We will shortly begin the process of collecting video responses highlighting the Hispanic and Afro-Latino Heritage of members in the NVC community. When this process is completed, you will be able to view these videos on the "Interview" page of this LibGuide.
Over the next few months, we celebrate members of our community who are Hispanic, as well as Afro-Latino.
The Culture of Afro-Latinos
Identity for U.S. Hispanics is multidimensional and multifaceted. For example, many Hispanics tie their identity to their ancestral countries of origin -– Mexico, Cuba, Peru or the Dominican Republic. They may also look to their indigenous roots. Among the many ways Hispanics see their identity is their racial background. Afro-Latinos are one of these Latino identity groups. They are characterized by their diverse views of racial identity, reflecting the complex and varied nature of race and identity among Latinos.
Did you know that 24% of the 54 million Hispanics that make up the United States population identify as Afro-Latino? An Afro-Latino is an individual of Latin heritage that derives from African descent. This Libguide aims to showcase contributions of Hispanic and Afro-Latino Americans to history, political science, sociology, ethnomusicology, anthropology, religious studies, art, law, and cultural studies. Our shared focus on Afro-Latinos, that is, people of African and Latin American descent who live in the United States and whose personal histories and experiences are shaped by different racial taxonomies, ideologies, and understandings of race, make this year's Hispanic Heritage Month celebration unique.
Patssi Valdez's The Magic Room, 1994
Through conversations, this podcast sheds light on the untold narratives of Afrolatinidad in Washington, D.C. and worldwide. It features community leaders, elders and artists such as Cuban rumbero and local legend Francisco Rigoras.
The months of September and October have been identified as the time to observe Hispanic American History in both the United States and Canada. This annual observance, with the added focus on Afro-Latino history, provides an opportunity to remember important people and events in the history of the African diaspora.
So what does the Juan Bautista de Anza National Historic Trail have in connection with the celebrations? Members of the Anza Expedition were of mixed heritage - they were a mix of African, Indigenous, Europeon descent. At least 30% of the members of the historic Anza Expedition of 1775-1776 were Afro-Latinos, identified by their casta in Anza's diaries and his report to the Viceroy. The Spanish enslaved indigenous peoples when they colonized the Americas, and when the indigenous population declined, Spanish colonizers turned to African slaves to satisfy their labor needs.
When Anza sought volunteer recruits for the expedition, he recruited in towns such as Culiacan, Villa Sinaloa, Altar and Horcasitas. These places were populated with a high percentage of people identified in the records as mulato, indio and mestizo. By 1790, Afro-Latinos made up nearly 20 percent of California’s population.
This African heritage of early California is often overlooked, but perhaps a growing interest and understanding of modern day Afro-Mexicans and Afro-Latinos will help raise awareness of the presence of these multiracial and multiethnic identities in early California.
We take the opportunity in September and October to highlight this little known aspect of the Anza Expedition and use this as a reminder that our history is intersectional. It reminds us to look at history with a multifaceted lens.
For more information, visit the following page created by the National Park Service on Early California’s Afro-Latino presence.