Official records from the U.S. Department of Justice

Biden Pardons Five on Last Day, Including Marcus Garvey Who Influenced Malcolm X

Jan 19, 2025, 02:23 PM

On his final full day in office, President Joe Biden issued five pardons, including a posthumous pardon for Black nationalist Marcus Garvey, who was convicted of mail fraud in the 1920s and influenced Malcolm X and other civil rights leaders. Garvey was deported to Jamaica after his conviction. The other recipients of Biden's pardons include Virginia House Speaker Don Scott, immigrant rights activist Ravi Ragbir, criminal justice reform advocate Kemba Smith Pradia, and gun violence prevention activist Darryl Chambers. Congressional leaders had urged Biden to pardon Garvey, arguing that his conviction was politically motivated. Biden's actions reflect his use of clemency power to grant second chances, having issued more individual pardons and commutations than any other U.S. president in history.