What do you think?
Rate this book
Black in Latin America
Selected as a 2012 Outstanding Title by AAUP University Press Books for Public and Secondary School Libraries
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.
In Brazil, he delves behind the facade of Carnaval to discover how this "rainbow nation" is waking up to its legacy as the world's largest slave economy.
In Cuba, he finds out how the culture, religion, politics and music of this island is inextricably linked to the huge amount of slave labor imported to produce its enormously profitable 19th century sugar industry, and how race and racism have fared since Fidel Castro's Communist revolution in 1959.
In Haiti, he tells the story of the birth of the first-ever black republic, and finds out how the slaves's hard fought liberation over Napoleon Bonaparte's French Empire became a double-edged sword.
In Mexico and Peru, he explores the almost unknown history of the significant numbers of black people--far greater than the number brought to the United States--brought to these countries as early as the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries, and the worlds of culture that their descendants have created in Vera Cruz on the Gulf of Mexico, the Costa Chica region on the Pacific, and in and around Lima, Peru.
Professor Gates' journey becomes ours as we are introduced to the faces and voices of the descendants of the Africans who created these worlds. He shows both the similarities and distinctions between these cultures, and how the New World manifestations are rooted in, but distinct from, their African antecedents. Black in Latin America is the third installment of Gates's documentary trilogy on the Black Experience in Africa, the United States, and in Latin America. In America Behind the Color Line, Professor Gates examined the fortunes of the black population of modern-day America. In Wonders of the African World, he embarked upon a series of journeys to reveal the history of African culture. Now, he brings that quest full-circle in an effort to discover how Africa and Europe combined to create the vibrant cultures of Latin America, with a rich legacy of thoughtful, articulate subjects whose stories are astonishingly moving and irresistibly compelling.
-from http://nyupress.org/books/9780814738184/
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.
In Brazil, he delves behind the facade of Carnaval to discover how this "rainbow nation" is waking up to its legacy as the world's largest slave economy.
In Cuba, he finds out how the culture, religion, politics and music of this island is inextricably linked to the huge amount of slave labor imported to produce its enormously profitable 19th century sugar industry, and how race and racism have fared since Fidel Castro's Communist revolution in 1959.
In Haiti, he tells the story of the birth of the first-ever black republic, and finds out how the slaves's hard fought liberation over Napoleon Bonaparte's French Empire became a double-edged sword.
In Mexico and Peru, he explores the almost unknown history of the significant numbers of black people--far greater than the number brought to the United States--brought to these countries as early as the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries, and the worlds of culture that their descendants have created in Vera Cruz on the Gulf of Mexico, the Costa Chica region on the Pacific, and in and around Lima, Peru.
Professor Gates' journey becomes ours as we are introduced to the faces and voices of the descendants of the Africans who created these worlds. He shows both the similarities and distinctions between these cultures, and how the New World manifestations are rooted in, but distinct from, their African antecedents. Black in Latin America is the third installment of Gates's documentary trilogy on the Black Experience in Africa, the United States, and in Latin America. In America Behind the Color Line, Professor Gates examined the fortunes of the black population of modern-day America. In Wonders of the African World, he embarked upon a series of journeys to reveal the history of African culture. Now, he brings that quest full-circle in an effort to discover how Africa and Europe combined to create the vibrant cultures of Latin America, with a rich legacy of thoughtful, articulate subjects whose stories are astonishingly moving and irresistibly compelling.
-from http://nyupress.org/books/9780814738184/
270 pages, Hardcover
First published July 22, 2011
85 people are currently reading
1654 people want to read
About the author
Henry Louis Gates Jr.
295 books877 followersHenry Louis "Skip" Gates Jr. is a Professor of African and African-American Studies at Harvard University and Director of the W. E. B. Du Bois Institute for African and African American Research. He is well-known as a literary critic, an editor of literature, and a proponent of black literature and black cultural studies.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 36 reviews
February 16, 2014
I give Professor Gates credit on this one. Henry Gates travelled to six countries to find out how the people feel about and embrace blackness and their African heritage. The essential question was what does it mean to be "black" in these countries? And who is considered "black?" The six countries were Brazil, Mexico, Peru, Dominican Republic, Haiti and Cuba. Each of these countries have an abundance of categories for color and skin tone. Anywhere from 12 to a staggering 134 in Brazil. In terms of pride of African roots, after reading the book, I would rank them thusly on the scale of African consciousness.
1. Haiti - as the worlds' first Black republic this shoud be obvious.
2. Brazil - with the largest number of Africans outside of Africa, no surprise here.
3. Peru - The Afro-Peruvian movement is growing
4. Cuba - There are still far too many who don't or won't make the African connection.
5. Mexico - Their goal is to make the darker skinned Mexicans invisible and have them buy into we are all Mexicans
6. Dominican Republic - like Mexico, they too want everyone to line up and just be Dominican. One scholar told Gates, she didn't know she was Black until she went to NYC. They even have a statue of Columbus in the central square in Santo Domingo, and as Gates remarks: "I found it a bit odd that the central square of the capital of a Caribbean country was dedicated to the European who first colonized it." They are so enamored of their Spanish heritage, they celebrate the oppressor.
I think Gates did a good job with this book because he plays the tourist role, and really he is like any traveller except he has access to scholars, professors, etc., that the ordinary person would not have. But he does relay his talks with cab drivers, hotel workers and everyday people to get their perspective. It was interesting to see Gates display a level of consciousness that has not heretofore been associated with him. That was a pleasant surprise. He seemingly has no problem identifying as African/Black and was genuinely disturbed by various responses to blackness through out his travels.
One thing that is abundantly clear in all these countries, and the world for that matter, the darkest people always represent the bottom rung of the social and economic ladder. So, here in the USA and other European countries it's easy to divide the players between black and white. In places that Gates visited it is a bit more difficult, because their is an abundance of brown (shades of black, really) and the game is to not be associated with the bottom. The thing is, 90% of the people he is talking about would be considered Black in America. So, when our best scholars continue to say the crisis amongst African people is one of culture, books like this only add to that clarity. Imagine if that 90% all thought they were Africans! Ohh the possibilities! "It isn't the mark of a great nation to hide or deny it's history." True!
August 13, 2012
I heard Henry Louis Gates, Jr. talking about this book on NPR and was fascinated by the subject matter. Of course, he is mostly famous for being arrested for breaking into his own home and having a beer with President Obama in 2009.
At first, I thought the book would be too full of historical dates and names to make it interesting, but Gates very clearly lays out 500 years of history of six Latin American countries including European discovery, slavery, rebellion and the current status of blacks in each culture.
It's a very eye-opening book, especially when it explains the true motivations behind the rebellions. Each country has a very distinct history. Blackness has very different definitions in each country. And the gap between the way way people say blacks are treated and reality is astounding.
The book is based on a special PBS series. You can watch the full episodes here: http://www.pbs.org/wnet/black-in-lati...
I plan to watch it with my children.
At first, I thought the book would be too full of historical dates and names to make it interesting, but Gates very clearly lays out 500 years of history of six Latin American countries including European discovery, slavery, rebellion and the current status of blacks in each culture.
It's a very eye-opening book, especially when it explains the true motivations behind the rebellions. Each country has a very distinct history. Blackness has very different definitions in each country. And the gap between the way way people say blacks are treated and reality is astounding.
The book is based on a special PBS series. You can watch the full episodes here: http://www.pbs.org/wnet/black-in-lati...
I plan to watch it with my children.
Want to read
July 28, 2011Just heard part of an interview with Henry Louis Gates Jr. on Fresh Air and this book sounds fascinating. http://www.npr.org/2011/07/27/1386014...
Did you know that of the 11.2 million African slaves that got off ships in the Americas, fewer than 500,000 came to what is now the US? All the rest went to the Caribbean and Latin America.
Or that in Brazil (where over 4 million slaves ended up) there are 134 categories of "blackness" to describe someone of African descent?
These figures grabbed me and make me want to read this book.
Did you know that of the 11.2 million African slaves that got off ships in the Americas, fewer than 500,000 came to what is now the US? All the rest went to the Caribbean and Latin America.
Or that in Brazil (where over 4 million slaves ended up) there are 134 categories of "blackness" to describe someone of African descent?
These figures grabbed me and make me want to read this book.
March 13, 2016
O autor passou por diversos países da américa latina afim de entender a trajetória das comunidades afrodescendentes que ali se instalaram. O livro parece um documentário escrito, chega a ser simplório demais em alguns momentos. Dá pra perceber que intenção do autor é apresentar para o norte-americano médio a maneira como se organizam as comunidades afro em outras partes das américas, até por isso seus argumentos e questionamentos soam tão simples. Porém parece ser um bom começo para quem deseja saber um pouco da história dos afro-latinos.
November 23, 2013
Being of Mexican decent I found this book fascinating.Once I finished reading this book I immediately called my parents to tell them about it. I hope it's translated into Spanish. I would love for my patents to be able to read it in Spanish.
May 10, 2016
I wasn't aware of just how significant a knowledge gap I had about the era of the African slave trade prior to reading this. Grateful it is starting to be filled.
November 8, 2024
10/10, so interesting.
February 9, 2016
Readers of this book will not only gain insight into the status of blacks in Latin America, but also into the preoccupations of the black intelligentsia in North America, as exemplified by Robert Gates, a noted professor, its author.
The chronicle is at best a sampler, since Gates's survey only looks at Brazil, Cuba, the Dominican Republic/Haiti , Mexico and Ecuador, and those interested in the topic would have also like it if he had covered Colombia/Venezuela, on the one hand, and Argentina/Chile on the other. Colombia Venezuela would have given him a better sense of difference between the very Carbbean coastline, with heavy presence of blacks, and the uplands, dominated by whites and meztisos. He would also have had a much firmer grasp of the politics underlying the independence from Spain, and how this in turn framed what was to follow. And as to Chile/Argentina, these being the countries in Latin America whose development was least affected by Spain and the commerce in slavery, they would have offered an interesting contrast. Still, Mr. Gates' main poins are particularly poignant. (1) that the number of blacks that were brought to the US as slaves are relatively insignificant compared to the total numbers that were brought to the Americas, and that, consequently, black scholarship in the US would benefit from a less insular and more comprehensive approach , and (b) that throughout Latin America (as in North America) Blacks continue to be at the bottom of the ladder socially and economically, and that the solution is not to be "race neutral", denying blacks an identity of their own, an approach that has been tried in some of these countries but has only served, in actual practice, to "camouflage" continued discriminatory practices. This conclusion is particularly disturbing to Americans who care about Blacks, since there has been an increasing trend in this country, under the Republican influence, to ban attempts to eliminate racial discrimination policies through laws that are explicitly aimed at race.
The chronicle is at best a sampler, since Gates's survey only looks at Brazil, Cuba, the Dominican Republic/Haiti , Mexico and Ecuador, and those interested in the topic would have also like it if he had covered Colombia/Venezuela, on the one hand, and Argentina/Chile on the other. Colombia Venezuela would have given him a better sense of difference between the very Carbbean coastline, with heavy presence of blacks, and the uplands, dominated by whites and meztisos. He would also have had a much firmer grasp of the politics underlying the independence from Spain, and how this in turn framed what was to follow. And as to Chile/Argentina, these being the countries in Latin America whose development was least affected by Spain and the commerce in slavery, they would have offered an interesting contrast. Still, Mr. Gates' main poins are particularly poignant. (1) that the number of blacks that were brought to the US as slaves are relatively insignificant compared to the total numbers that were brought to the Americas, and that, consequently, black scholarship in the US would benefit from a less insular and more comprehensive approach , and (b) that throughout Latin America (as in North America) Blacks continue to be at the bottom of the ladder socially and economically, and that the solution is not to be "race neutral", denying blacks an identity of their own, an approach that has been tried in some of these countries but has only served, in actual practice, to "camouflage" continued discriminatory practices. This conclusion is particularly disturbing to Americans who care about Blacks, since there has been an increasing trend in this country, under the Republican influence, to ban attempts to eliminate racial discrimination policies through laws that are explicitly aimed at race.
February 2, 2018
As heard on "Fresh Air".
***
Of the twelve million people who were kidnapped from Africa and brought to the Western Hemisphere in bondage between 1502 and 1866, only about half a million came to what is now the United States. When we think about the African-American experience, we should think about the African-Latin-American experience.
What causes someone to self-identify as "black" is complicated, and it varies a lot by geography. But wherever the author traveled, he noticed that in the poorest neighborhoods lived people with the darkest skin.
What do you do about that? If you want to quantify disparity, how do you categorize people, given prevalent mixing everywhere? The author condemns Mexico for eliminating race as a question on the census, but also describes the categorizations listed in the appendix as either used to constrict generations of people of African descent or as the most casual forms of racism.
It's a complicated problem with no easy solution. Speaking from a generation raised to "not see color", I can tell you that doesn't work. If you don't see color, then you can't object when darker-skinned people are disproportionately represented in popular culture as criminals, and a generation grows up programmed to be fearful of dark-skinned young men, with devastating consequences for all.
If you don't believe in race, then you won't believe in racism, and conclude that someone's station in life is a reflection of their values and industry. But, as the author asks, if you really think blacks are equal to whites and as capable as they are, don't you have to question what keeps them in poverty?
What can we do to build a world where we can see color and diversity, but we also treat everyone equally?
***
Of the twelve million people who were kidnapped from Africa and brought to the Western Hemisphere in bondage between 1502 and 1866, only about half a million came to what is now the United States. When we think about the African-American experience, we should think about the African-Latin-American experience.
What causes someone to self-identify as "black" is complicated, and it varies a lot by geography. But wherever the author traveled, he noticed that in the poorest neighborhoods lived people with the darkest skin.
What do you do about that? If you want to quantify disparity, how do you categorize people, given prevalent mixing everywhere? The author condemns Mexico for eliminating race as a question on the census, but also describes the categorizations listed in the appendix as either used to constrict generations of people of African descent or as the most casual forms of racism.
It's a complicated problem with no easy solution. Speaking from a generation raised to "not see color", I can tell you that doesn't work. If you don't see color, then you can't object when darker-skinned people are disproportionately represented in popular culture as criminals, and a generation grows up programmed to be fearful of dark-skinned young men, with devastating consequences for all.
If you don't believe in race, then you won't believe in racism, and conclude that someone's station in life is a reflection of their values and industry. But, as the author asks, if you really think blacks are equal to whites and as capable as they are, don't you have to question what keeps them in poverty?
What can we do to build a world where we can see color and diversity, but we also treat everyone equally?
July 29, 2015
Excellent description of black experience in Brazil, Mexico, Peru, the Dominican Republic, Haiti and Cuba. Gates describes how Brazil tries to see itself as a racial democracy, or one where all races are celebrated for their unique heritage and given equal rights, while others particularly Mexico pride themselves on their fusion of all the races, Indigenous, black and European. Peru sees itself as principally indigenous. The Dominican Republic calls itself Indio despite having an overwhelming black population in order to distinguish itself from Haitians. And Haitians celebrate their African heritage. Many of these countries, namely Cuba, have banned government sources from seeking information about people's races, even sometimes going beyond making racism illegal to making discussions of race and racism also illegal. Economic disparities against blacker skins remain prominent all around.
September 14, 2011
This new book is a good general overview of race relations in the countries discussed. From a Latin American studies perspective, I didn't find that there is that much new information presented. Rather it is written for a Black Studies audience, as would be expected from HLG, Jr. He uses the history and current state of black people in the US as a ruler for comparison in each of the countries he visits, which I find to be unfair to their exact circumstances and what makes them unique.
November 8, 2011
I just started it and it seems as impressive as Gates himself was on Fresh Air on NPR.
This book demands a slow careful reading if you are as unfamiliar with Latin American cultures as I am. For example Gates points out the differences in Carnival in different countries. It reminded me of the different Marti Gras' of Creoles and Cajuns in Louisiana.
This book demands a slow careful reading if you are as unfamiliar with Latin American cultures as I am. For example Gates points out the differences in Carnival in different countries. It reminded me of the different Marti Gras' of Creoles and Cajuns in Louisiana.
June 4, 2012
Very insightful & full of new-found information about African history/heritage in the Caribbean and how those histories are intertwined in the past, present, & future states of the countries and in the lives of the people who live there.
August 6, 2016
A fascinating and mind-blowing book. The only thing that keeps it from being a five star book is that too often Skip Gates makes it a book about Skip Gates. (Perhaps that is due to it being a companion piece to a documentary.) Nevertheless, an important book and good read.
August 11, 2016
There are so many African-American men and women in the U.S. who need to educate themselves more about their history which extends further than just slavery and Jim Crow. However, that requires a desire to shed the ignorance that has been accepted as reality.
Want to read
July 29, 2011Heard part of this interview on NPR: http://www.npr.org/2011/07/27/1386014...
August 18, 2011
They things they DON'T teach you in school...
September 22, 2011
I learned a great deal, and the subject matter was completely fascinating - particularly when contrasted against the U.S. experience. This is one of the few non-fiction books I would read again.
April 12, 2012
a great read after 1493. The narrative on black Peru and Mexico I had never heard of.
April 5, 2013
If the title describes any of your academic interests, this book is an unequalled book in its mission. Gates also writes in a way that non-academics can easily keep up.
April 7, 2013
This book added materially to my understanding of the history and economy of Haiti. It also further sickened me with respect to the U.S. racist foreign policy through the centuries.
August 16, 2014
Amazing - eye opening book.
January 10, 2024
i have to write a book report abt this for uni so i will probably compile all my thoughts there
edit: here is the report i wrote for uni. only 800 words so it can't sum up all my thoughts sadly
Gates’ main purpose in this book is to explore the lives of afro-latinos - their culture, religion, history, and experiences with racism. These groups tend to be forgotten when discussing the slave trade and its legacy, even though most africans were brought to Latin America countries and not the USA. They are also suppressed in their own countries. A common thread amongst these various countries is that black people are unwilling to label themselves as such and black people still tend to be at the bottom of the hierarchy in these so-called ‘racial democracies’.
This book was originally a documentary series of 4 episodes. When reading, this is evident in the way Gates writes and has structured the chapters - they are laid out in a linear fashion, recounting his travels and conversations, instead of in an order more akin to grouping conversations by theme.
This has the benefit of making the book flow much more, making the book easier to read and understand through following this narrative, but consequently it leaves certain topics feeling unaddressed, or lacking key information. He rarely draws his own conclusions, which works better for a docuseries than it does for a non-fiction book.
There are several areas in which this book greatly succeeds. Firstly, his selection of countries gives a wide perspective on the topic. This is most successful in examining the Dominican Republic and Haiti - whose history of race are incredibly interlinked. In the Dominican Republic, race is largely influenced by their perception of haitians - viewing their blackness as the reason for their poverty and thus identifying as ‘indio’ in order to escape their own african heritage.
Another successful element is the focus on culture. When looking at each of these countries, Gates examines their music, religion, art, etc, and the ways in which black people have influenced them. This is useful as some in these supposed post-racial societies may not recognise their african origins and these sections also serve to educate non-latinos about their existence. His discussion of Vodou, its practices and history (pp.157-160) are especially insightful. Additionally, his insights into afro-latino music like Son in Cuba and Baca’s afro-peruvian music are greatly educational.
Possibly the major issue with the book is its American perspective, making it frustrating for any non-American to read. Gates assumes that the reader views Obama (as the ultimate triumph against racism, even though many countries have had non-white leaders before, like Mexico) or Castro (as someone who “made [Cuba] much worse” (pp.205-6), even though he brought widespread and necessary advancements that would not have happened under a non-socialist) in the same vein he does.
In particular, the chapter on Cuba is where his american perspective really strains what the book is able to accomplish. To begin, most of the topics of the discussion focus on the development of racism in Cuba, and how it is mostly due to the USA and the ‘white elites’. He continually uses this phrase to describe the main opposition to racial reform in Cuba and still derides the ongoing communist movement, the ideology most equipped to eliminate these classes and one day, racial barriers. There are many contradictions in this chapter; for example, he criticises the role the USA has had in perpetuating racial inequality in Cuba, even today and still believes Cuba should work to eliminate the USA imposed embargo in order to allow more American interests and businesses to take root on the island.
Gates was brought up in a flawed liberal democracy, and clearly views this as the only viable political and economic model, and so he struggles to accept alternative systems, whilst still having flaws, could be better.
Similar contradictions are present in the chapter on Haiti - he praises the slave revolution, but also laments the ‘tragic’ fact that freed slaves in the country refused to keep working on plantations in order to maintain Haiti’s economy - a decision that contributed to the weak economy today. So he loves that Haitians revolted, but disagrees with the consequences. If these freed slaves had continued working, harvesting sugar, it would have been for low wages and not for the majority’s benefit - it would have not been a sufficient end to slavery but essentially a rehashing of the same system, with a different name. He criticises Toussaint for taking this position (pp.165-7) but seems to adopt it himself. Whatever he may be trying to argue, it is muddled.
Black in Latin America succeeds in promoting afro-latino culture and displaying that racism remains a problem for all of these countries. It somewhat fails in examining large political and economic issues, but the histories told in here are necessary, and to condense them well to fit the format is a large task, one that is mostly successfully achieved.
edit: here is the report i wrote for uni. only 800 words so it can't sum up all my thoughts sadly
Gates’ main purpose in this book is to explore the lives of afro-latinos - their culture, religion, history, and experiences with racism. These groups tend to be forgotten when discussing the slave trade and its legacy, even though most africans were brought to Latin America countries and not the USA. They are also suppressed in their own countries. A common thread amongst these various countries is that black people are unwilling to label themselves as such and black people still tend to be at the bottom of the hierarchy in these so-called ‘racial democracies’.
This book was originally a documentary series of 4 episodes. When reading, this is evident in the way Gates writes and has structured the chapters - they are laid out in a linear fashion, recounting his travels and conversations, instead of in an order more akin to grouping conversations by theme.
This has the benefit of making the book flow much more, making the book easier to read and understand through following this narrative, but consequently it leaves certain topics feeling unaddressed, or lacking key information. He rarely draws his own conclusions, which works better for a docuseries than it does for a non-fiction book.
There are several areas in which this book greatly succeeds. Firstly, his selection of countries gives a wide perspective on the topic. This is most successful in examining the Dominican Republic and Haiti - whose history of race are incredibly interlinked. In the Dominican Republic, race is largely influenced by their perception of haitians - viewing their blackness as the reason for their poverty and thus identifying as ‘indio’ in order to escape their own african heritage.
Another successful element is the focus on culture. When looking at each of these countries, Gates examines their music, religion, art, etc, and the ways in which black people have influenced them. This is useful as some in these supposed post-racial societies may not recognise their african origins and these sections also serve to educate non-latinos about their existence. His discussion of Vodou, its practices and history (pp.157-160) are especially insightful. Additionally, his insights into afro-latino music like Son in Cuba and Baca’s afro-peruvian music are greatly educational.
Possibly the major issue with the book is its American perspective, making it frustrating for any non-American to read. Gates assumes that the reader views Obama (as the ultimate triumph against racism, even though many countries have had non-white leaders before, like Mexico) or Castro (as someone who “made [Cuba] much worse” (pp.205-6), even though he brought widespread and necessary advancements that would not have happened under a non-socialist) in the same vein he does.
In particular, the chapter on Cuba is where his american perspective really strains what the book is able to accomplish. To begin, most of the topics of the discussion focus on the development of racism in Cuba, and how it is mostly due to the USA and the ‘white elites’. He continually uses this phrase to describe the main opposition to racial reform in Cuba and still derides the ongoing communist movement, the ideology most equipped to eliminate these classes and one day, racial barriers. There are many contradictions in this chapter; for example, he criticises the role the USA has had in perpetuating racial inequality in Cuba, even today and still believes Cuba should work to eliminate the USA imposed embargo in order to allow more American interests and businesses to take root on the island.
Gates was brought up in a flawed liberal democracy, and clearly views this as the only viable political and economic model, and so he struggles to accept alternative systems, whilst still having flaws, could be better.
Similar contradictions are present in the chapter on Haiti - he praises the slave revolution, but also laments the ‘tragic’ fact that freed slaves in the country refused to keep working on plantations in order to maintain Haiti’s economy - a decision that contributed to the weak economy today. So he loves that Haitians revolted, but disagrees with the consequences. If these freed slaves had continued working, harvesting sugar, it would have been for low wages and not for the majority’s benefit - it would have not been a sufficient end to slavery but essentially a rehashing of the same system, with a different name. He criticises Toussaint for taking this position (pp.165-7) but seems to adopt it himself. Whatever he may be trying to argue, it is muddled.
Black in Latin America succeeds in promoting afro-latino culture and displaying that racism remains a problem for all of these countries. It somewhat fails in examining large political and economic issues, but the histories told in here are necessary, and to condense them well to fit the format is a large task, one that is mostly successfully achieved.
January 21, 2024
This book follows Henry Louis Gates Jr. as he visits the Latin American Countries of Brazil, Mexico, Peru, the Dominican Republic, Haiti, and Cuba, exploring the question of what it means to be black in these countries. As a white American living in a predominantly white state in a predominantly white school, I can count on one hand how many black people I’ve met, and I’ve never grown close with any of them. It was for this reason I was curious to learn about race and what exactly that means, having been taught of racism as an abstract idea but never having seen or talked with someone who has experienced it. It delivered much more than I expected. It’s a rich book, filled to the brim with Gates’ thoughts and experiences as he explores each and every one of these countries, meeting with dozens of researchers, sports players, historians, musicians, and normal people going about their day to learn not only about what “black” and “African” is in their country, but also what their culture, traditions, music, and history is. I think my favorite part about the book is that Gates is not afraid to meet with people who have completely different ideas than other people he has met with. So often nowadays I see how people will cherry pick the story to only show the results they want, and Gates doesn’t do that. As far as I can tell, he includes every interview he can, even when one interview argues, for example, that “racism doesn’t exist because of racial democracy” and the other says “racism proliferates because of racial democracy.” Then, at the end of every chapter as he’s leaving the country, he takes a page or two to make a quick breakdown on everything he learned, taking time to point out the flaws, and as he goes through the book compares it to what’s already been discussed throughout the book. For example, he frequently references Freyre’s idea of racial democracy as he explores Mexico, Peru, etc. This book has forced me to confront my own prejudices and assumptions (such as the naive belief that because the Latin American countries are much more mixed-race than America, there must be much less racism), and it has given me a much greater appreciation of the beautiful culture of these countries. Lastly, it has forced me to reflect on the horror of some of the United States’ previous actions, such as the occupations of the Dominican Republic, Haiti, and Cuba, and all the consequences that came with those occupations.
Truly an informative book! I would definitely read it again.
Truly an informative book! I would definitely read it again.
January 7, 2022
Some interesting insights throughout the book, especially historically. But HLGs analysis on the impacts of socialism is Latin America is massively underwhelming and he echos the arguments and reactionary fallacies of imperialism. HLG concedes to a reactionary portrayal of Cuba. Some of his interviews seemed to try and push interviewees into criticising and denouncing their revolution, as he pushes his pro-US imperialism stance. He predominantly interviews reactionaries and Miami Cubans. But what was worst, was his concluding paragraph when he seems to endorse the subversion of USAID and NED in their promotion of hip hop and rap to targeting marginalised Afro-Cuban voices to undermine Cuban socialism. “As these young people age they will move into the centre of Cuba’s policial life, a life after Castro and communism” Meanwhile the Union of Young Communist organised brigades where they wen tot neighbourhoods throughout Cuba (over 300 vulnerable communities) to listen and assess the concerns of the people to strengthen communal participation - these are the young people who are moving to the centre of Cuba’s political life and continuing the legacy of their revolution.
🇨🇺ABAJO EL BLOQUEO🇨🇺
🇨🇺HASTA LA VICTORIA SIEMPRE 🇨🇺
🇨🇺VIVA CUBA🇨🇺❤️
🇨🇺ABAJO EL BLOQUEO🇨🇺
🇨🇺HASTA LA VICTORIA SIEMPRE 🇨🇺
🇨🇺VIVA CUBA🇨🇺❤️
August 13, 2024
Opening My White Eyes
I’m a 73 -year-old white man. In recent years I’ve tried to understand the black reality in my midst and to embrace it without judgment - with some success - largely because of my respect and admiration for Professor Gates.
This book by him is another thought-provoking effort to expand consciousness - black, white, brown, yellow and all shades in between and among all cultures - for our society’s benefit and improvement.
His approach is effective for this white, old American because he challenges my pre-conceptions, loves the best of his own race and culture, recognizes and disapproves the worst aspects of mine without, at the same time, hating me personally. I could have a beer with Gates and face the worst of my race’s actions over time without feeling personally judged or hated.
And maybe that approach is how we all can face our issues and accept them and untangle them with love and direction, not hatred.
This read was another step for me in search of that goal.
I’m a 73 -year-old white man. In recent years I’ve tried to understand the black reality in my midst and to embrace it without judgment - with some success - largely because of my respect and admiration for Professor Gates.
This book by him is another thought-provoking effort to expand consciousness - black, white, brown, yellow and all shades in between and among all cultures - for our society’s benefit and improvement.
His approach is effective for this white, old American because he challenges my pre-conceptions, loves the best of his own race and culture, recognizes and disapproves the worst aspects of mine without, at the same time, hating me personally. I could have a beer with Gates and face the worst of my race’s actions over time without feeling personally judged or hated.
And maybe that approach is how we all can face our issues and accept them and untangle them with love and direction, not hatred.
This read was another step for me in search of that goal.
September 13, 2020
This book is valuable because it corrects a common misconception that many people (I, at least) had about black diaspora in the Americas: More Africans were taken to the Caribbean and South America than to the American colonies.
Each chapter focuses on a specific country and the history and specific events and people connected to the African community in the country. The parallel treatment of the development of the African community in each country allows you to follow the general pattern and the way it varies from country to country. For me, it helped me begin to understand some of the complexities of the way race is understood in different Latin American communities.
Each chapter focuses on a specific country and the history and specific events and people connected to the African community in the country. The parallel treatment of the development of the African community in each country allows you to follow the general pattern and the way it varies from country to country. For me, it helped me begin to understand some of the complexities of the way race is understood in different Latin American communities.
March 3, 2026
This was an extremely interesting read. The history of many of these Latin American countries was astounding. Many of my assumptions were destroyed. Like the fact that there are Blacks in Mexico. I was astonished to discover that although Blacks exist in Peru, it is not officially acknowledges. There are 134 categories of Blackness in Brazil - mind blowing.
This is very interesting read and did not sound like propoganda.
This is very interesting read and did not sound like propoganda.
December 22, 2022
Fascinating read. I learned so much from this book. I appreciate Gates’ accessible and approachable writing style. The reader follows him as a tourist, learning both from scholars, artists, priests, and regular people about the history of people of African descent in several Latin American countries. Really fascinating.
May 27, 2024
Very interesting. I only wish it were longer! Each section could/should be its own book.
I'd also be interested in an updated version just chronicling what, if anything, has changed in these countries since this was put out.
I'd also be interested in an updated version just chronicling what, if anything, has changed in these countries since this was put out.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 36 reviews