Why Dr. John Henrik Clarke Is Correct About Black People Having No Friends (and why We Don’t Need Any) – a Garveyite Perspective
Dr. John Henrik Clarke famously stated, “Black people have no friends.” For many, this may sound harsh, but it is a sobering truth when viewed through the lens of Pan-Africanism and Marcus Garvey’s philosophy. Garvey understood that Black liberation can not depend on external allies; it must come from within—rooted in self-reliance, unity, and a shared commitment among Black people globally.
Here’s why, Dr. Clarke’s statement rings true and why, from a Garveyite perspective, Black people don’t need friends—only each other.
From colonialism to the civil rights era, supposed "friends" of Black people have repeatedly betrayed or abandoned us. Other groups have leveraged Black struggles for their own gains, only to leave Black people behind once their goals were achieved.
Post-slavery labour movements excluded Black workers.
Civil rights coalitions saw other groups gain rights, while Black people remained trapped under systemic racism.
Garvey and Clarke both saw these betrayals as evidence that Black people must prioritize their own interests and stop relying on others.
2. Global Anti-Blackness Is Real
Anti-Blackness isn’t confined to one region—it’s a global phenomenon. Across continents, Black people face systemic oppression, discrimination, and dehumanization.
Other groups often form alliances to protect their own power while marginalizing Black voices.
Even in spaces of shared oppression, anti-Blackness often takes precedence.
Dr. Clarke’s assertion and Garvey’s vision both point to this truth: Black liberation must come from within because no one else will prioritize us.
3. Dependency Leads to Exploitation
Depending on outside "friends" or allies often comes with hidden costs. Foreign aid, alliances, and solidarity movements often prioritize the interests of others over Black liberation.
Aid to African nations often perpetuates dependency rather than fostering self-sufficiency.
"Allies" in social justice movements often centre their struggles, leaving Black people to fight alone.
Garvey warned that dependency breeds vulnerability. Clarke reinforces this: Black people must build their own systems to avoid exploitation.
4. We Have Everything We Need
Garvey believed that Black people possess the resources, talents, and ingenuity needed for liberation.
Africa’s wealth: With its vast natural resources, Africa can fund global Black empowerment if reclaimed from exploitative systems.
Diaspora talent: Across the globe, Black communities excel in innovation, creativity, and resilience.
Dr. Clarke’s statement echoes Garvey’s vision: We don’t need friends because we already have all the tools for success.
5. Cultural Exploitation Is Proof of No True Friendship
Black culture—music, art, fashion, and more—is celebrated globally, but Black people are rarely compensated or empowered by their own creations.
Other groups profit from Black innovation while perpetuating anti-Black systems.
Cultural exploitation demonstrates a lack of true solidarity.
Garvey’s solution: Black people must reclaim their culture and use it as a tool for empowerment, not exploitation.
6. Unity Is Our Greatest Strength (and Threat to Oppressors)
A united global Black community is the most powerful weapon against systemic oppression. Garvey emphasized unity, and Clarke’s assertion underscores why others fear it:
A unified Black world challenges global power structures that thrive on division.
By focusing on internal unity, Black people strengthen themselves and disrupt oppressive systems.
7. Allies Often Divide Us
Alliances can create divisions within Black movements, as external influences pit factions against each other or dilute the focus on Black liberation.
During the civil rights movement, alliances often marginalized more radical Black voices.
Today, funding from external groups can cause conflicts between grassroots Black organizers and larger organizations tied to outside agendas.
Garvey’s emphasis on self-reliance offers a solution: Black unity must come first, free from outside interference.
8. Other Groups Prioritize Their Own Interests
Every group prioritizes its own survival and progress—it’s not wrong, but Black people must learn from this.
White nations maintain global alliances to uphold their dominance.
Asian nations focus on economic self-sufficiency.
Jewish communities have built strong networks to protect and uplift their people.
Garvey and Clarke would agree: It’s time for Black people to do the same and put themselves first.
9. Historical Success Through Self-Reliance
History proves that Black people thrive when they rely on themselves:
The Haitian Revolution succeeded because enslaved Africans united and rejected external dependence.
Garvey’s UNIA (Universal Negro Improvement Association) built businesses, schools, and a global movement without outside help.
These examples show that self-reliance works. Black people don’t need friends—they need focus.
10. True Liberation Is Self-Determined
Liberation can not be outsourced, gifted, or borrowed—it must be self-determined. Allies may help temporarily, but no one will prioritize Black liberation over their own interests.
Garvey envisioned a world where Black people controlled their own economies, politics, and resources.
Clarke’s assertion reminds us that we can’t afford to waste time seeking validation or support from others.
11. Black Liberation Threatens Global Power Structures
Both Garvey and Clarke understood that Black liberation isn’t just a struggle for freedom—it’s a direct threat to the systems of power that dominate the world.
A free and united Africa would undermine Western economic dominance, which relies on exploiting African resources.
A globally empowered Black diaspora would disrupt industries, politics, and systems built on anti-Blackness.
This explains why no other group can truly be a friend to Black liberation. Their survival often depends on maintaining the status quo that oppresses us.
12. “Allies” Often Centre Themselves in Our Struggles
Even when other groups claim to stand in solidarity with Black movements, their involvement often centers their own experiences, narratives, and priorities.
Non-black allies frequently shift attention to their struggles, leaving Black people to carry the burden of fighting for everyone else.
Movements like Black Lives Matter have seen external groups co-opt their messages for personal or political gain.
Garvey’s philosophy reminds us to stay focused on our own goals and not allow our movements to be hijacked.
13. Romanticizing External Help Distracts from Pan-African Solutions
One of the pitfalls of seeking allies is the belief that external help is necessary or even superior. This mindset can prevent Black people from exploring Pan-African solutions.
Garvey’s vision of “Africa for Africans” called for African nations and the diaspora to work together without relying on foreign nations or systems.
Clarke’s statement reinforces this idea: the best solutions come from within. Black people don’t need external friends—they need internal unity.
14. Allies Often Maintain Anti-Black Systems
Even so-called “progressive” allies often uphold the same systems that oppress Black people.
Corporations claiming to support racial justice continue to exploit African resources and labour.
Governments speaking out against racism still engage in policies that harm Black communities worldwide.
Dr. Clarke and Garvey both understood this hypocrisy. Real liberation requires rejecting systems that perpetuate oppression, even if they claim to support us.
15. Our Focus Should Be on Building Future Generations, Not Pleasing Others
Garvey often emphasized the importance of preparing future generations to lead and succeed independently.
Clarke’s warning about having no friends reinforces this: Why waste time seeking allies when we could be building schools, economies, and systems that empower our children?
A Garveyite perspective prioritizes creating a legacy of self-reliance and leadership that ensures the survival and progress of Black people globally.
By focusing on the future, Black people can stop relying on the approval or assistance of others and instead secure their own destinies.
Final Reflection: All We Have Is Us, and That’s Enough
Dr. John Henrik Clarke’s statement and Marcus Garvey’s philosophy both lead to the same conclusion: Black people must take responsibility for their liberation. True freedom can not and will not come from allies—it must come from within. The power lies in our hands, in our unity, and in our shared commitment to self-determination.
We don’t need friends. We need ourselves.
