Story of Rastafari

The coronation.

Marcus Garvey had said: look to Africa, where a Black king shall be crowned. In 1930 the newspapers carried the photographs from Addis Ababa — and in the yards of Kingston, readers of scripture recognized what they saw.

Add to My Beliefs →

Where it is toldNovember 2, 1930 — and every gathering since

Who appearsRas Tafari, crowned Haile Selassie I; Marcus Garvey, the forerunner

What it teachesThat prophecy can arrive by newspaper

Understanding it — context, not catechism: how this passage is held

Marcus Garvey had told his followers to look to Africa for the crowning of a Black king. In November 1930, Ras Tafari Makonnen was crowned Emperor Haile Selassie I in Addis Ababa with titles — King of Kings, Lord of Lords, Conquering Lion of the Tribe of Judah — that readers of Revelation in Kingston's poorest yards recognized immediately. Ethiopia had never been colonized and claimed descent from Solomon. The prophecy's fulfillment arrived, for its first believers, by newspaper photograph.

The same ground, other faiths

claims that share this one's ideas

E Elijah — the expected guest. Judaism · figure Meet them →

I Isa — the messiah who was not crucified. Islam · figure Meet them →

The promised renewal has come. Ahmadiyya · core tenet Go deeper →

Moses is the only prophet. Samaritanism · core tenet Go deeper →

Koresh said he was the Lamb who could open the seals. The Branch Davidians · core tenet Go deeper →

Hong Xiuquan is the second son of God. The Taiping Heavenly Kingdom · core tenet Go deeper →

The conversation

argument stays attached to the claim it is about All discussion →

Sign in to open the first thread. Everything here is attributed.

Where next

Rastafari's Stories & Scripture roomback up one layer Propose a change to this passageone button — it routes to the review pool