2004 – Caribbean Pan-African Network (CPAN) established to represent Caribbean African diaspora interest with respect to the Sixth Region of the African Union
- 2005 – African Diaspora Conference – South Africa, African Union and Caribbean, Kingston, Jamaica
- 2007 – World Conference for people of African descent, Bridgetown, Barbados, Rastafari participation
- 2008 – Setting up of Jamaica Reparations Parliamentary Commission, Chair – Prof. Barry Chevannes
- 2011 – United Nations International year for Africans and people of African descent
- 2011 – African Union Technical Committee of Experts Meeting on African Diaspora, Tshwane, South Africa: Rastafari participation, CRO – discussion paper on repatriation
- 2011 – Rastafari Reparations Repatriation Working Group (RRRWG), sub-committee of ICAR, established
- 2012 – Global African Diaspora summit, Johannesburg, South Africa, Rastafari participation
- 2013 – The Jamaica Government officially recognizes the Church of Haile Selassie 1st as part of religious expression of the Rastafari movement
- 2013 – Creation of Caribbean Region Reparations Commission by 14 Caribbean Governments (CARICOM), six aspects for consideration towards reparatory justice identified, creation of individual islands national commissions for reparations each with Rastafari membership. Inaugural meeting held in St. Vincent: Rastafari participation
- 2014 – RRRWG/ ICAR/CRO presents Position Paper to meeting of CARICOM Reparations Commission, held at the University of the West Indies, Cave Hill campus in January. CARICOM’s 10 point plan towards reparatory justice created and includes matters identified by Rastafari additional to the initial six aspects identified by CARICOM, i.e. repatriation, African knowledge programmes, psychological rehabilitation and debt cancellation. These additions demonstrate the impact of Rastafari on the reparations dialogue
- 2014 – Rastafari makes case for reoccupation of Pinnacle in Jamaica. Pinnacle Property Issue referred to the Land Ministry, February 8th
- 2014 – The Majesty and the Movement: Major international exhibition at National Museum in Addis Ababa May- June. First Ras Tafari Exhibition of its kind on the African continent
- 2014 – Rastafari Movement United Kingdom (RMUK) organized a successful march through London on August 1st to present a petition demanding reparatory justice from the UK Government
- 2014 – Meeting of CARICOM Reparations Commission held in Antigua in October – Caribbean Rastafari Organization (CRO) participation
- 2014 – 10th anniversary meeting of CPAN held in Antigua in October
- 2015 – Declaration of United Nations International Decade for people of African Descent under the theme of Recognition, Justice and Development (2015 – 2024)
- 2015 – Meeting held in New York, USA with CARICOM Reparations Commission and the US Reparations committee in April
- 2015 – Jamaica decriminalizes Ganja (marijuana, the Sacred Herb of Rastafari)
- 2015 – JaRM Proposals officially approved by Jamaican Parliament
- 2015 – Summit for CARICOM Governments held in July, awaiting follow-up word on reparatory justice initiative
- 2015 – Efforts intensify towards setting up of a Global Rastafari Secretariat
Shango Baku
