New Book: Black in Latin America

Black in Latin America by Henry Louis Gates Jr.

12.5 million Africans were shipped to the New World during the Middle Passage. While just over 11.0 million survived the arduous journey, only about 450,000 of them arrived in the United States. The rest—over ten and a half million—were taken to the Caribbean and Latin America.

This astonishing fact changes our entire picture of the history of slavery in the Western hemisphere, and of its lasting cultural impact. These millions of Africans created new and vibrant cultures, magnificently compelling syntheses of various African, English, French, Portuguese, and Spanish influences.

Despite their great numbers, the cultural and social worlds that they created remain largely unknown to most Americans, except for certain popular, cross-over musical forms. So Henry Louis Gates, Jr. set out on a quest to discover how Latin Americans of African descent live now, and how the countries of their acknowledge—or deny—their African past; how the fact of race and African ancestry play themselves out in the multicultural worlds of the Caribbean and Latin America.

Starting with the slave experience and extending to the present, Gates unveils the history of the African presence in six Latin American countries—Brazil, Cuba, the Dominican Republic, Haiti, Mexico, and Peru—through art, music, cuisine, dance, politics, and religion, but also the very palpable presence of anti-black racism that has sometimes sought to keep the black cultural presence from view.
Spread the love

More Articles for You

Finding Relief: 5 Books to Help Manage Chronic Pain

Living with chronic pain can be challenging, but there are resources available to help navigate this journey. Whether you’re looking …

Spread the love

Frida Kahlo As An Iconic Disability Advocate

PBS is once again featuring Frida Kahlo in a new three part documentary series, airing now that seeks to to …

Spread the love

The Unknown History of the Spanish Inquisition & Witchcraft Trials in Puerto Rico

Spain’s centuries-long witch hunt killed 700 women – in the region. Estimates indicate that roughly 30,000–60,000 people were executed during …

Spread the love

Justin Torres’ Blackouts

One of my favorite author interviews ever. Right before I departed from my publicity desk Hachette Book Group, I was …

Spread the love

Valeria Aloe on Her Barrier-Breaking Book “Uncolonized Latinas”

If you are not following Valerie Aloe or have not read her book Uncolonized Latinas: Transforming Our Mindsets And Rising …

Spread the love

Portuguese Ethnicity in Puerto Rico

According to a chronology, made available by the Library of Congress, in 1593, “Portuguese soldiers, sent from Lisbon by order …

Spread the love