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Black people in Argentina
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Digital Nomad
Well-known member
Actually it is true that there are barely any black people in Argentina. When I look it up online I saw mixed responses. Here is one answer from Reddit.
Hi! Argentinian historian here! Let me answer your question!
To understand the "lack" of african-descent in Argentina, you first need to understand colonial history and only then argentinian history.
Colonial empires had two types of slavery: work slaves for the plantations of tobacco/cotton/sugar/coffee and household slaves. Work slaves made the vast majority of slaves in the Américas, hence the ammount of slaves in the southern states of the U.S., the northern part of South América and Brazil. Slaves were the main muscle behind the huge economies of the colonial empires. If you check ethnic maps of the Américas (i'm pretty sure in the U.S. they would be called "race maps", but we don't do that in South América), you'll find a correlation of the places colonial plantations were and the main groups of african descent. Once we understand this, the rest is pretty simple to get.
In colonial times, the spanish Southern Cone was an unimportant region of the Spanish Empire. This region was the southern frontrier of Spain's dominion, and the resources destined to the develop of this area were minimum. Economically speaking, this region depended from the centers of power in the Viceroyalty of Perú, and was inserted within the colonial economic structure as a subsidiary region for the silver production in Potosí. The main product of the Pampas was dry meat and pack animals. There were no plantations in this regions, hence there was no need for "work slaves". In fact, and as a historical curiosity, Buenos Aires and Montevideo lived mainly of contraband. In 1776, the Spanish Empire, after the new royal house of Borbón rose to power, went through a huge reform and this region became the Viceroyalty of the Río de La Plata (except Chile, that was a captaincy). The capital city of this new viceroyalty was set Buenos Aires, by all means the largest of the cities of the Southern Cone. By the time of the Revolución de Mayo (1810), Buenos Aires had 40k inhabitants, 1/3 of them being household slaves (there's a common missconception in the Internet that Argentina as a whole had 1/3 of african population, but, no, this number reffers to Buenos Aires). Since Buenos Aires was the biggest city, you can imagine how loosely populated this region was.
The newly formed Patriotic Government passed a Law in 1813 that established that every son of slaves would be free. Although Argentina was a Spanish colony, and Spain had a Caste System, here there was no segregation. Finally, by 1853, with the sanction of the Argentinian Constitution, slavery was formally abolished, although by this time there were almost no slaves still alive. People intermarried and mixed. This made the small population of african-descent to slowly integrate within the argentinian gene pool. By the end of the XIX century, massive waves of european migration began to arrive to this land, and once again people intermarried and mixed. We're talking about several millions of people, mainly from southern Europe, that arrived to a country with 3 million inhabitants. However, although you cannot "see" black argentines, there is a layer of african culture within the argentinian culture. There are "african festivals" in the province of Corrientes, and you can see african influence in certain types of traditional music.
TLDR: Argentina was a poor part of the Spanish Empire and it didn't have plantations. Since it didn't have plantations, there was no "need" for "work slaves", hence the small ammount of african descent you see nowadays.
Hi! Argentinian historian here! Let me answer your question!
To understand the "lack" of african-descent in Argentina, you first need to understand colonial history and only then argentinian history.
Colonial empires had two types of slavery: work slaves for the plantations of tobacco/cotton/sugar/coffee and household slaves. Work slaves made the vast majority of slaves in the Américas, hence the ammount of slaves in the southern states of the U.S., the northern part of South América and Brazil. Slaves were the main muscle behind the huge economies of the colonial empires. If you check ethnic maps of the Américas (i'm pretty sure in the U.S. they would be called "race maps", but we don't do that in South América), you'll find a correlation of the places colonial plantations were and the main groups of african descent. Once we understand this, the rest is pretty simple to get.
In colonial times, the spanish Southern Cone was an unimportant region of the Spanish Empire. This region was the southern frontrier of Spain's dominion, and the resources destined to the develop of this area were minimum. Economically speaking, this region depended from the centers of power in the Viceroyalty of Perú, and was inserted within the colonial economic structure as a subsidiary region for the silver production in Potosí. The main product of the Pampas was dry meat and pack animals. There were no plantations in this regions, hence there was no need for "work slaves". In fact, and as a historical curiosity, Buenos Aires and Montevideo lived mainly of contraband. In 1776, the Spanish Empire, after the new royal house of Borbón rose to power, went through a huge reform and this region became the Viceroyalty of the Río de La Plata (except Chile, that was a captaincy). The capital city of this new viceroyalty was set Buenos Aires, by all means the largest of the cities of the Southern Cone. By the time of the Revolución de Mayo (1810), Buenos Aires had 40k inhabitants, 1/3 of them being household slaves (there's a common missconception in the Internet that Argentina as a whole had 1/3 of african population, but, no, this number reffers to Buenos Aires). Since Buenos Aires was the biggest city, you can imagine how loosely populated this region was.
The newly formed Patriotic Government passed a Law in 1813 that established that every son of slaves would be free. Although Argentina was a Spanish colony, and Spain had a Caste System, here there was no segregation. Finally, by 1853, with the sanction of the Argentinian Constitution, slavery was formally abolished, although by this time there were almost no slaves still alive. People intermarried and mixed. This made the small population of african-descent to slowly integrate within the argentinian gene pool. By the end of the XIX century, massive waves of european migration began to arrive to this land, and once again people intermarried and mixed. We're talking about several millions of people, mainly from southern Europe, that arrived to a country with 3 million inhabitants. However, although you cannot "see" black argentines, there is a layer of african culture within the argentinian culture. There are "african festivals" in the province of Corrientes, and you can see african influence in certain types of traditional music.
TLDR: Argentina was a poor part of the Spanish Empire and it didn't have plantations. Since it didn't have plantations, there was no "need" for "work slaves", hence the small ammount of african descent you see nowadays.
Uncle Wong
Well-known member
I wondered the same thing when I visited Argentina. I heard some gossip about genocide so I looked it up. I am no history expert and not sure if these answers are true but I saw this link.
Vince
Well-known member
It is sad that people always need to make things about race. If I go to some country in Africa, I don't expect to see tons of white people.
S
Sunny
Guest
I'm white (Swiss and German descent) and always lived in cities with less than 3% black population, in North America. Here, in CABA, I have seen black people in some commercial areas selling stuff, they are not from the States, they are Africans. I have not seen black people in my neighborhood but I have noticed Brazilian tourists in the Centro, a rather touristy area.
Betsy Ross
Well-known member
Yes I occassionally see some Africans selling things downtown. But here in Recoleta I almost never see any other than the occasional tourist but there aren't many. Some from the USA and more from Brazil but you are correct there aren't too many for a large metropolitan city.
S
Sunny
Guest
Before buying our apartment, we lived in Recoleta (one block from the Alvear Palace) for most of the summer and I don't remember to have seen back tourists there, not even in Plaza Francia, another tourist magnet. Who knows why, but I doubt it has anything to do with "erradicación de la población."
I just don't think many black tourists find too much exciting about Buenos Aires. Who knows why but I have black American friends and they would much rather go to Brazil. They like beaches and many of them prefer black women and Brazil, especially Rio has a lot of black citizens and they prefer that. I've been living here a long time and I've never really seen many black tourists to Buenos Aires.
Buenos Aires is a very far distance for most people and many of my black friends would rather go to the Caribbean. I saw some of these Tik Toks and the one above is not alone. I am not black so I don't know but I believe that many black people prefer to travel where there are actually more black people and statistically Buenos Aires doesn't have many. So this could be it as well but keep in mind I am not a Black male so I'm only guessing.
Swowbird
Well-known member
Same. I am also a white male but I live part time in Brazil and Brazil has many black people here. Personally I believe you are right Wally. My black friends aren't too interested in Buenos Aires. I would consider BA to be more of a cultural city where the arts and opera are interesting but my black friends have no interest in Opera so places like Teatro Colon aren't appealing to them. They would rather do other things. I think that is ok.
We also lived in Recoleta from 2000-2005 and it is remarkable to think about but in the first few years I don't even recall seeing any black people. But then again I read about many Chinese grocery stores and back then they didn't have many Asians at all or the markets that you read about today. Now I read about a very busy Chinatown. That will be great to see.
earlyretirement
Moderator
I still remember when one of my friends from NYC came with me to Buenos Aires in the early 2000's. I think it might have been 2002 or 2003. He was a tall guy and looked a lot like Michael Jordan when he was younger. We were in our late 20's back then so we were younger. But we would walk into restaurants night after night and it was the first time that many kids saw a black person. In fact, a few times we would hear, "mama, it's Michael Jordan!".
Today it is more common but I'll never forget those days with my friend so many years ago. We were both single back then so we'd go out all night to clubs and although black people weren't common then many girls would love the novelty as there were no black people here then.
I don't know why there aren't more black tourists but I think some of you made good guesses.
Today it is more common but I'll never forget those days with my friend so many years ago. We were both single back then so we'd go out all night to clubs and although black people weren't common then many girls would love the novelty as there were no black people here then.
I don't know why there aren't more black tourists but I think some of you made good guesses.
James Bond
Well-known member
Not sure why people have to make things about race. I watched that on Twitter and now many things like this are coming up in my feed.
Digital Nomad
Well-known member
Reparations? Jesus....
Billy Goat
Well-known member
I have also heard more about this lately. I didn't realize that Argentina's black population was formally so large. I am not sure if these numbers are accurate or not. If so it is shocking how many died during the war.
Anchor Baby
Active member
What is she referring to the Vatican? Have they spoken on this matter? And is she angry that Argentina didn't have more of a slavery problem? I thought I read Argentina was one of the first countries to abolish slavery.
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Uncle Wong
Well-known member
I'm the same as you. I watched one of those videos and now I'm stuck in the algorithm. I keep getting stuff like this on X now.
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