Luis Escamilla, Author at

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)

Mariana Grajales Cuello (1808-1893)

Born on June 26, 1808 in the city of Santiago de Cuba, Mariana Grajales Cuello is best known for the role she played in her country’s struggle for independence against Spain. Referred to as the “Mother of Cuba,” Cuello’s promotion of national pride and patriotic … Read MoreMariana Grajales Cuello (1808-1893)

Sebastián Rodríguez Brito (ca. 1642-ca. 1717)

Native of West Africa, Sebastian Rodríguez Brito was one of a number of black freemen to join the ranks of the Spanish military during the time of the colonization of what is today the southwestern United States. While a free black man in Spanish America, … Read MoreSebastián Rodríguez Brito (ca. 1642-ca. 1717)

Gaspar Yanga (c. 1545- ?)

Known as the Primer Libertador de America or “first liberator of the Americas,” Gaspar Yanga led one of colonial Mexico’s first successful slave uprisings and would go on to establish one of the Americas earliest free black settlements. Rumored to be of royal lineage from … Read MoreGaspar Yanga (c. 1545- ?)

Martin De Porres (1579-1639)

Born December 9, 1579 in Lima, Peru, St. Martin de Porres is best known for his charitable work. His piety allowed him access to the Dominican order of his country, and his acts of compassion for the sick became part of the justification for his … Read MoreMartin De Porres (1579-1639)

Juan Garrido (c. 1480-c.1550)

Born around 1480 in West Africa, Juan Garrido is the most prominent among the small group of African freemen who traveled to the Americas to take part in the Spanish conquest of the West Indies and Mexico in the late 15th and early 16th Centuries. … Read MoreJuan Garrido (c. 1480-c.1550)

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