A 2021 confrontation sparks a call from Prof. James Small—and a charge to defend Dr. John Henrik Clarke’s legacy. This essay explores why distance sharpens truth, and why Pan-Africanism must be preserved as discipline, not decoration.

For over 2,600 years, disunity has held Black people back, with missed opportunities like the rift between Garvey and Du Bois or the fragmentation of African independence movements. Today, the Alliance of Sahel States offers a chance to change this narrative. By supporting Pan-African efforts and fostering unity, we can break the cycle of powerlessness and build a brighter future for people of African descent. Now is the time to act—let’s come together and seize this historic opportunity.