Hollywood is developing a film about the late Marcus Garvey and according to IMDB, it’s to be released in 2017.

Some news outlets have reported veteran actor Delroy Lindo will play Marcus Garvey, but he hasn’t confirmed the news as yet. Lindo is of Jamaican descent and in his younger years he shuttled between the United Kingdom, Canada and the United States. He’s mostly known for his roles in Malcolm X, Clockers, Get Shorty, The Devil’s Advocate and others on television. Remaining cast members will be announced at a later date.

The legend of Marcus Garvey looms large in Black history, especially to those involved in the Pan-African movement. Garvey’s calls for Black self empowerment and movement towards that goal is still discussed and debated about to this day. His story has stood the test of time, from his childhood in Jamaica, his activities in the United States, his dreams of a Pan African movement and Back to Africa movement, and his ultimate demise at the hands of the FBI and one J. Edgar Hoover.

Garvey’s life and his movement’s effect maintained for years after his death. He influenced people like Malcolm X, groups like the Nation of Islam and many others. While his impact is cherished in his native land of Jamaica, others may not know or be aware of his wider influence across the world. It appears Hollywood continues to release films based on Black history: 12 Years A Slave, Birth Of A Nation, etc are all films that have been or are about to be released and focusing on historical Black figures. These past few years have been somewhat of a renaissance for historical Black films and we’re looking forward to Marcus Garvey’s story being told next.