National Affairs: Knights

While the National Negro Business League sought to teach Negroes thrift at its session in Chicago, in Manhattan, Marcus Garvey and his associates (TIME, Aug. 11) made Negroes “noble.” A procession marched into Liberty Hall, which was formerly a garage. First came a beadle, then an archdeacon, then a priest in red biretta, then Bishop McGuire of Africa in a purple cape and mitre of gold cloth, carrying a crook and wearing his bishop’s ring of amethyst over a pair of white gloves. At the rear came Marcus Garvey in a feathered hat and George O. Marke, Royal Potentate, who came from Sierra Leone for the ceremony.

A Negro knelt; Potentate Marke bared his sword, tapped him on the head, exclaiming: “Arise, Sir E. Elliot! Arise!” The Bishop then blessed the Knight, who shook hands all around; and the performance was repeated. Among those honored, one woman was made a Lady. Twenty gold crosses and ten silver crosses were conferred. A Duke of Nyasa was to have been created, but the prospective Duke failed to appear.

Afterward everybody enjoyed a roast-chicken dinner and a ragtime ball.