Civil rights advocates and lawmakers have long said that Mr. Garvey’s 1923 conviction for mail fraud was unjust, arguing that he was targeted for his work.

The president’s pardon of Garvey, a seminal figure in the civil rights movement, is another reflection of his presidency’s ties to the Black community.

Over the centuries, the fight for racial equality has produced many interesting characters and just as many contentious perspectives. One of the most contentious figures was Marcus Garvey, who, unlike many others who fought for equality,