The following articles, commentaries and reports are excerpted from the five volume, 1,500 page work entitled, COME OUT OF HER, MY PEOPLE! 21ST CENTURY BLACK PROPHETIC FAITH AND PAN AFRICAN DIPLOMACY. According to the book synopsis,
“When the World Trade Center was destroyed on September 11, 2001 – the same day that Ethiopians celebrate New Year’s Day – a few black men in America interpreted this event as the fulfillment of the biblical book of Revelations Chapter 18. Verses 4 and 5 commanded them to “Come out of her, my people, so that you will not share in her sins, that you will not receive any of her plagues; for her sins are piled up to heaven and God has remembered her crimes”. Obediently, Ras Nathaniel organized a mass Repatriation movement and led a diplomatic effort at the African Union on behalf of an estimated one million Rastafarians. There was just six years before the prophecy fulfilled for the Ethiopian Millennium which, on the western Gregorian calendar would begin on September 11, 2007.
In 1619, the first 20 Africans were brought to Jamestown, Virginia. They all had one common desire: return to their home in Africa. In every period since that time to the present, the most learned, respected and courageous of the Africans and their descendants concluded that they must either revolt against their enslavers or find some way to return to their home, the land which the Bible called “Ethiopia”. From this land a Universal Black King would be born with the titles King of Kings, Lord of Lords, Conquering Lion of Judah. Biblical prophets claimed that Princes would come out of her, that Ethiopia would stretch forth her hands, and her scattered, captive children would be brought home. In every period in American history, black men remained faithful to these scriptures and rejected America’s forced assimilation. Men like
George Liele, 1783
Prince Hall 1787
John Marrant 1791
Robert Alexander Young 1829
David Walker 1829
Martin Delaney 1836-1852
Henry Highland Garnett 1843
Edward Wilmott Blyden 1860’s
Bishop Henry McNeil Turner 1880
William Ellis 1903
Robert Athly Rogers, 1913-1924
Grover Redding, 1917
Clayton Adams (Charles Henry Holmes) 1917
Reverend James Morris Webb 1919-1925
Marcus Garvey 1919-1924
Malcolm X 1964
Ras Nathaniel adds his name to the list.
Come Out of Her My People! tells the story of how these biblical prophesies actually happened in the 20th Century and how the Black Exodus of Rastafari people ultimately failed.
Now, the original repatriates to Ethiopia started with Daniel Robert Alexander in 1908/1909. He was followed by Annie Harvey who lived in New York but was originally from Jamaica. Then, in 1928, Ato Gabrou Desta, then in the United States on a special mission to obtain economic and educational advisers, discussed Repatriation directly with Rabbi Arnold Ford whom the Abyssinian Mission of 1919 had made the first Repatriation offer. Ato Gabrou then issued the fourth invitation to Repatriate to Ethiopia in a message from Ras Tafari which stated,
“We would welcome them back to Ethiopia, their Fatherland . . . . There is plenty of room for them here and we are certain they would be of the greatest aid in restoring their ancient land to its pristine glory.”
Three months after this meeting, Ford’s congregation sent him to Ethiopia accompanied by Miss Eudora Paris, a singer of note among Harlem nationalists. Ford and Paris reached Addis Ababa in 1930, joining the elderly Daniel Alexander. They arrived just in time to attend the Coronation Ceremony on November 2, 1930, when Ras Tafari became Emperor of Ethiopia and was crowned Haile Selassie, King of Kings and Lord of Lords, Conquering Lion of Judah.” About 100 Africans from the Americas attend the Coronation of HIM Haile Selassie I. Many of those present are associated with the Elder Daniel Robert Alexander, who had been living in the country for 21 years and would become known as the Emperor’s blacksmith.
On January 4, 1931 Garvey’s UNIA followers march side by side with Rabbi Arnold Ford’s Black Hebrews in a street parade through Harlem, carrying framed life-size portraits of HIM Haile Selassie I and the Honorable Marcus Garvey. Garvey then sets sail for London to file a petition to the League of Nations which accused the United States and the nations of Europe of violating the human rights of African Americans and other African peoples.
ELEVEN DAYS AFTER GARVEY SET SAIL, DETROIT-AREA UNIA PRESIDENT EARL LITTLE (MALCOLM X’S FATHER), WHO WAS RESPONSIBLE FOR COLLECTING SIGNATURES FOR THE PETITION, WAS DISCOVERED DYING ON THE TROLLEY TRACKS NEAR HIS HOME.
𝐄𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐨𝐩𝐢𝐚𝐧 𝐄𝐦𝐩𝐞𝐫𝐨𝐫 𝐇𝐚𝐢𝐥𝐞 𝐒𝐞𝐥𝐚𝐬𝐬𝐢𝐞 𝐬𝐚𝐰 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐧𝐞𝐞𝐝 𝐭𝐨 𝐫𝐞𝐜𝐨𝐠𝐧𝐢𝐳𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐢𝐧𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐑𝐞𝐩𝐚𝐭𝐫𝐢𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐬 𝐚𝐬 𝐂𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐳𝐞𝐧𝐬 𝐨𝐟 𝐄𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐨𝐩𝐢𝐚. 𝐓𝐡𝐮𝐬, 𝐰𝐡𝐞𝐧 𝐇𝐢𝐬 𝐌𝐚𝐣𝐞𝐬𝐭𝐲 𝐢𝐬𝐬𝐮𝐞𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐂𝐨𝐧𝐬𝐨𝐥𝐢𝐝𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐝 𝐋𝐚𝐰𝐬 𝐨𝐟 𝐄𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐨𝐩𝐢𝐚 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐛𝐞𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐞 𝐩𝐚𝐫𝐭 𝐨𝐟 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝟏𝟗𝟑𝟏 𝐂𝐨𝐧𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐭𝐮𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧, 𝐮𝐧𝐝𝐞𝐫 𝐒𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝟗 𝐍𝐀𝐓𝐈𝐎𝐍𝐀𝐋𝐈𝐓𝐘 𝟏𝟐(𝟐) 𝐇𝐚𝐢𝐥𝐞 𝐒𝐞𝐥𝐚𝐬𝐬𝐢𝐞 𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐯𝐢𝐝𝐞𝐝 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐂𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐳𝐞𝐧𝐬𝐡𝐢𝐩 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐁𝐥𝐚𝐜𝐤 𝐩𝐞𝐨𝐩𝐥𝐞 𝐨𝐟 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐖𝐞𝐬𝐭: (note this statement is my inference made after concluding my study of the Ethiopian laws at the Institute of Ethiopian Studies (IES) in Addis Ababa, where I was given special access to archives by the IES Director at the time, Ato Demeke Berhane)
“12(2) If the Imperial Ethiopian Government deems any foreigner who applies for Ethiopian citizenship to be of value or if it finds other special reason which convinces it that the applicant should be granted citizenship it may grant him/her Ethiopian citizenship even if he/she does not fulfill the [residency and language] requirements prescribed in Article 12(b) and (d) of the Nationality Law of 1930.”
By 1931, with a framework in place for the full Repatriation of Blacks from the West, Ato Gabrou informed Rabbi Ford and Eudora Paris of land concessions granted. Ato Gabrou sent word to Ford’s congregation in America to arrange passage for the next group of repatriates. Nine more members repatriated, including 𝐌𝐢𝐠𝐧𝐨𝐧 𝐈𝐧𝐧𝐞𝐬 (𝐰𝐡𝐨, 𝐚𝐥𝐬𝐨 𝐟𝐫𝐨𝐦 𝐁𝐚𝐫𝐛𝐚𝐝𝐨𝐬, 𝐦𝐚𝐫𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐝 𝐀𝐫𝐧𝐨𝐥𝐝 𝐅𝐨𝐫𝐝 𝐢𝐧 𝐀𝐝𝐝𝐢𝐬 𝐀𝐛𝐚𝐛𝐚 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐛𝐨𝐫𝐞 𝐡𝐢𝐦 𝐭𝐰𝐨 𝐬𝐨𝐧𝐬), 𝐀𝐥𝐛𝐞𝐫𝐭𝐚 𝐓𝐡𝐨𝐦𝐚𝐬, 𝐉𝐨𝐡𝐧 𝐒𝐚𝐧𝐝𝐢𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐝, 𝐌𝐚𝐫𝐲 𝐋𝐲𝐧𝐜𝐡, 𝐉𝐚𝐧𝐞 𝐅𝐨𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐫, 𝐀𝐝𝐚 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐀𝐮𝐠𝐮𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐞 𝐁𝐚𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐚𝐧 (𝐕𝐢𝐫𝐠𝐢𝐧 𝐈𝐬𝐥𝐚𝐧𝐝𝐬, 𝐔𝐍𝐈𝐀 𝐦𝐞𝐦𝐛𝐞𝐫𝐬), 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐓𝐡𝐨𝐦𝐚𝐬 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐍𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐲 𝐏𝐚𝐫𝐢𝐬 (𝐄𝐮𝐝𝐨𝐫𝐚 𝐏𝐚𝐫𝐢𝐬’ 𝐩𝐚𝐫𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐬). During this period, 1930-1931, approximately 100 Ethiopian “Blacks” from America repatriate to Ethiopia, including Horace W. Hendricks and William Weeks of Harlem, Oswald Nanton, James Alexander Hart (British Guiana), George A. Smith, and Mr. Helwig. Noted Black scholar J.A. Rogers twice visited Ethiopia during the early 1930’s.
Central to the story is the Ethiopian World Federation (EWF), established in the United States in 1937. Its aims were to mobilize support for the Ethiopians during the Italian invasion of 1935-41, and to embody the unity of Ethiopians (Black people) home and abroad. Sections were established in other parts of the Americas. Later, the EWF was given charge of an area of land in Ethiopia for housing returning emigrants. It would be responsible for the first major organized, state-sponsored repatriation progrem of the 20th century.
In 1942, George Bryan, Executive Secretary of the Ethiopian World Federation, Incorporated , wrote to His Imperial Majesty, Ethiopian Emperor Haile Selassie I the following message (excerpted):
". . . . 3. 𝐏𝐥𝐞𝐚𝐝 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐜𝐞𝐬𝐬𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬 𝐨𝐟 𝐥𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐬𝐞𝐭𝐭𝐥𝐞𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐨𝐟 𝐚 𝐥𝐚𝐫𝐠𝐞 𝐧𝐮𝐦𝐛𝐞𝐫 𝐨𝐟 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐦𝐞𝐦𝐛𝐞𝐫𝐬 𝐨𝐟 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐅𝐞𝐝𝐞𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 desiring to travel to Ethiopia for permanent settlement. 4. Plead for the easing of Visa restrictions to facilitate the voluntary entry of such members wishing from time to time to travel to Ethiopia to settle, visit and otherwise pursue ways for strengthening their relations with the Motherland.
Mr. Reginald Birch is fully authorized to act in the name and on behalf of the Ethiopian World Federation, this authority deriving from the exercise of the authority vested in the Executive Council as the policy making body of the Federation.
George A Bryan, Executive Secretary"
The Emperor's Initial response to the EWF did not mention any land grant. However, on June 3, 1959, T.E. Sealy, Editor of the Jamaican Daily Gleaner wrote to the Ethiopian government to verify the land grant. The Imperial Ethiopian Government Ministry of Foreign Affairs Addis Ababa, Sept. 9, 1959 responded by saying,
"In response to your enquiry and specifically as to whether or not lands have been made available by the Imperial Ethiopian Government for the "Ethiopian World Federation Inc.", we can confirm the substance of your letter thus:-
As a token of his appreciation for the services the "Ethiopian World Federation" rendered to the Ethiopian cause during the Fascist Invasion of our country, His Imperial Majesty Haile Selassie 1st, has been pleased to grant for the use of the "Ethiopian World Federation" lands not very far from the capital city of Addis Ababa."
At the start of the 21st Century, the EWF was in disarray and turmoil. To help save it and the Shasheman land grant, in stepped Ras Nathaniel, who was LEARNING FROM THE LEADERS THE PERSONAL COST OF AFRICAN LIBERATION: RESPONSIBILITY, RACIAL RE-EDUCATION, SPIRITUAL RE-CONVERSION, AND CLASS SUICIDE FOR A HOLY ORDER OF COMMITMENT.
In 2003, while serving as a journalist for the Rastafari Speaks newspaper published by Chicago’s very own Frontline Distribution, Ras Nathaniel. registered with the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia Ministry of Information & Culture Press and Information Department as a journalist and began working at the African Union and the Economic Commission for Africa. He is the only African American to attend both the 1st Extraordinary Summit of the Assembly of the African Union in Addis Ababa, as well as the African Union Grand Debate in Ghana in 2007. As a result, Ras Nathaniel became the Director of the African Union 6th Region Education Campaign. He appeared on South African Broadcasting Company (SABC TV), negotiated the Rastafari citizenship issues in Ethiopia, helped the Central American Black Organization to elect its representatives to the African Union at their 12th Assembly in Honduras, and gave the inaugural Marcus Garvey lecture for the Government of Barbados’ Commission for Pan African Affairs. In 2006 he was the roommate of Dr. Kamarakafego, counselor, consultant, official and friend to Kwame Nkrumah, Julius Nyerere, CLR James, Walter Rodney and many others while organizing the 6th Pan African Congress in Tanzania in 1974. In 2007, while organizing the Global Unity Conference in Azania, Ras Nathaniel was given the name Siphiwe Baleka by a council of Elders. On September 28, 2010, his African Ancestry patrilineal test results showed that he was a descendant of the Balanta people.
Below are some of the documents from Ras Nathaniel’s archives.
ISSEMBLY FOR RASTAFARI INIVERSAL EDUCATION (IRIE) STAR ORDER REPORT: ETHIOPIAN IMMIGRATION POLICY AND THE RASTAFARI FAMILY WORLDWIDE
- May 13, 2003
SHASHEMANE CONTROVERSIES
- August 5, 2003
“ . . . it was the maladministration of the land grant in the late sixties and early seventies that caused the first serious problems on the Shashemane land grant. Well, upon arrival I learned that the majority of Rastafari non-EWF members view the EWF in Shashemane today as a secret society at best and gang at worst, mostly because of their closed-door meetings. Although I wasn’t an official EWF member when I arrived, because I was known to be organizing a chapter, I was allowed in to their meetings. Here I learned that for the past three years they, the Shashemane Local #14 have been dealing with the issue of their charter, which is not recognized by EWF Headquarters in New York. This is very strange because the EWF International Organizer lives in Addis Ababa and frequents Shashemane. So technically, the EWF Shashemane local can’t really do anything because it is not recognized by EWF headquarters! To make matters worse, the EWF members in Shashemane made it known that, as administrators of the land-grant, they decided everyone on the land grant must be members of the EWF, forcing a sort of organizationalgangsterism. This was quite an arrogant offence to some who had been living on the land grant for years. This prompted the Centenary Committee for Rastafari (CCR) Newsletter, 11th Edition Shashemane, Ethiopia April 2001 to report that, at the first ever public meeting of the EWF Shashemane Local, In a series of hot exchanges from the floor, the EWF leadership faced criticism for “landlord” tendencies and exclusiveness that had limited its role in the community. It was clear that changes would have to be made in the vision, policy, leadership, and constitutional interpretation of the present organ if it was to represent I&I at the international level. Needless to say, these changes haven’t been made, and the EWF continues to stand alone.”
EWF Update
- November 2, 2004
ETHIOPIAN MILLENNIUM REPATRIATION: RESTORING THE EWF AND THE SHASHEMANE LAND GRANT
- July 16, 2006
HIM HAILE SELASSIE I VISION FOR REPATRIATION
In 2017, the Ethiopian government adopted Ras Nathaniel’s immigration policy recommendations and finally recognized Rastafarians as nationals by issuing them with identity cards. The decision meant that they can enter the East African nation without visas and live without residence permits. This was an important step, not only because it gave them the right to legally live in Ethiopia, but also because it stopped the payments "illegal residents" had to make in order to be able to travel outside Ethiopia.
According to a 2019 article by Maria Gerth-Niculescu,
“Internal squabbles, economic struggles and the difficulty of integrating with the local Ethiopian community have led many Rastafarians to leave town, either to find work in the capital Addis Ababa, or to move to another country. Only about 200 still live in Shashamane. In the late 90s, they numbered approximately 2,000.
Recently, the Ethiopian government started the allocation of national residence cards to Rastafarians who have been living in the country for over 10 years. This was an important step, not only because it gave them the right to legally live in Ethiopia, but also because it stopped the payments "illegal residents" had to make in order to be able to travel outside Ethiopia. According to Ras Paul, "Now it's their chance to travel, see their families, they can come back when they want to... I'd say about a third of the population is out of the country now."
The allocation of the residence permit, which gives Rastafarians the status of "Foreign National of Ethiopian Origin”, was celebrated as a major step towards the community's recognition and integration. They now have the right to work and can legally send their children to school. But it is not enough for some. "I consider myself to be an Ethiopian returned home, and I have no desire to leave this country to live anywhere else," Ras Kawintesseb, who born in Trinidad and Tobago, said.
"It makes sense to me that I get to become an Ethiopian citizen. I'm not satisfied with being a foreign national, so I've applied for my Ethiopian citizenship," the Rastafarian who landed in Addis Ababa 23 years ago added. Married to an Ethiopian, Ras Kawintesseb is in touch with the Ethiopian community through his family and his multi-lingual music. But that's not the case for all Rastafarians in Shashamane: some are afraid that Ethiopians want to take their land away; others haven't had the chance to learn Amharic or adapt to the Ethiopian culture.
Ras Paul says he wishes to mingle more with Ethiopians. "But here it's very tense, because of the political problems of the country and the political emphasis on the land grant. There is big tension here, attacks on Rastafarians, seizing of Rastafarian land… Most of us have a story of a house being burgled, especially on his Imperial Majesty's birthday. On our most holy days they target us," he exclaimed, aggrieved. “
Disillusioned by the situation with the EWF and the development of the African Union 6th Region, Ras Nathaniel, now “Siphiwe Baleka” went on to fulfill the Repatriation mission in his ancestral homeland, taking what he learned from his experience in Ethiopia and applied it to launch the Decade of Return Initiative in Guinea Bissau, negotiate citizenship for the descendants of people taken from Guinea Bissau and enslaved in the Americas, and serving at the Coordinator for the 8th Pan African Congress Part 1 to be held in Harare, Zimbabwe at the end of 2023.