“Our freedom will be incomplete without the freedom of the Palestinian people.” When Nelson Mandela spoke these words in 1997, they struck a chord with many in the Black diaspora, who have long felt a deep connection to the Palestinian struggle. In this week’s Long Wave, as more journalists lose their lives in Gaza and some Western nations finally take steps to recognize a Palestinian state, I explore the history of Black solidarity with Palestine and how it has endured.
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### A Shared History of Oppression
In 1988, Yasser Arafat, leader of the Palestinian Liberation Organization, declared a Palestinian state. Of the 84 countries that immediately recognized it, half were African or Caribbean. But solidarity with Palestine had already been growing, as many postcolonial Black nations saw their own struggles reflected in the Palestinian cause.
Black Panther leader Stokely Carmichael called Palestine “the tip of Africa.” In 1994, Burkina Faso’s president Thomas Sankara told the UN: “I think of the brave Palestinian people, families torn apart, forced to wander the world seeking refuge. Their plight reminds us of our moral duty to stand for justice.” And for Mandela, Palestine wasn’t just a parallel struggle—it was essential to global liberation.
### A Political Bond Forged by History
In Africa, support for Palestine wasn’t automatic—it grew from real events. In the 1950s and 60s, Israel, newly established in 1948, tried to present itself as another young nation breaking free from colonialism. It built ties across the Global South, including Africa, to counter hostility from Arab neighbors. But the 1967 and 1973 wars changed everything. Millions of Palestinians were displaced, their lands occupied, and Israel took territory from Egypt, Syria, and Jordan.
This shift, as historian Dahlia El Zein notes, marked “the decline of Israel’s influence in Africa.” Israel was no longer seen as part of the anti-colonial struggle but as an oppressor. By the mid-70s, Palestine had become central to the postcolonial movement. The Organization of African Unity (precursor to the African Union) declared in 1975: “The racist regimes in occupied Palestine, Zimbabwe, and South Africa share the same imperialist roots—united in their oppression of human dignity.”
### Fighting Imperialism Together
As Black movements evolved—from battling colonialism to demanding civil rights and racial justice—solidarity with Palestine remained strong. If Palestine was “the tip of Africa” for the Black Panthers, it also held a key place in the political struggles of the Black diaspora.The connection between Palestine and global anti-racism movements runs deep. From diaspora labor groups like the UK’s Caribbean Labour Solidarity to international movements like Black Lives Matter (BLM), the fight against Palestinian oppression has been a shared struggle. Long before BLM protests went global in 2020, the movement’s organizers had already made ending the occupation of Palestine a key demand, while also supporting the boycott, divestment, and sanctions (BDS) campaign against Israel.
At a 2021 pro-Palestine rally in New Jersey, BLM organizer Zellie Thomas highlighted the deep empathy many Black Americans feel for Palestinians: “We know occupation. We know colonization, we know police brutality.”
### Gaza and a New Era of Solidarity
The ongoing genocide in Gaza and escalating settler violence in the West Bank have only reinforced the solidarity of those who have long recognized Palestine’s struggle as part of a broader fight against apartheid and state violence. This has transformed the Palestinian cause from an abstract political issue into an urgent humanitarian crisis—one made worse by Western powers, particularly the U.S., backing Israel’s assault.
South Africa, a nation scarred by apartheid and Western complicity in that system, took Israel to the International Court of Justice, demanding protections for Palestinians against genocide.
In the U.S., Israel’s biggest supporter, the Palestinian struggle continues to resonate. Last year, Ta-Nehisi Coates—one of America’s most prominent writers on racism and reparations—published The Message, a book that critiques Israel and links its policies to America’s own racist history.
Visiting the occupied Palestinian territories, Coates said the closest comparison he could draw was “the era when the U.S. called itself a democracy while disenfranchising Black people in the South. When I say Jim Crow, when I say segregation—that’s the period that comes to mind.”
Perhaps this is why Western nations have been slow to recognize Palestine. True solidarity emerges not from political strategy, but from recognizing shared struggles—when another people’s suffering echoes your own history and lived experience.
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FAQS
### **FAQs: From Harlem to Hebron – The Enduring Legacy of Black Support for Palestinians**
#### **Beginner-Level Questions**
**1. What is the connection between Black Americans and Palestinian solidarity?**
Black Americans have historically supported Palestinians due to shared experiences of oppression, racism, and resistance against systemic injustice.
**2. Why is this solidarity often called “From Harlem to Hebron”?**
The phrase symbolizes the link between Black communities (like Harlem, NYC) and Palestinian struggles (like Hebron, West Bank), highlighting mutual support.
**3. When did Black-Palestinian solidarity begin?**
It grew during the Civil Rights Movement (1960s) and strengthened with figures like Malcolm X and the Black Panthers supporting Palestinian rights.
**4. What are some key moments in this solidarity movement?**
– Malcolm X’s visits to Palestinian refugee camps (1964)
– The Black Panthers’ alliance with Palestinian liberation groups
– Modern movements like Black Lives Matter expressing support for Palestine
**5. How do Black activists view the Palestinian struggle?**
Many see parallels between Palestinian resistance and the fight against anti-Black racism, police brutality, and colonialism.
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#### **Advanced-Level Questions**
**6. How does Israel’s treatment of Palestinians compare to U.S. systemic racism?**
Both involve segregation, militarized policing, and unequal rights, leading many Black activists to draw connections.
**7. What role did the Black Panthers play in supporting Palestinians?**
They publicly allied with Palestinian groups, seeing both movements as fighting against oppression by militarized states.
**8. Has this solidarity always been accepted in Black communities?**
No—some leaders, like MLK, avoided direct alignment, while others, like Malcolm X, were vocal. Today, opinions still vary.
**9. How do critics view Black-Palestinian solidarity?**
Some argue it oversimplifies complex conflicts, while others believe it strengthens global anti-oppression movements.
**10. What are modern examples of Black-Palestinian activism?**
– BLM’s statements on Gaza
– Joint protests against police violence in the U.S. and Israeli military actions
– Cultural exchanges between Black and Palestinian artists
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#### **Practical & Action-Oriented Questions**
**11. How can someone learn more about this history?**
Read books like *Black Power and
