A growing movement led by African scholars, artists, and activists is challenging the narrow way African history is often taught around the world.
The call is to stop defining Africa mainly through the lens of slavery and instead bring forward the deeper, older stories that existed long before the transatlantic slave trade.
The quote comes from Mutabaruka, a Jamaican poet and cultural figure, who is widely known for his outspoken views on Africa’s past. He argues that slavery should not be seen as the starting point of African history, but rather as a break in a much older and richer story. His message is gaining traction across universities, cultural centers, and among young Africans on social media.
The conversation has picked up pace in places where African history has long been told through the framework of colonialism and slavery. Many educators now argue that this approach has hidden the achievements of ancient African civilizations, such as Nubia, Mali, Axum, and Great Zimbabwe. They point out that Africa had powerful kingdoms, advanced trade systems, and deep traditions in art, science, and governance.
People are working to change how this history is shared. From museums in Ghana to classrooms in Kenya and documentaries made in Nigeria, there’s a fresh focus on telling African stories that start well before the arrival of European traders and colonizers. These efforts are also being pushed forward in the diaspora by Black communities who want younger generations to know more than just the trauma of slavery.
This renewed focus comes at a time when many around the world are questioning how history is taught. Movements to decolonize education, especially in the Global South, have made space for new voices to rewrite the narrative. Mutabaruka’s message fits into that wider shift and is now being echoed by artists, teachers, and thinkers across Africa and the Caribbean.
The idea is not to erase slavery from the record, but to place it in its proper context—as one part of a much longer journey. By telling the full story, people hope to give new generations a better sense of pride and identity rooted in ancient African heritage, not only in its suffering.
This cultural push is helping to reshape not just education, but also how Africans see themselves. It reminds the world that African history did not begin in chains, but with kingdoms, knowledge, and a legacy still worth uncovering today.