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by Shepherd Robert Athlyi Rogers (Author)
Written by Robert Athlyi Rogers during a time of sweeping racial change in the United States, The Holy Piby, or 'The Black Man's Bible, ' speaks directly to the Pan-African community at large. Capturing hearts and minds with its message of self-reliance and self-determination, it is a theology that sees all Africans as the chosen people of God and Ethiopia (i.e. Africa) as the promised land. It also recognises His Excellency, The Right Honorable Marcus Mosia Garvey, as an apostle. The Holy Piby is the most important proto-Rastafari text and a predominant source of influence for the birth of the religion. On November 2, 1930, Prince Ras Tafari Makonnen was crowned emperor of Ethiopia. Upon his coronation, he took the name Haile Selassie, meaning "Might of the Trinity" and the title "Conquering Lion of the Tribe of Judah, Elect of God and King of the Kings of Ethiopia." For the Rastafari, the coronation of Ras Tafari is seen as the fulfilment of one of the key prophecies contained within The Holy Piby. They regarded the emperor as the physical presence of God (Jah) on Earth and as the second coming of Christ the messiah. Banned in Jamaica and throughout the Caribbean during the 1920's for its controversial proclamations, original editions of the work are extremely rare. Copies are not listed in either the Library of Congress or the University of California catalogs. This book is a beautifully re-typeset edition of that most important work, and stands as the definitive version to own and cherish.
