US civil rights leader Al Sharpton declares support for Ghana's push for justice over slave trade

Renowned American civil rights activist Al Sharpton has thrown his support behind Ghana’s push at the United Nations to have the transatlantic slave trade declared the gravest crime against humanity.

Sharpton’s endorsement adds strong international backing to the initiative being led by John Dramani Mahama, who is set to present the proposal at the UN General Assembly.

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Sharpton has given his “full support” to the campaign, which seeks global recognition of the historical injustice of slavery and a pathway toward reparatory justice.

The proposal aims to formally declare “the transatlantic slave trade, and the racialised chattel enslavement of Africans, as the gravest crime against humanity.”

Sharpton’s backing comes at a time when Ghana’s initiative is gaining momentum internationally. Brazil has also pledged support for the move, with its president expressing commitment during high-level diplomatic talks at the CELAC-Africa Summit.

This growing coalition reflects a wider global push, particularly among African and Caribbean nations, to move beyond acknowledgment of slavery toward concrete discussions on reparations.

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President Mahama is expected to table the resolution on March 25, 2026, during a series of high-level engagements in New York.

He will also deliver a keynote address at a special UN event on reparatory justice, bringing together world leaders and policymakers to discuss the long-term impact of slavery.

Mahama will address the UN General Assembly and present the African Union’s adopted position backing the resolution. The call for reparatory justice is not new, but it has gained renewed urgency in recent years.

In a recent opinion piece, Mahama stressed that the initiative is about recognition and healing, not blame. It is about “acknowledging historical injustices” and working toward a fairer global future.

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The transatlantic slave trade, which lasted for over 400 years, displaced millions of Africans and continues to shape global inequalities today.

With influential voices like Al Sharpton now backing the campaign, Ghana’s push at the UN is gaining the kind of international attention that could shape one of the most important global justice conversations in recent years.