The Sad Story of how Argentina erased the Existence of its Black Population

Do you know that Argentina had a large population of black people called Afro argentines before the 19th century?

Before I get started, the current population of Argentina stands at 46.23 million based on?Worldometer elaboration of the latest United Nations data.?Among these figures, 302,936 belong to the Afro-Argentinean community.?These figures indicate that Afro-Argentines now make up at least 0.66% of Argentina's populace, a figure that was never the case less than a century ago.

For centuries, Argentina has been home to many Black people, not only the black indigenous population but also economic immigrants from africa.?The term "Afro-Argentine" has been used to describe people of African descent in Argentina, but it's essential to point out that not everyone classified as Afro-Argentine necessarily has direct ties to Africa.

For the sake of this article, I'll acknowledge that the indigenous people who first inhabited the Americas, including Argentina, were dark-skinned. This fact is often overlooked in historical narratives that perpetuate a predominantly European Latin America. To simplify the discussion, I'll refer to Argentina's dark-skinned population, including those of African descent, as "Afro-Argentine" throughout this article.

During the 18th to 19th centuries, Afro-Argentines, comprising indigenous dark-skinned Argentines and African immigrants, profoundly impacted Argentina's music, dance, and art. They introduced African rhythms and instruments, such as the bombo legüero, which became integral to Argentine folklore. The Afro-Argentine community also influenced tango music and dance, originating in the Rio de la Plata region, and contributed to the country's rich cultural heritage through traditional music, crafts, and storytelling.

Currently, at least 97% of Argentina's population is of European descent. However, this figure contradicts historical records, which show that in the early 1700s, at least 65% of Argentines were Black, with 30-40% of Buenos Aires' population being dark-skinned or mixed mulatto. These statistics diverge from the information presented on Wikipedia and other sources, which have been influenced by falsified data released by the Argentine government.

How did the Afro-Argentines end up as an absolute minority?

Slavery was officially abolished in Argentina in 1853, with the government decreeing that all newborns of enslaved mothers would be free, and any enslaved person who entered Argentine territory would also be granted freedom. The Argentine Constitution of 1853 formally declared the abolition of slavery, although it took several more years for the province of Buenos Aires to implement it, finally doing so after 1861.

However, the abolition of slavery did not bring about the expected improvements in the lives of Afro-Argentines. Instead, it marked the beginning of a new era of struggle and marginalization. Argentina's leaders, predominantly of Spanish descent with strong business interests, pursued a vision of modernization rooted in European values and ideals, further entrenching the existing social and economic?disparities.

Argentina's leaders, in their quest for modernization, held Europe as the gold standard, effectively erasing the contributions and experiences of Afro-Argentines and indigenous peoples. This mindset perpetuated the racist notion that European culture was superior, and that non-European populations needed to be assimilated or erased for Argentina to become a "modern" nation.

This binary thinking, rooted in a flawed world-view, perpetuated racial hierarchies, associating whiteness with progress and civilization, and darkness with backwardness and inferiority. This racist paradigm was prevalent among predominantly white European nations during that era, influencing colonial and imperial endeavours, domestic policies, and social?attitudes.

The Spanish colonists harboured a profoundly racist belief that Argentina's path to "progress" required the systematic erasure of its Black population. Viewing Afro-Argentines as an obstacle to modernity, they implemented Draconian policies designed to marginalize and disenfranchise Black Argentines, particularly men.

These policies had devastating consequences, perpetuating poverty, inequality, and social injustice. By excluding Afro-Argentines from economic opportunities, education, and social services, the colonists aimed to render them invisible, powerless, and ultimately, non-existent. This brutal strategy of economic and social strangulation was a deliberate attempt to destroy the cultural identity, social fabric, and very existence of Afro-Argentines.

The Paraguayan War, a devastating conflict that ravaged Latin America from 1864 to 1870, had a profound impact on Afro-Argentines. When Argentina joined the Triple Alliance against Paraguay, a significant number of Afro-Argentines were conscripted into the military, despite being poorly trained and ill-prepared for combat.

These brave soldiers were sent to fight on the frontlines, where they faced unimaginable challenges. Tragically, their lack of training and preparation proved disastrous, resulting in the loss of thousands of Afro-Argentine lives. The Paraguayan War was one of the deadliest conflicts in Latin American history, and Afro-Argentine soldiers were disproportionately affected. What's even more heartbreaking is that their sacrifice and contribution to the war effort have often been overlooked or marginalized in historical accounts.

The Afro-Argentine population faced severe circumstances imposed by Spanish colonists, perpetuating their marginalization and suffering. Systemic controlled poverty denied them access to economic opportunities, education, and resources, ensuring continued impoverishment. Unfavourable government policies contributed to their marginalization, excluding them from social services, healthcare, and benefits.

This led to high infant mortality rates due to lack of access to healthcare, sanitation, and nutrition. The oppressive conditions made it difficult for Afro-Argentine couples to form and maintain stable families, further eroding their social fabric. Many Afro-Argentines fled to neighbouring Uruguay, while those who remained faced unimaginable hardships, including devastating epidemics. The cholera epidemics of 1861 and 1864, and the yellow fever epidemic of 1871, had a disproportionate impact on the Afro-Argentine population. Many believed they were deliberately targeted as a means of eradicating the community.

The epidemics had catastrophic consequences, significantly reducing the Afro-Argentine population. Many fled to other parts of South America, while others lost their lives. This period marked a turning point in Afro-Argentine history, as they faced unprecedented challenges to their survival and identity.

This brutal treatment was part of a broader pattern of racial violence and marginalization sweeping Latin America. Countries like Brazil, Cuba, Colombia, and others implemented policies aimed at eradicating or marginalizing their Black populations. They sought to "whiten" their populations through aggressive immigration policies, recruiting white Europeans to settle in their territories. This deliberate effort had devastating consequences for Afro-Latin Americans, who faced forced assimilation, land expropriation, and systemic?racism.

Argentina's government, led by President Justo José de Urquiza, implemented a strategic plan to reverse the population decline caused by the expulsion of Afro-Argentines. They opened the country's borders to European immigrants, offering enticing incentives such as citizenship and comprehensive social assistance benefits. This deliberate effort to attract European immigrants and rebrand Argentina as a white nation was remarkably successful, thanks in part to the influential ideas of Juan Bautista Alberdi. His phrase, "to govern is to populate," reflected his belief that a country's strength and prosperity depended on its ability to attract and assimilate immigrants.

Between 1870 and 1930, Argentina received over seven million immigrants, predominantly from Spain and Italy. However, about half of these immigrants returned home in the decades that followed. The constitutional amendment incorporating Alberdi's concepts sparked a massive influx of white settlers from various European countries. Between the late 19th and early 20th centuries, millions of immigrants arrived in Argentina from countries like Spain, Italy, Germany, France, and Belgium.

Click here to find the 25th amendment.

By the early 1900s, the systematic efforts to erase the Afro-Argentine population seemed to have succeeded. A 1905 statement in the newspaper Caras y Caretas triumphantly declared the supposed disappearance of the Black population, describing how the "African tree" now produced "white flowers." This marked the culmination of a long and brutal process of racial cleansing, perpetuated through forced assimilation, immigration policies, and systemic racism.

The once-significant Afro-Argentine population had been reduced to a mere shadow of its former self, and Argentina had emerged as a nation dominated?by?whites.

The Faces behind the whitening (Blanqueamiento) of Argentina's Population

Domingo Faustino Sarmiento's presidency was marked by a strong push for modernization and European-style progress, but it came at a steep cost for Afro-Argentines and indigenous populations. He advocated for a white European-dominated Argentina, erasing the country's African and indigenous roots.

Sarmiento's racist ideology was evident in his writings and policies. He compared mixed-race Argentine cowboys, known as Gauchos, to fertilizer, showcasing his disdain for non-white populations. His presidency solidified Argentina's apartheid system through segregation, forced recruitment of Afro-Argentines into the military, and mass executions.

Sarmiento's vision for an all-white Argentina was rooted in his desire to emulate European nations. He believed Argentina's progress depended on erasing its African and indigenous heritage, leading to a systematic genocide of Afro-Argentines.

Sarmiento was even quoted as saying that: “Twenty years hence, it will be necessary to travel to Brazil to see Blacks.”? Although he was aware of the existence of Black Argentines long before the majority of white settlers arrived, he suggested that the country would struggle to recognize them for a long time.?

Furthermore, under Domingo Faustino Sarmiento's regime, the Argentine government deliberately excluded Afro-Argentines from the national population census. This was part of a broader strategy to erase the Black population from Argentina's history and identity. By 1875, the government had stopped counting Afro-Argentines in the census, effectively rendering them invisible. The exclusion of Afro-Argentines from the national census was a deliberate attempt to distort Argentina's demographic reality. It was a key component of Sarmiento's "whitening" policy, aimed at transforming Argentina into a predominantly white nation.

His apartheid policies enforced segregation, separating Black communities from European ones and relegating them to abandoned areas with inadequate medical facilities. During the cholera outbreak, Sarmiento's government deliberately withheld medical treatment from Afro-Argentines, leading to a disproportionate number of deaths among Black males. Sarmiento was also responsible for the mass imprisonment and extrajudicial murder of Afro-Argentinean men.

Black Argentine men faced harsher penalties for crimes than European men, perpetuating a cycle of fear and intimidation. This unequal application of justice was designed to control and dismantle Black families and communities, echoing the racist policies of the Jim Crow era in the United States.

The discriminatory policies and apartheid practices in Argentina severely impacted Afro-Argentine women. With limited options and facing systemic racism, many formed relationships with white-European settlers as a means of survival. As a result, Afro-Argentine women who had children with white settlers were pressured to conceal their Black heritage and "pass" as white or Amerindian.

Afro-Argentine women navigated a complex web of racial hierarchy, where their Blackness was constantly devalued and erased. Many resorted to using the legal system to improve their lives, facing significant barriers and biases. Despite these challenges, they continued to resist and fight for their rights and dignity, leaving behind a legacy of resilience and?determination.

As time passed, Sarmiento's political activities and outspokenness caused the military dictator Juan Manuel de Rosas to exile him to Chile in 1840.??While in exile in Chile, Domingo Sarmiento made a damning statement against blacks in Argentina, and I quote him:

“We must be reasonable with the Spaniards,” he wrote, “by exterminating a savage people whose territory they were going to occupy, they merely achieved what all civilized people have done with savages, what colonization did consciously or unconsciously: absorb, destroy and exterminate.” - Domingo Sarmiento

The economic downturn in Argentina led to a desperate search for alternative statuses beyond being Black. Many Afro-Argentines and mulattos sought to settle into more ambiguous racial and ethnic categories, creating a third race. This phenomenon was a result of the eugenic practices propagated by Europeans throughout their colonies, with South Africa being a notable example.

The creation of categories like criollo, morocho, and pardo was a coping mechanism for Afro-Argentines, allowing them to escape racism and discrimination. However, this phenomenon also contributed to the erasure of Afro-Argentine identity and culture, as individuals distanced themselves from their Black heritage. These categories were a deliberate attempt to blur Afro-Argentine identity and obscure the presence of Black people in Argentina. The Argentine government aimed to erase the Blackness of Afro-Argentines, severing their connection to their African heritage.

This erasure was so pervasive that even former President Carlos Saúl Menem incorrectly stated that Blacks do not exist in Argentina, dismissing the issue as a Brazilian?problem.

As time went by, Afro-Argentines were gradually taken out of history and national consciousness. The country's first president, Bernardino Rivadavia, who was of African descent, is a notable example of this erasure.?Bernardino was said to have a dark appearance because of his African background. He was later honoured as a respected captain-general. His remains are buried today in a mausoleum on Plaza Miserere, next to Rivadavia Avenue, which is named after him.

Despite the historical erasure and systemic racism, Afro-Argentines continue to thrive and maintain their cultural identity in Argentina. The communities in San Telmo and La Boca, Buenos Aires, are testaments to the enduring presence and resilience of Afro-Argentines. The persistence of Afro-Argentine culture in these neighbourhoods is a powerful counter-narrative to the dominant image of Argentina as a predominantly white, European-derived nation.

Argentina's national football team, La Albiceleste, is indeed a beloved and iconic team, but its lack of representation of Afro-Argentine players is a glaring reflection of the country's complex and troubled history with racism. Despite Afro-Argentines constituting a significant part of the population in the past, they now constitute less than 0.5% of Argentina's total population, a result of systemic racism, forced assimilation, and genocide. The team's European-dominated lineup is a legacy of Argentina's "White Mestizaje" ideology, which emphasized European superiority and sought to erase indigenous and African identities.

The recent incident involving members of Argentina's football team making disparaging remarks about the African heritage of a French national team player is unacceptable and revealing. It highlights the deep-seated racism and hypocrisy that persists in Argentine society.

Argentina's refusal to acknowledge and include Afro-Argentines in their national teams, despite their significant contributions to the country's culture and history, is a shameful attempt to conceal their existence. This erasure is a legacy of the country's apartheid past and ongoing systemic racism.

Conclusion

As you have learned, the history of Argentina was more diverse than the one you observe today. The era of the Internet has exposed the atrocities committed against Afro-Argentinians by European colonists, mainly Spain and Italy.??The once-thriving Black population of Argentina was systematically destroyed through forced assimilation, genocide, and economic exploitation. The painful legacy of Blanqueamiento continues to haunt the country, rendering Afro-Argentines invisible in the very land they once called home.

Many European slave traders and colonists believed that the only way to modernize their nation was to get rid of anything black-related. To achieve this, the native people had to be killed or systematically driven away. This was the scenario in Argentina.??This inhumane act was committed not only in Argentina, but in virtually every nation worldwide, particularly in the continents of South and North America, Australia, New Zealand, the Philippines, India, and Canada.?

The term "economic genocide" accurately describes the systematic destruction of Afro-Argentine communities through economic exploitation, forced labour, and land expropriation. This phenomenon is part of a broader pattern of genocide and marginalization faced by Black people globally.

One of the most horrific genocides in human history occurred in the Congo Free State around the turn of the 20th century, claiming an estimated 10-20 million lives. Yet, this tragic event has been largely expunged from historical records and rendered irrelevant in modern times, leaving a gaping hole in our collective memory and a lack of accountability for the atrocities?committed.

Since most historical data and events have been altered or erased, most of us are unaware of the existence of black people outside of Africa and the Caribbean, including in areas that have become predominantly white.?This distorted narrative has obscured the rich and diverse history of Black people, perpetuating a limited and inaccurate understanding of their experiences and cultural?heritage.

In conclusion, to the Afro-Argentines, we see you, we hear you, and we remember. Your story is a part of Argentina's history, and it will not be silenced. May your struggles and triumphs inspire us to build a more just and inclusive world, where every individual can claim their rightful place in the narrative?of?humanity.

Credit

The disappearance of the Afro-Argentine community has been shrouded in secrecy and conspiracy by the European-dominated Argentine government for centuries. This lack of transparency has perpetuated the invisibility of Afro-Argentines, erasing their experiences and contributions to Argentine?society.

In addition to myself, other scholars have attempted to investigate the mystery surrounding the disappearance of the black population in Argentina. One renowned, notable scholar I can think of is Erika Edwards. At the time of completing her research on the afro-argentine, she held the position of Associate Professor of Colonial Latin American History at the University of North Carolina-Charlotte.?Her research is centered around Argentina, the African Diaspora, urban history, sexuality, motherhood, and education.

She is the author of the following publications concerning the black population of Argentina:

“The Making of a White Nation: The Disappearance of the Black Population in Argentina,” History Compass?(online) June 2018?The Making of a White Nation

“A Tale of Two Cities: Buenos Aires, Cordoba, and the Disappearance of the Black Population in Argentina” The Metropole, the official blog of the Urban History Association, May 2018 A Tale of Two Cities

“Pardo is the New Black: The Urban Origins of Argentina’s Myth of Black Disappearance” Global Urban History Blog, Dec 2016.?Pardo is the New Black?

You can find out more by visiting her website.