Universal Negro Improvement and Conservation Association and African Communities League
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Organization founded by Marcus Mosiah Garvey. 'Conservation' was later removed from the name becoming the Universal Negro Improvement Association and African Communities League. Also known as the UNIA-ACL or simply the UNIA. The red, black and green flag originated with the UNIA at its convention in Madison Square Garden on August 13, 1920. The flag has been adopted by black nationalists and Pan-Africanists as the Black Liberation Flag.
By 1920 the association had over 1,100 branches in more than 40 countries.Most of these branches were located in the United States, which had become the UNIA's base of operations. There were, however, offices in several Caribbean countries, Cuba having the most. Branches also existed in places such as Panama, Costa Rica, Ecuador, Venezuela, Ghana, Sierra Leone, Liberia, Nigeria, Namibia and Azania/South Africa.
At their first convention in 1920 held at Madison Square Garden, UNIA division delegates from all over the world elected Garvey "Provisional President of Africa" under the provisions of the UNIA constitution. A programme based on The Declaration of the Rights of the Negro Peoples of the World was adopted, marking the evolution of the movement into a black nationalist one, seeking the upliftment of the black race, encouraging self-reliance and nationhood. One of the mainstays of the Declaration was the resolution that the colors Red, Black and Green be designated as the colors of the entire African race.Template:US-hist-stub Template:Poli-stub