African American Research Center, Library, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
Notes:
Papers presented at the Primer Seminario Internacional "La Abolición de la Esclavitud y los Procesos de Manumisión en el Perú, América Latina y El Caribe" held in 2004 in Lima., 224 p., Los ensayos reunidos aquí se proponen discutir, analizar y examinar desde una perspectiva interdisciplinaria, las representaciones de la transafricanía en América Latina y la situación de los transafrícanos a 150 años de la abolición de la esclavitud en el Perú.
History shows close to two million enslaved Africans were taken to South America. A great number of them were taken to Bahia, Brazil, to work on the sugar cane plantations. [Dionisio] has hope for the future of Brazilian Blacks. "If America can elect a Black president, I know that our time will one day come when a Black Brazilian will look after the wellbeing of his or her people. But at the way things are in Brazil, it is only through education that we will one day be equal to the whites, if you know what I mean." At this point, it sounded as if Dionisio was engaged in a monologue. "But many children dream of one day being like Pele, our greatest football star," he continued as he gazed in the distance, his eyes resting on the humming bird doing battle with the sweet nectar. The mention of Pele changed the contour of his face and I could see the veins in his face clearly showing. "Most of our people have let us down. Most, like Pele, can be considered Black, but we have a saying here that 'You are a Black person with a white soul. We say that of Black leaders and football celebrities who do not support any Black agenda."
Yes, we owe Haiti. Unfortunately, we have shown little appreciation. My generation has witnessed Haiti in a multi-decades long downward spiral. There have been the dirty Papa Doc regime; the dirty Baby Doc regime; the dirty Aristide regime and dirty everyone else who supposedly had the trust of the people. The United States has sent troops there on various occasions but it was not to strengthened or liberate the people. Preference should be given to Haitian owned businesses in this rebuilding. Partnerships with Haitian and African Americans should be allowed. The money generated from these contracts should stay in Haiti and be taxed by the Haitian government. All, I mean ALL jobs, should be offered first to Haitians with the first right of refusal. It is noble for the world to come to the aid of Haiti but there must be a strategy that will empower the people of Haiti during and afterwards. For the first time in history, we have a chance to make Haiti independent, self sustaining and free.
During the period of slavery in the West Indies some slaves became literate. This enhanced their social status and allowed them to move into occupations such as artisan or overseer
African American Research Center, Library, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
Notes:
259 p, Reúne textos e ilustrações que propõem-se a comentar e mostrar certos aspectos do culto aos orixás em seus lugares de origem, na Africa (Nigéria, Angolo e Togo) e no novo mundo (Brasil e Antilhas), para onde foram levados, em séculos passados, pelos escravos.;
