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African-Mexicans have endured general neglect-once as slaves and again as historical subjects. Few scholars have examined the African-- Hispanic experience thoroughly. Biased interpretations of Mexican history insisted that the Hispanic indigenous influence is the only foundation for the construction of Mexico's modern society. But the African element has often gone unnoticed in Mexican culture although it was a major factor during the colonial period.
This study surveys the experiences and contributions of Africans from 1519 to 1810 in Mexican history. The Spaniards brought Africans into a society that deemed them weak, hedonistic, subservient, and fit only for bondage. Without knowledge of Mexico's African legacy, a full understanding of modern Mexico is incomplete. This study also demonstrates that African-Mexicans played an active role in the evolution of colonial Mexico despite suffering the brunt of Spain's oppressive color consciousness.
The first African slaves in Mexico accompanied their masters to New Spain during the early sixteenth century Hispanic invasion. These Africans arrived from Cuba with Hernan Cortes and Panfilo de Narvaez. Afterwards, large numbers of slaves, with Spanish settlers at their sides, poured into the tantalizing Viceroyalty of New Spain. False rumors of fabulous riches and cities of gold made Mexico a valuable possession in the minds of many (Beltran, "Slave Trade" 412; Boyd-Bowman, "Negro Slaves" 149-52). African slaves accompanied both Francisco de Montejo in his Yucatecan campaign and Pedro Alvarado in the Guatemalan onslaught. Cortes had six bondsmen in his band that defeated Moutecuhzoma (Boyd-Bowman, La poblacion negra 19-21). In the sixteenth century, New Spain probably had more Africans than any other colony in the New World.
During the Spanish invasion of Mexico, Africans served generally as personal attendants burden bearers, and laborers. Their slave status obscured contributions made against indigenous resistance and the elaboration of a new order because their masters usually ignored slave accomplishments. Africans received only scant mention in eye-witness accounts of the Spanish assaults-and only when their deeds were unusual or bold (Browning 10).
On the other hand, several black freedmen from Seville and elsewhere in Spain secured passage on ships bound for Mexico. Some settled in the Caribbean, but others followed the tempo of invasion to Mexico. One freeman, Juan Garrido, participated in the siege of Tenochtitlan and became the first farmer...