EMPEROR OF ETHIOPIA: HAILE SELASSIE I Welcome, Welcome, Welcome back! To the twelfth installment of The Black Fist: Best & Brightest Everyday Black History Series. In this installment we will be visiting the life, reign and death of one of the greatest emperors Ethiopia has ever been graced with, Emperor Haile Selassie I. This biography is a lengthy one but I will attempt to shorten it for the sake of time and space but it by not means take away from the brilliance and stature of this bold conqueror. General Nikki X will dedicate this particular installment to a bold black warrior in his own right and a member of this organization doing excellent work and showing all of us everyday what it truly means to be a courageously strong Black man secure within himself without ego, and without arrogance. A man of few words but long on action when dealing with the devil to his face. This is dedicated to Bro. General Malik X of The Black Fist. General Nikki X likes to call this one, "Emperor of Ethiopia." HAILE SELASSIE I (1892-1975) The name "Haile Selassie I" is Amharic for "Power of Trinity," and some say it suited Emperor Haile Selassie I to a tee. Emperor Haile Selassie I, was Emperor from 1930-1974. He is the religious symbol for God incarnate among the Rastafari movement. EARLY LIFE Haile Selassie I was born Tafari Makonnen on July 23, 1892, in the village of Ejersa Goro, in the Harar province of Ethiopia, as Lij (litterally "child", usually bestowed nobility). His father was Ras Makonnen Woldemikael Gudessa, the governor of Harar, and his mother was Woyzero (Lady) Yeshimebet Ali Abajifar. He inherited his inperial blood through his paternal gramdmother, Princess Tenagnework Sahle Selassie, who was an aunt of Emperior Menelik II, and he claimed to be a direct descendant of Makeda, the Queen of Sheba, and King Solomon of ancient Israel. Emperior Haile Selassie I had an elder half-brother, Dejazmach Yilma Makonnen, who proceeded him as governor of Harar, but died not long after taking office. GOVERNOR OF HARAR Tafari was given the titular governorship of Sallale, although he did not administer the district directly. In 1907, he was appointed governor over part of the province of Sidamo. Following the death of his brother Dejazmach Yilma, Harar was not successful, and so during the last illness of Menelik II, and the brief tenure in power of Empress Taitu Bitul, Tarari Makonnen was made governor of Harar, and entered the city 11 April 1911. On 3 August of that year, he married Mene Askew of Ambassel, the niece of the heir to the throne, Lij Iyasu. REGENT Although Dejazmach Tafari played only a minor role in the movement that deposed Lij Iyasu on 27 September 1916, he was its ultimate beneficiary. The primary power behind the move were the conservatives led by Fitawrari Hapte Giorgis Dinagde, Menelik II's longtime war minister. However, Iyasu's increasing flirtation with Islam, his disrespectful attitude to the nobles of his grandfather Menelik II, as well as his scandalous behavior in general, not only outraged the conservative power-brokers of the Empire, but alienated the progressive elements as well. This led to the deposition of Isyasi on grounds of conversion to Islam, and the proclamation of Menelik II's daughter (Iyasu's aunt) as Empress Zauditu. Dejazmatch Tafari Makonnen was elevated to the rank of Ras, made heir apparent. In power arrangement that followed, Tafari accepted the role of Regent (Inderase), and became the de facto ruler of the Ethiopian Empire. As Regent, the new Crown Prince developed the policy of careful modernisation initiated by Menelik II, securing Ethiopia's admission to the League of Nations in 1923, abolishing slavery in the empire in 1924. He engaged in a tour of Europe that same year , inspecting schools, hospitals, factories, and churches; this left such as impression on the future emperior that he devoted over forty pages of his autobiography to the details of his European journey. War: Then came war following the Italian invasion of 1936 from its colonies in Eritrea and Somalia, Emperior Haile Selassi I made an attempt at fighting back the invaders personally. Exile: Emperior Haile Selassie I spent his five years in Exile (1936-1941) mainly in Bath, United Kingdom, in a dwelling he had purchased, "Fairfield House". Following his return to Ethiopia, he donated it to the city of Bath as a residence for the aged, and it remains so to this day. There are numerous accounts of 'Haile Selassi I was my next door neighbour' amongst people who were children in the Bath area during his residence. The Emperior also spent extended periods in Jerusalem. 1940's and 1950's Haile Selassi I returned to Ethiopia in 1941, after Italy's defeat in Ethiopia by United Kingdom and Ethiopian patriot forces. After the war, Ethopia became a charter member of the United Nations (UN). In 1951, after a lengthy fact-finding inquiry by allied powers and then the UN, the former Italian colony of Eritrea was federated to Ethiopia as a compromise between the sizable factions that wanted complete Union with the Empire, and those who wanted complete independence from it. Later Years On December 13, 1960, while the emperor was a state visit to Brazil, his Imperial Guard forces staged an unsuccessful coup attempt, briefly proclaiming Haile Selassi I's eldest son Asfa Wossen as the new Emperor. In 1963 the Emperor presided over the establishment of the Organisation of African Unity with the new organisation setting up its headquarters in Asddis Ababa. THE DEATH OF HAILE SELASSI I On August 28, 1975, the state media reported that the "ex-monarch" Haile Selassie I had died on August 27, following complications from a prostate operation. His doctor, Professor Aswat Woldryes denied that complications had occured and rejected the government version of his death. Some believe that he was suffocated in his sleep. Witnesses came forward after the fall of the Marxist government in 1991, to reveal that the Emperor's remains had been buried beneath the president's office. On November 5, 2000 Emperor Haile Selassi I was given an Imperial funeral by the Ethiopian Orthodox church.The current post-communist government refused to give it the status of a state funeral. THE RASTAFARI Among many followers of the Rastafari movement, which developed in the 1930s in Jamaica under the influence of Marcus Garvey's 'Back to Africa" movement, Haile Selassi I is seen as God incarnate, the Black Messiah who will lead his peoples of Africa and the African diaspora to freedom. His official titles, King of kings, Lord of lords, Conquering Lion of the Tribe of Judah and Root of David, are believed to be the titles of the returned Messiah in the New Testament Book of Revelation. THE RASTAFARIANS' ATTITUDE TOWARD HAILE SELASSIE I Many Rastafarians say that they know Haile Selassie I is God, and therefore do not need to believe it. Belief to them implies doubt, and they claim to have no doubts about the divinity. In the early days of the movement, he was seen as a symbol of black pride, and as a king for African people. The first Rastafarian to appear in front of a court was Leonard Howell, who was charged with sedition against the state of Jamaica, and its King George V. Howell declared himself a loyal subject, not of the king of England, but of Haile Selassie I going to plead in front of the League of Nations, and then being rejected by them, confirmed their belief in his greatness. For them, the nations of Babylon, in reference to the ancient biblicial place, turned their back on the returned messiah and the antichrist. The Emperor's restoration to power in 1941 strengthened the rastafarian faith that he was almighty God. They also called him "Jah Rastafari Selassie I," affectionately Jah Jah. They are very proud of knowing and declaring that he is their God. They were never worried by Halie Selassie never claiming to be God, saying that the real God would never claim to be so just get wordly acclaim and power. They believed that marijuana brings them closer to God, and will always bless the pipes they communally smoke in the name of Haile Selassie I (pronouncing the Roman numeral that indicates "the first" as the word 'I", that being the first person pronoun), thus emphasing the personal relationship they have with the Emperor Haile Selassie I. They believe Haile Selassie I will one day call the judgement, calling the righteous and the faithful to live with him for ever in Holy Mount Zion, said to be placed in Africa. Some Rastafarians believe that Halie Selassie I is still alive, and that his purported death was part of a conspiracy to discredit their religion. In addition to being a political and historic figure, Haile Selassie I has become a popular culture symbol through the Rastafarian movment. Many Rastas are concerned that the world does not see Haile Selassi in a positive light. A QUOTE FROM HAILE SELASSIE I "A house built on granite and strong foundations, not even the onslaught of pouring rain, gushing torrents and strong winds will be able to pull down. Some people have written the story of my life representing as truth what in fact derives from ignorance, error or envy; but cannot shake the truth from its place, even if they attempt to make others believe it." - Preface to My Life and Ethiopia's Progress, Autobiography of H.M. Selassie I (English translation)... Final Thoughts From General Nikki X as dedicated to General Malik X: "That until the philosophy which holds one race superior and another inferior is finally and permanently discredited and abandoned: That until there are no longer first-class and second class citizens of any nation; that until the color of a man's skin is of no more significance than the color of his eyes; That until the basic human rights are equally guaranteed to all without regard to race; That until that day, the dream of lasting peace and world citizenship and the rule of international morality will remain but a fleeting illusion, to be pursued but never attained." - English Translation of 1968 Speech delivered to the United Nations, and popularised in a song called War by Bob Marley... There you have the story of Emperor Haile Selassie I. Let us know what you think and give us your comments. As I stated this was about the longest edition in our everyday black history series but well worth the time of bringing it to you in a limited edition but you can always check out more on The Emperor at your one of the various Black owned and operated bookstores in the city, at the local library or a Black owned and operated bookstore online. STAY TUNED TO OUR THIRTEENTH INSTALLMENT COMIN' BLACK ATCHA SOON. RIGHT HERE ON THE ONLY "OFFICIAL WEBSITE OF THE BLACK FIST," THE BLACK FIST BLOG! BLACK FIST, BLACK POWER, BLACK NATION!!! CELBRATING BLACK POWER, EVERY HOUR!!!