Black History Month 2022
While Black History Month is celebrated officially throughout February, it should be an every-day effort to uplift Black voices and celebrate Black stories. It’s also important to acknowledge that both the United States and Latin America have a history of overlooking the achievements of Black folks.
We typically associate Black History Month with African-Americans. Since this is commonly the case, what does Black History have to do with the Latinx community? There is a tendency to view “black” and “Latinx” as separate entities, as if they have nothing to do with each other. However, there are significant populations of Latinxs throughout the countries of Latin America who are of African descent. These African- descended Latinxs are commonly referred to or self-identify, primarily in the U.S., as “Afro-Latinxs”.
With that said, what do African-Americans and Afro-Latinxs have in common? We are black! Yet there is not nearly enough mention of the Afro-Latinx experience in the U.S. during this commemorative month. Looking back into our history, African-Americans and Afro-Latinxs share a common lineage. The conversation about the history of the transatlantic slave trade and the experience of enslaved people is typically focused on those who came to the U.S., especially in the South. However, only approximately 400,000 out of the 10.7 million of enslaved Africans who survived the Middle Passage came to the U.S. over the course of the transatlantic slave trade. Thus, the majority of the Africans who survived the voyage to the Americas arrived in the Caribbean and Latin America.
The Africans who arrived in the U.S. and Latin America left a significant impact on the African-American, Afro-Latinx, and broader communities. Their descendants continue to preserve, shape and maintain the influence left behind by their ancestors. From the music to the food, from literature and the arts to religion, there is a notable African presence that exists in both cultures.
In Celebration of Black History Month and in honor of the Black experience, we have highlighted a few links to articles and videos featuring people who have made notable contributions here in the United States and abroad in the fields of medicine, politics, music, and more!
Articles:
- Huff Post- Afro-Latinos and Black History Month
- African American Registry – Blacks in Latin America
- Pew Research Center – Afro-Latino: A deeply rooted identity among U.S. Hispanics
- NPR – Amara La Negra and Colorism
Videos:
Afro Latinx Influence in Dance:
- Puerto Rico’s Bomba, A Dance of The African Diaspora | KQED Arts – Witness the unstoppable joy of dancing bomba, Puerto Rico’s Afro-Puerto Rican dance of resistance.
- Afro-Mexicans: Dancing Their Way Back To Their Roots – Obatala is an Afro-Mexican dance troop that travels and performs throughout southern Mexico.
Afro Latinos in Sports:
- Minnie Minoso – Biography – Saturnino Orestes Armas (Arrieta) Minoso (Cuban Comet) -Leftfielder and Third Baseman
- Afro-Latino History: Roberto Clemente – Baseball player and important figure in AL community
The Afro-Latinx Experience:
- One Nación: Afro-Latinos – In recognition of the estimated 1.5 Million Afro Latinos in the U.S., ESPN produced this feature discussing the Afro Latino experience.
- Afro Latinas on Amara La Negra, Colorism and Black History | ESSENCE – being Afro Latina, the rise of “Love & Hip Hop Miami” star Amara La Negra and overcoming ignorance about their ethnicity.
Featured Afro Latinx author with Strong Afro Latinx Characters in their books:
Elizabeth Acevedo, author of:
- The Poet X – Winner of the National Book Award for Young People’s Literature, the Michael L. Printz Award, and the Pura Belpré Award!
- Clap When You Land – A novel-in-verse that brims with grief and love, Elizabeth Acevedo writes about the devastation of loss, the difficulty of forgiveness, and the bittersweet bonds that shape our lives.
- With Fire on High – A novel in prose about a girl with talent, pride, and a drive to feed the soul that keeps her fire burning bright.
ESPAÑOL
Mes de la Historia Afroamericana 2022
Si bien el Mes de la Historia Afro-Americana se celebra oficialmente en febrero, debería ser un esfuerzo diario para elevar las voces negras y celebrar las historias Afroamericanas. También es importante reconocer que tanto los Estados Unidos como América Latina historicamente han dejado pasar por alto los logros de las comunidades negras.
Por lo general, asociamos el Mes de la Historia de las comunidades negras con los afroamericanos. Dado que este suele ser el caso, ¿qué tiene que ver Black History con la comunidad Latinx? Existe una tendencia a ver comunidad “negra” y “latinx” como entidades separadas, como si no tuvieran nada que ver entre sí. Sin embargo, hay poblaciones significativas de Latinxs en todos los países de América Latina que son descendientes de africanos. Estas comunidades latinas descendientes de africanos se denominan comúnmente o se identifican a sí mismos, principalmente en los EE. UU., como “Afro-Latino”.
Dicho esto, ¿Qué tienen en común los afroamericanos y los afro-latinos? ¡Somos comunidades de raza negra! Sin embargo, no se menciona lo suficiente la experiencia afro-latina en los EEUU Durante este mes conmemorativo. Mirando hacia atrás en nuestra historia, los afroamericanos y los afro-latinos comparten un linaje común. La conversación sobre la historia del comercio transatlántico de esclavos y la experiencia de las personas esclavizadas generalmente se enfoca en aquellos que llegaron a los EEUU., especialmente en el Sur. Sin embargo, solo aproximadamente 400.000 de los 10,7 millones de africanos esclavizados que sobrevivieron al Middle Passage llegaron a los EEUU durante el transcurso de la trata transatlántica de esclavos. Así, la mayoría de los africanos que sobrevivieron al viaje a las Américas llegaron al Caribe y América Latina.
Los africanos que llegaron a los EEUU y América Latina dejaron un impacto significativo en las comunidades afroamericanas, afro-latinas sumamente enriquecedoras. Sus descendientes continúan preservando, dando forma y manteniendo la influencia dejada por sus antepasados. Desde la música hasta la comida, desde la literatura y las artes hasta la religión, hay una notable presencia africana que existe en ambas culturas.
¡En celebración del Mes de la Historia Afro-Americana, hemos destacado algunos enlaces a artículos y videos de personas que han hecho contribuciones notables aquí en los Estados Unidos y en el extranjero en los campos de la medicina, la política, la música y más!
Artículos:
- Huff Post- Afro-Latinos and Black History Month
- African American Registry – Blacks in Latin America
- Pew Research Center – Afro-Latino: A deeply rooted identity among U.S. Hispanics
- NPR – Amara La Negra and Colorism
Videos:
Influencia Afro Latinx en la Danza:
- Puerto Rico’s Bomba, A Dance of The African Diaspora | KQED Arts – Witness the unstoppable joy of dancing bomba, Puerto Rico’s Afro-Puerto Rican dance of resistance.
- Afro-Mexicans: Dancing Their Way Back To Their Roots – Obatala is an Afro-Mexican dance troop that travels and performs throughout southern Mexico.
Afro Latinx en Deportes:
- Minnie Minoso – Biography – Saturnino Orestes Armas (Arrieta) Minoso (Cuban Comet) -Leftfielder and Third Baseman
- Afro-Latino History: Roberto Clemente – Baseball player and important figure in AL community
La experiencia Afro-Latinx:
- One Nación: Afro-Latinos – In recognition of the estimated 1.5 Million Afro Latinos in the U.S., ESPN produced this feature discussing the Afro Latino experience.
- Afro Latinas on Amara La Negra, Colorism and Black History | ESSENCE – being Afro Latina, the rise of “Love & Hip Hop Miami” star Amara La Negra and overcoming ignorance about their ethnicity.
Destacado autor Afro-Latinx con personajes Afro-Latinx en sus libros:
Elizabeth Acevedo, autor de:
- The Poet X – Winner of the National Book Award for Young People’s Literature, the Michael L. Printz Award, and the Pura Belpré Award!
- Clap When You Land – A novel-in-verse that brims with grief and love, Elizabeth Acevedo writes about the devastation of loss, the difficulty of forgiveness, and the bittersweet bonds that shape our lives.
- With Fire on High – A novel in prose about a girl with talent, pride, and a drive to feed the soul that keeps her fire burning bright.
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