This NFT is an exercise in merging fine arts, music, storytelling, videography, animation, on web2 and web3 technology. This painting by Kruma Kedar, is a tryptic of Haile Selassie I, Malcolm X, and Marcus Garvey, entitled “Holy Trinity.” After diving deep into the history of these 3 men I began to see why my father chose to paint them together on one canvas. Not only did they have similar mindsets, but they also had “conversations across lifetimes,” in a sense. For instance, Malcolm’s father, Earl Little, a Baptist minister by profession, was also an organizer for the militant Universal Negro Improvement Association, a black nationalist group led by Garvey. Garvey was born a few years before Selassie and shared an ambivalent perspective on the Emperor.
Malcolm X, Marcus Garvey and Haile Selassie I were all influential figures in the 20th century who had a significant impact on the Civil Rights Movement and the fight for racial equality. Despite coming from different backgrounds and having distinct ideologies, these leaders share a common thread in their belief in the power of self-reliance and the importance of community empowerment.
Marcus Garvey, a Jamaican-born political leader and publisher, had a significant influence on Malcolm X’s early years. Garvey’s ideas of Black Nationalism and the establishment of an independent state for people of African descent resonated with Malcolm X, who would later adopt similar ideas in his own activism. Haile Selassie I, the Emperor of Ethiopia, was also a major influence on Malcolm X, particularly in terms of Pan-Africanism and the importance of self-reliance for African nations.
Haile Selassie I and Marcus Garvey were also connected through their shared beliefs in the importance of self-reliance and the empowerment of their respective communities. Garvey, who was an advocate for the rights of people of African descent, corresponded with Selassie, and saw him as a leader of the African diaspora and an example of Black excellence. Selassie, in turn, recognized the importance of Garvey’s work in the African diaspora and the need for the unity of the black people. Both leaders believed in the power of unity, self-reliance, and autonomy to overcome the oppression they faced.
It’s amazing how 1 person can do so much to impact the lives of others, let alone 3.