…Chains unbroken – the global silence on black suffering
Is it a crime to be black?
From the brutal legacies of slavery and colonialism to the present-day realities of systemic racism, Black people and Africans continue to endure a world that often denies them dignity, equality, and justice. While there has been progress, the underlying structures of racial prejudice and global anti-Blackness persist — often in insidious and deeply entrenched ways.
A History Written in Chains
The dehumanisation of Black people began centuries ago through the transatlantic slave trade. Between the 16th and 19th centuries, an estimated 12 million Africans were forcibly uprooted, shackled, and transported to the Americas under brutal conditions. This atrocity was not just a crime against individuals—it was an assault on cultures, identities, and civilisations.
Colonialism compounded this injustice. European powers robbed newly-defined African nations of sovereignty, resources, and heritage—all while branding their people as “backward.” These ideologies were absorbed into modern systems of education, law, and commerce, shaping a world that continues to marginalise and exploit Black and African lives.
Racism Without Borders
Economic Marginalisation
Wealth inequality: In the U.S., as of 2016, Black households held roughly 10 per cent of the wealth of white households; disparities persisted regardless of age or education.
Pandemic effects: Between 2019 and 2023, white Americans’ net worth grew significantly more than that of Black Americans, despite a 7.1 per cent rise in Black workers’ incomes—because Black households typically held fewer financial assets like stocks.
Global comparison: In South Africa, the median Black household owns only about 5 per cent of the wealth of median white households—mirroring the U.S. pattern. In addition, only 3 per cent of Black South Africans own wealth of at least R250,000 (~$13,000), compared to ~50% of white South Africans.
State Violence & Criminalisation
Police brutality: Between 2015 and 2020, over 1,000 people died at the hands of U.S. law enforcement annually, with roughly one in 1,000 Black men facing death by police during their lives. Only three officers were convicted for murder in that span.
Global patterns: In Brazil in 2018, police killed 6,220 people, 75 per cent of whom were Black; in Bahia, 97.9 per cent of those killed by military police in 2021 were Black.
UN assessment: UN High Commissioner Michelle Bachelet concluded in 2021 that “no country has fully addressed” the legacy of systemic racism, calling for “transformative” reparations.
Xenophobia & Anti-African Sentiment
In wider societies, African migrants often face xenophobia, lack of legal protections, and degrading treatment. This animosity manifests in host countries across Europe, the Middle East, and Asia, with African students and labourers frequently targeted.
Cultural Appropriation & Erasure
Western fashion, music, and cultural expressions draw heavily from African traditions—but African voices are often sidelined. This phenomenon remains a striking form of exploitation: aesthetic admiration without genuine respect for originators.
The Psychological Toll
Racism inflicts deep emotional and psychological trauma. Generations of Black individuals grow up internalising messages of inferiority, seeing near absence in positions of power, beauty, and authority. Microaggressions, misrepresentation in media, and systemic neglect cultivate a persistent feeling of exclusion.
The Resistance Endures
Despite centuries of oppression, Black and African communities continue to rise and resist:
Civil & anti-colonial activism: From early civil rights leaders to present-day African youths demanding political and economic reform.
Black Lives Matter (BLM): A movement sparked by George Floyd’s killing in May 2020 (Minneapolis), which triggered protests in over 2,000 cities worldwide and involved up to 26 million people in the U.S. alone—making it one of the largest protest movements in U.S. history.
Global solidarity: Activists rallied under banners like #EndSARS in Nigeria, echoing demands to end police violence globally.
Yet, progress has been uneven. A recent Guardian panel warns that in the U.S., police budgets have risen above pre-2020 levels; in places like the UK, Germany, Brazil, and South Africa, reform has been limited or stalled.
A Call to Conscience
Racism is not just a moral failure—it is a structural problem with global consequences. The world cannot claim progress while millions are still denied basic recognition of their humanity. Becoming anti-racist isn’t optional—it’s essential.
This isn’t solely a Black problem—it’s a human one. Redressing it requires honest confrontation, unwavering courage, and committed solidarity.
Final Thoughts
It is no longer enough to condemn racism. We must actively dismantle the systems that perpetuate inequality—from criminal justice and education to immigration and global finance. Black lives must be valued not as tokens or footnotes, but as central chapters in the story of humanity. Only through sustained truth-telling, accountability, and action can we hope to heal centuries of injustice—and build a future rooted in equity for every Black life.
Key Citations
Transatlantic slave trade estimate
2–3. U.S. racial wealth gap, Federal Reserve & NY Fed data
4–5. Wealth disparities in South Africa
6–8. Police violence statistics (U.S., Brazil)
UN reparations report
10–11. BLM protest scale, global solidarity actions
Global review of post‑2020 reforms
