Mahama Warns US Is Normalizing the Erasure of Black History
Ghana’s president calls out curriculum cuts, book bans, and monument restorations in the U.S.
- Mahama warns that U.S. policies—removing slavery exhibits, restoring Confederate monuments, and cutting Black history from curricula
- He plans to propose a U.N. resolution recognizing transatlantic slavery as a grave crime
- he resolution has backing from the African Union, Caribbean Community
Ghana’s President John Dramani Mahama has criticized the United States for policies he says are gradually normalizing the erasure of Black history, cautioning that such actions could set a precedent internationally.
Speaking at a United Nations event on slavery reparations in New York, Mahama noted that measures by the U.S. administration, including removing slavery exhibits, restoring Confederate monuments, and revising educational curricula, undermine decades of progress on civil rights. He highlighted that Black history courses are being cut, schools are discouraged from teaching the realities of slavery and segregation, and books addressing these topics are increasingly banned.
“These policies are becoming a model for other governments and private institutions,” Mahama said. “At the very least, they are slowly normalizing the erasure of Black history.”
Mahama, who previously condemned false claims of white genocide in South Africa by U.S. leaders, is in New York to propose a resolution at the U.N. General Assembly. The resolution aims to recognize transatlantic slavery as one of history’s gravest crimes and advocate for reparations, including formal apologies, returning stolen artifacts, financial compensation, and measures to prevent repetition.
Ghana has been at the forefront of the global reparations movement, which has gained momentum despite opposition from some Western nations. The draft resolution has support from the African Union, the Caribbean Community, and countries like Brazil, while the U.S. and European Union have already indicated they will not endorse it.
A White House spokesperson responded to Mahama’s comments by defending former President Donald Trump’s record, saying he “did more for Black Americans than any other president” and received historic support from the Black community during the 2024 election.
