Independent Historian

Luis Escamilla is a 2009 graduate of the University of Washington where he majored in History and American Ethnic Studies. He plans to pursue a career in secondary school teaching and will be seeking a Master in Teaching degree upon completion of his undergraduate programs.  Originally from Los Angeles, California, Luis hopes to bring his activist experiences to Seattle and incorporate them into both his collegiate and professional careers.

Wilfredo Lam (1902-1982)

Born in Sagua la Grande, Cuba, Wilfredo Lam personally exemplified the complex multiethnic nature of Latin America:  his father was Chinese while his mother boasted a combined African, Indian, and European cultural background.  Utilizing some of this background, Lam, through art, would explore various African … Read MoreWilfredo Lam (1902-1982)

Manuel Carlos Piar (1782-1817)

A military officer in Venezuelan war for independence against Spanish rule, General Manuel Carlos Piar exemplifies both the struggle for independence against Spain and the parallel but less successful campaign against racial caste in colonial South America. Of mulatto background, Piar was born in Curaçao, … Read MoreManuel Carlos Piar (1782-1817)

Partido de Independiente de Color (Cuba, 1908-1912)

Founded in August of 1908 by veterans of Cuba’s War for Independence, El Partido de Independiente de Color (PIC) became the Caribbean’s first 20th century black political party.  Created to support and facilitate Afro-Cubans’ integration into their country’s social and political spheres, the party also … Read MorePartido de Independiente de Color (Cuba, 1908-1912)

Martín Morúa Delgado (1856-1910)

Born in 1856, Martín Morúa Delgado gained prominence as an Afro-Cuban writer and Cuba’s first black Senate president after the country’s war for independence against Spanish rule in the 1890s.  Son of an African-slave mother, Ines Delgado, and Spanish father, Francisco Morúa, Martín Morúa Delgado … Read MoreMartín Morúa Delgado (1856-1910)

Little Liberia, Baja California, 1919

Initiated in the early 20th century by Los Angeles attorney Hugh Macbeth and the Lower California Mexican Land and Development Company, the Baja California settlement known as “Little Liberia” was envisioned as a racially-exclusive community through which African Americans would have the opportunity for vocational, … Read MoreLittle Liberia, Baja California, 1919