On History and Heritage
-Dr John Henrik Clarke-

It is the role of the writer, the thinker, to ask and answer the question: How will my people stay on this earth? If there is nothing else that is required of the thinker, of the writer, of the teacher, it is that his people have a right to look to him/her to tell them their cultural, political and historical time of the day. Timekeeping begins with history and the preface of every messenger to the people should be about historical definitions. History is a clock that people use to tell the cultural, historical and political time of day. It is also a compass they use to find themselves on the map of human geography. History tells a people where they have been and what they have been. It also tells them where they are and what they are.
Most importantly, the role of history is to tell a people where they must go and what they still must be. History and the proper understanding of it is the basis for all of a people's honest and creative efforts to improve themselves and contribute to the broader society. The role of history in the life of a people has the same significance as the role of a mother in the life of a child.
Any person who calls him/herself a teacher, who cannot give you some sense of where you are, so you'll know where you've got to go, is unworthy of the name and we cannot carry these people anymore. We cannot pretend these people are leaders; we cannot let them off the hook anymore.
…The capitalist system that was based on slavery, that built its empire on the misery of our people, cannot free our people. No economic system devised in europe can be best (good) for Afrika or Asia. Because systems, religions and cultures devised in europe were meant to facilitate the european control of the world. These 'icebox' people have never pretended otherwise. We have misunderstood them. They never said that they wanted to do anything but control the world by any means necessary. When they say 'universal' they mean themselves. When they say 'world' you are not part of that world. So, therefore, you must fashion your concept of 'world' to suit your condition and your destiny. So when you think 'world', if you mean one thing and if they say 'world' and mean another thing, that is not a disaster, so long as your people understand that when you say 'world' you mean, first and foremost, the Afrikan world. And that your 'universality' began with an understanding of where Afrikan people are in the world and what they have to do, one to the other, to stay in the world.
If you were a minority, we would deal with that…if you were land poor, we would deal with that…but you are not a minority, you're not land poor, you're not people poor and you're not resource poor. Then why are you so actually poor? Because someone else is controlling your land, your resources, your geography; somebody else is digging your gold, marketing your gold, marketing your diamonds and doesn't even account to you for how many they take out. Afrikan People are the rightful owners of the greatest piece of real estate on the face of the earth. It is rich beyond measure.
(This is one reason why our enemy loves it when we self-deny our Afrikan heritage,
our rightful inheritance. -ed)