Red, Black and Green, Every Race Has a Flag but the Coon
Interesting History of the Red, Black and Green Pan-African Flag
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Marcus Garvey in response to the 1900 coon song created the Pan-African flag in 1920. |
Jamaican political leader Marcus Garvey was a founding member and former president of the Universal Negro Improvement Association and African Communities League (UNIA) created the Pan-African flag in 1920 in response to the 1900 song "Every Race Has a Flag but the Coon." The song was written by Will A. Heelan and J. Fred Helf was very popular in the United States and Britain.
A 1921 report appearing in the Africa Times and Orient Review, Marcus Garvey stated on the importance of the flag “Show me the race or the nation without a flag, and I will show you a race of people without any pride.
Aye! In song and mimicry, they have said, "Every race has a flag but the coon." How true! Aye! But that was said of us years ago. They can't say it now!" The flag later became an African nationalist symbol for the worldwide liberation of people of African origin. As a symbol of Black pride, the flag became popular during the Black Liberation movement.
Although other designs and colors including yellow are also considered to be International Pan-African flags, the horizontal stripes of red, black, and green, originated by the UNIA in 1920. Flag names include the UNIA flag, Marcus Garvey flag, Black Liberation flag, Pan-African flag, and the Black or African Nationalist flag.
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Red, black and green beauty |
Minstrel music song chorus for Every Race Has a Flag but the Coon
For Ireland has her Harp and Shamrock
England floats her Lion bold
Even China waves a Dragon
Germany an Eagle gold
Bonny Scotland loves a Thistle
Turkey has her Crescent Moon
And what won’t Yankees do for their Red, White, and Blue
Every race has a flag but the coon
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Library of Congress, Music Division |
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Library of Congress, Music Division |
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