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This Moment In Black
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Haile Salassie I, Lion of Juda
Haile Selassie, I was born on July 17, 1891 (1883 according to the Ethiopian calendar). He was then known as Ras Tafari. Ras was a title similar to "duke" and Tafari was a family name. Selassie hails from an ancient family line. According to the Kebre Negas ("Glory of the Kings"—literature of the Ethiopian Orthodox Church) the Ethiopian Dynasty, of which Selassie was a part, can be traced back to the marriage between Solomon and Sheba. Tradition holds that they had a son, Menelik I, from which Haile Selassie is said to descend. He is also said to be descended from King Ori, 4470 B.C., and was able to name all of the rulers, which were his ancestors, from that time.
The Ancient Egyptians, the Coptics, and the Ethiopians (Abyssinians) were among the earliest Christians. Legend has its founding during the time of the Apostles, especially Mathew and Bartholomew who were said to be missionaries there. But the historical accepted date is 330 A.D. when two Syriac Christians, who had escaped from a shipwreck, were brought to the emperor and introduced Christianity to that Dynasty.
Prior to Christianity, Ethiopia, like other parts of Africa, had its own traditional religions which still maintains a strong expression among many of its people. A strong Isis cult remained common to both Egypt and Ethiopia. There also seems to have been a strong Jewish cultic tradition based on pre-Talmudic Judaism in which governor-high-priests ruled over the people. After these priest there appeared kings known as Malkanas, who later took the name negashi—which meant treasures and collectors; later this name became Negus Negast, which is translated today as King of Kings. Ethiopian Christianity is a unique mixture of the old and the new, continuing from the fourth century A.D. to the present.
Ethiopian Christianity represents that branch of the church that parted company with Western Christianity and the Eastern Orthodox church over the interpretation of the nature of Jesus Christ. The Eastern and Western church hold that Jesus was both human and divine. The Coptic church and the Ethiopian church believe that Jesus had only a divine nature.
Ras Tafari studied under Ethiopian and European tutors. He was appointed governor of Basso under his uncle Menelik II's rule. Due to his competence he was appointed administrator of Harrar, the most important province of Ethiopia, while still in his teens. Political intrigue caused him to be removed and placed in the distant province of Caffa.
Upon Menelik II's death, his grandson Lidj Yassu rose to the throne. Due to the influence of his father, Ras Michael, Yassu began to observe Islamic customs to the dismay of many Ethiopians who had been Christians for 1600 years. The Ethiopian church and other leaders deposed and replaced him with Menelik II's daughter Zaiditu, or Judith. And Ras Tafari was named regent and heir to the throne.
Conflict began to arise between the Islamic forces led by Yassu and his father and the Christians, led by Ras Tafari. This lasted several years until October 27, 1916 when Ras Tafari defeated Ras Michael in a great battle. In 1821 Lidj Yassu raised another army but Ras Tafari defeated him and held him prisoner.
Ras Tafari proved to be an excellent diplomat, maneuvering a place for Ethiopia in the League of Nations against the opposition of several European countries, but with support from others. This made it impossible for any of them to attack Ethiopia without breaking the League's covenant. When traveling abroad he carried his enemies with him in order to keep an eye on them. Thus Comes the Phrase "Keep your friends close, but keep your enemies closer."
Upon his return he set out on a modernization program for Ethiopia. This drew great opposition from Empress Zaiditu and her party. They felt that the old ways and custom were good enough and should be preserved, and that the European influences would proved disastrous to African people and should be curbed. Ras Tafari thought they might adopt those European customs and inventions that could be beneficial and keep their overall influence within bounds.
Ras Tafari's efforts proved beneficial and in recognition of his services the leaders of Ethiopia crowned him, the great grandson of King Saheka Selassie, an earlier Negus of Ethiopia, in October, 1928. He thereafter took the name Haile Selassie (Might of the Trinity), to which was added "King of Kings," "Lord of Lords," and "Lion of the Tribe of Judah" or the "Conquering Lion of Judah."
Accession to the throne by no means gave him an easy hand to carry out his reforms. He had to contend with rulers of provinces jealous of their power, a powerful Ethiopian clergy opposed to science, innovations, and modern methods, and incessant foreign intrigue for economic control and even seizure of his country. Still he was able to institute a parliament and a modern court system, build roads, schools, and hospitals. Ethiopia was a poor country. It was rich in natural resources but highly underdeveloped. The foreign and domestic problems continued to mount until he was eventually overthrown.
In August of 1975 Haile Selassie died. Many have been recorded as saying that "No picture of him has ever been able to capture the essence of his spirit."
African and Ethiopian culture was prevalent among many of the oppressed Blacks throughout the western hemisphere. Especially was this so among those of Jamaica. Biblical imagery was referred to reverently. After several years of struggle, the oppressed found in Marcus Garvey the embodiment of many of their hopes, dreams, and aspirations—and a vision of a better day.
Garvey's ideas were troublesome to some of the Jamaican whites as well as middle class Blacks and mulattoes. And he consequently received little or no support from them. Therefore, Garvey, in an attempt to improve the educations of his fellow Jamaicans, sought to travel to the United States to raise funds to establish a school similar to the Tuskegee Institute founded by Booker T. Washington.
Garvey ended up staying in the United States, but before he left Jamaica he told his followers to "Look for Africa for the crowning of a Black King, he shall be the Redeemer." So—when Haile Selassie became enthroned in Ethiopia with all of those glorious accompanying titles, let alone his lineage, he was viewed as the Messiah that Garvey had prophesied.
It is unclear as to why the Rastafarians chose to name their movement after his pre-enthroned name Ras Tafari. However, the name Haile Selassie appears prevalently in their songs and prayers. Selassie never accepted the idea of him being a messiah and encouraged the Rastas (as they are often called) to read and study the scriptures. However, the faith and beliefs of the Rastafarians persisted and he remains a revered figure.