Also pardoned were a top Virginia lawmaker and advocates for immigrant rights, criminal justice reform and gun violence prevention.

It's not clear whether Biden, who leaves office Monday, will pardon people who have been criticized or threatened by President-elect Donald Trump.

US President Joe Biden has posthumously pardoned black nationalist Marcus Garvey, who influenced Malcolm X and other civil rights leaders and was convicted of mail fraud in the 1920s. Congressional leaders had pushed for Mr Biden to pardon Mr Garvey,

Congressional leaders had pushed for Biden to pardon Garvey, with supporters arguing that Garvey’s conviction was politically motivated and an effort to silence the increasingly popular leader who spoke of racial pride.

President Biden used his clemency power today, his last full day of presidency, to pardon 5 individuals and commute the sentences of 2 others. One of those pardons went to Speaker of the Virginia House of Delegates Don Scott.

Virginia House Speaker Don Scott was pardoned Sunday by President Joe Biden for a felony drug conviction Scott received in 1994 while he was a law school student.