Harlem’s Marcus Garvey’s SS Shadyside Sank At 157th Street

February 17, 2021

The shining star of Marcus Garvey’s Universal Negro Improvement Association UNIA movement offices located at 54-56 West 135th Street home of the Black Star Steamship Line, Inc., in NYC from 1919 to 1922.

Garvey spent $200,000 for the Black Star Steamships that were anchored on the Harlem Piers, The ships were the SS Yarmouth, the Kanawha (renamed the SS Antonio Maceo) and the SS Shadyside.

In a 1922 article titled The Back Star Line, W. E. B. DuBios wrote:

The Shadyside was listed by the Black Star Line as worth $35,000 … In March, 1921, the Shadyside lay on t h e beach beside North River at the foot of 157th Street and was in a hopeless condition, quite beyond repair.

PBS in their People & Events: The Black Star Line notes for their documetary on Marcus Garvey said:

The “S. S. Shadyside,” a Hudson River excursion boat, carried black passengers on a “cruise to nowhere” on the Hudson one summer, and in the fall, sprang a leak and sank.

The ship was thought to be sabotaged, and we think remain in the Harlem River waters today in Harlem.


By submitting this form, you are consenting to receive marketing emails from: Harlem World Magazine, 2521 1/2 west 42nd street, Los Angeles, CA, 90008, https://www.harlemworldmagazine.com. You can revoke your consent to receive emails at any time by using the SafeUnsubscribe® link, found at the bottom of every email. Emails are serviced by Constant Contact
We're your source for local coverage, we count on your support. SPONSOR US!
Your support is crucial in maintaining a healthy democracy and quality journalism. With your contribution, we can continue to provide engaging news and free access to all.
accepted credit cards

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

You may use these HTML tags and attributes: <a href="" title=""> <abbr title=""> <acronym title=""> <b> <blockquote cite=""> <cite> <code> <del datetime=""> <em> <i> <q cite=""> <s> <strike> <strong>

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Related Articles