Kentucky Divisions of the Universal Negro Improvement Association

On August 1, 1914, Marcus Garvey founded the Universal Negro Improvement Association (UNIA) in Jamaica with the goal of uniting all of African ancestry. The organization's motto was "One God! One Aim! One Destiny!"

The New York Division of UNIA was established in 1917 with a membership of over 3,000. By 1920, there were more than 1,000 UNIA divisions in over 40 countries. In Kentucky, there were at least 11 divisions. They were located in Benham, Clay, Coxton, Daniel Boone, Florence, Erlanger, Louisville, Madisonville, Sassafras, and Sergent, as well as a chapter in Oakland Addition (Louisville).

For more see Race First by T. Martin; The Official UNIA website; and The Marcus Garvey and Universal Negro Improvement Association Papers, edited by R. A. Hill.