As Black History Month unfolds, debate is growing over a movement known as Foundational Black Americans, which argues that Black identity in the United States begins with enslavement rather than Africa. In this episode of The Breakdown, the focus is on Foundational Black American ideology, examining its claims, its rising appeal, and the risks it poses to Black unity. Supporters say the framework centers the unique harms of U.S. chattel slavery, while critics argue it erases Africa’s civilizational history and sidelines Africans and Caribbeans who helped shape Black political, cultural and intellectual life in America. Analysts warn that framing Black history as starting in chains narrows collective power, fuels internal division, and ultimately serves systems that benefit from fragmentation rather than solidarity.
BY Malise Omoloye, 12:30pm February 07, 2026,
Black History, Slavery and the FBA Divide
by Malise Omoloye, 12:30pm February 07, 2026,
