cal leaders by defying the government and organizing illegal street marches. By the mid 1950’s the Rastafarians were perceived as nothing more then bearded drug addicts. In the 1960’s, Garvey’s “back to Africa” plan seemed realistic, as a group of Rastafarian leaders were sent to Africa (Jackson “Rastafarianism). “Though no large-scale immigration to Africa by Jamaicans was achieved, the sending of some Rastafarian leaders to Africa resulted in the movements enhanced knowledge of African realities, and probably diffused the movement’s enthusiasm for immediate repatriation” (Garcia “Rastafarianism: An Overview”). The single most important even in Rastafarian history was the visit of Haile Selassie I to Jamaica. He arrived in Jamaica on April 21, 1966. His visit resulted in two major developments. First, Haile Selassie I convinced the Rastafarian brothers that they should not immigrate to Africa until the Jamaican people were liberated. This also marked April 21 as the “special holy day” among Rastafarians (Garcia “Rastafarianism: An Overview”). In the 1960’s the Black Power Movement was started, and this began to develop the Rastafarian religion. The 1970’s gave birth to a new view of Rastafarians. They became a positive forced and were praised for contributing to the culture of Jamaica. “On August 27, 1975, Haile Selassie I died, and a tremendous crisis in faith ensued” (Littman “Rastafarianism”). This was a contradiction to the religion, because Haile Selassie I was believed to be the living God of the Rastafarians. People tried to deny the acquisition of his death by saying it was a cover up by the media aimed at bringing down the religion (Ifill “Rastafarian Religion”). The late 1970’s brought many Rastafarians to America as a result of the general migration of Jamaicans. In America ...
