Tadeegh artist for Collective for Black Iranians
The diaspora reaches into the Middle East, specifically Iran. We share similar struggles with our Iranian cousins; such as Black movements getting hijacked and both our histories being actively erased. We should be showing solidarity with Black Iranians as they face illegal attacks by the imperialist Amerikkkan government.
How did Africans end up in Iran? Short answer, slavery. Iran was first recognized as the country of Iran in 1935 and for thousands of years before that it was known as Persia. Yes that Persia, one of the oldest civilizations in the world. They have a very long history of slavery. Throughout their history they gained slaves from Africa via conflict, but in more modern times they got slaves through the African slave trade like Amerikkka. Yet another similarity we share with them.
Iran has deliberately attempted to erase slavery from their nations history. When Iranians are asked about their history of slavery the general answer is Iran never had slaves and racism does not exist in Iran because that’s what they are taught. After Iran abolished slavery the government immediately erased it from their history. School textbooks did not have it. Everything that was written from 1930’s on completely omitted East Africans from being enslaved.
To go on a deeper dive of the erasure in Iran check out this video:
This erasure leads to an intersection between Black Americans and Black Iranians. In November of 1979 the US Embassy was held hostage in Iran. The hostages situation lasted 444 days, but not for everyone. Black Americans were freed within 14 days. The reason, Iran sided with the Black liberation movement in Amerikkka.
Much like white liberals during the civil rights era who attached themselves to the civil rights movement because they were upset about the Vietnam war, Iran too aligned themselves for selfish reasons. Outside of voicing support and a few rallies in Iran, no real support came from the government.
The Middle East throughout the 1900’s faced colonial pressure from England, America and other colonial powers. in the 1970’s Iran was in conflict with Amerikkka. Aligning themselves to the Black liberation movement gave them legitimacy in their revolution as an anti colonial movement. Something they needed because it was viewed as an Islamic rule movement. They wanted the support of the communist/socialist countries to view it as an anti-colonial movement and gain their support. The cherry on top, supporting Black Americans allowed them to smear their enemy for how they treat their people.
Iran aligned themselves in solidarity with Black Americans well into the 1980s. They would even go on to put Malcolm X, a Black muslim figure on their stamps years before the US would do so.
Iran, used the solidarity with the civil rights/Black liberation movement against Black Iranians. By 1979 Iran was 50 years into their erasure of the slavery. This means multiple generations had not learned about their history of slavery. It had almost completely been wiped from existence in the country. The solidarity with Black Americans gave measuring stick to what slavery and racism looked like from the western side. This is what Iranians mean when they say there is no slavery or racism. They view their history nothing like the evil Amerikkkan empire. However, Black Iranians still face racism.
The erasing of our history has been going on since the abolishment of slavery as well. It most recently escalated with the introduction of critical race theory. Between the years 2021 and 2022, 241 measures to restrict the teaching of race were passed. In 2025 the current administration started dismantling Black history in museums, national parks, parks in general and restricted funding to sites dedicated to Black history. The importance on the fight to keep our history from being erased can be seen from what has happened to Black Iranians. It only takes a couple generations for something no matter how big to be forgotten.
These connections are not one offs. The diaspora from Iran and beyond are linked through many similar type of struggles. There are lessons we can learn from each other and many things to relate over. Black people on this planet share a bond like no other type of people. Keep loving us and long live solidarity amongst the diaspora.
Stay woke,
Loc