Black Peruvians or Afro-Peruvians are

Peruvians Peruvians (''/peruanas'') are the citizens of Peru. What is now Peru has been inhabited for several millennia by cultures such as the Caral before the Spanish conquest in the 16th century. Peruvian population decreased from an estimated 5–9 ...

of mostly or partially African descent. They mostly descend from enslaved

Africans The ethnic groups of Africa number in the thousands, with each ethnicity generally having their own language (or dialect of a language) and culture. The ethnolinguistic groups include various Afroasiatic, Khoisan, Niger-Congo, and Nilo-Sahara ...

brought to Peru after the arrival of the

conquistador Conquistadors (, ) or conquistadores (; ; ) were Spanish Empire, Spanish and Portuguese Empire, Portuguese colonizers who explored, traded with and colonized parts of the Americas, Africa, Oceania and Asia during the Age of Discovery. Sailing ...

Early history

The first Africans arrived, as enslaved people, with the conquerors in 1521, and some, taken by force, with colonists to work, for no payment, in 1525. Between 1529 and 1537, when

Francisco Pizarro Francisco Pizarro, Marquess of the Atabillos (; ; – 26 June 1541) was a Spanish ''conquistador'', best known for his expeditions that led to the Spanish conquest of the Inca Empire. Born in Trujillo, Cáceres, Trujillo, Spain, to a poor fam ...

was granted permits to import 363 Africans to colonial Peru, a large group of Africans were captured in order to provide, by force, labor for public construction, building bridges and road systems. They also fought alongside the conquistadors as soldiers and worked as personal servants and bodyguards. In 1533, enslaved Afro-Peruvians accompanied Spaniards in the conquest of

Cuzco Cusco or Cuzco (; or , ) is a city in southeastern Peru, near the Sacred Valley of the Andes mountain range and the Huatanay river. It is the capital of the eponymous province and department. The city was the capital of the Inca Empire unti ...

. Two types of African people were forced to Peru. Those born in Africa were commonly referred to as '' negros bozales'' ("untamed blacks"), which was also used in a derogatory sense. These slaves could have been directly captured and shipped from west or southwest Africa or transported from the Spanish Indies or other Spanish colonies. Afro-Peruvians previously forced to acculturated to Spanish culture and who spoke Spanish were called '' negros ladinos'' ("

hispanicized Hispanicization () refers to the process by which a place or person becomes influenced by Hispanic culture or a process of cultural and/or linguistic change in which something non-Hispanic becomes Hispanic. Hispanicization is illustrated by spoken ...

blacks"). Some were

mulattos ( , ) is a racial classification that refers to people of mixed African and European ancestry only. When speaking or writing about a singular woman in English, the word is (). The use of this term began in the United States shortly ...

, descendants of Spanish men and African women. People of color performed skilled and unskilled functions that contributed to Hispanic colonization. In urban areas Afro-Peruvians were cooks, laundresses, maids, handymen, and gardeners. In some cases, they worked in the

navy A navy, naval force, military maritime fleet, war navy, or maritime force is the military branch, branch of a nation's armed forces principally designated for naval warfare, naval and amphibious warfare; namely, lake-borne, riverine, littoral z ...

hospitals A hospital is a healthcare institution providing patient treatment with specialized health science and auxiliary healthcare staff and medical equipment. The best-known type of hospital is the general hospital, which typically has an emergency ...

, churches and charitable institutions. In 1587, 377 people of African descent worked in the shipyards. The industry included a significant number of blacks working in quarries, kilns and construction projects. There were not enough Spanish workers to build the colony, so blacks essentially kept the economy running. Gradually, Afro-Peruvians were concentrated in specialized fields that drew upon their extensive knowledge and training in skilled artisan work and in agriculture. In the social hierarchy of the slave stratum, the black artisans had the highest rank due to their skills. They worked as carpenters, tailors, blacksmiths, swordsmiths and silversmiths. This group enjoyed more freedom than their fellows who worked at large haciendas or in private households. Spanish small-business keepers would dispatch a whole team of servant-artisans to do a job independently and then return to their owner. As the prices for artisans rose, black artisans gained better treatment and sometimes took a role of a low-ranking employee. Skilled trades were a major avenue of social progress for the colored population. Due to their high skills, Afro-Peruvians gained prestige among Spanish noblemen. They occupied a relatively low social stratum but had some status related to the natives, and were considered above the emerging class of

mestizo ( , ; fem. , literally 'mixed person') is a term primarily used to denote people of mixed European and Indigenous ancestry in the former Spanish Empire. In certain regions such as Latin America, it may also refer to people who are culturall ...

s (descendants of indigenous people and Spanish colonists). As the mestizo population grew, the role of Afro-Peruvians as intermediaries between the indigenous residents and the Spaniards lessened. The mestizo population increased through liaisons between Spanish and indigenous Peruvians. The elite Spanish developed a caste system based on racial descent and color, to protect their privileges and their Spanish and mestizo children. In this system, Spaniards were at the top, mestizos in the middle, and Africans and the indigenous populations at the bottom. Mestizos inherited the privilege of helping the Spanish administer the country. El Coronel de Milicias de Lurigancho en el paseo

El Coronel de Milicias de Lurigancho en el paseo

As additional immigrants arrived from Spain and settled Peru, the mestizos tried to keep the most lucrative jobs for themselves. In the early colonial period, Afro-Spaniards and Afro-Peruvians frequently worked in the gold mines because of their familiarity with the techniques. Gold mining and smithing were common in parts of western Africa from at least the fourth century. But, after the early colonial period, few Afro-Peruvians would become goldsmiths or silversmiths. In the end Afro-Peruvians were relegated to heavy labor on

sugarcane Sugarcane or sugar cane is a species of tall, Perennial plant, perennial grass (in the genus ''Saccharum'', tribe Andropogoneae) that is used for sugar Sugar industry, production. The plants are 2–6 m (6–20 ft) tall with stout, jointed, fib ...

and

rice Rice is a cereal grain and in its Domestication, domesticated form is the staple food of over half of the world's population, particularly in Asia and Africa. Rice is the seed of the grass species ''Oryza sativa'' (Asian rice)—or, much l ...

plantations of the northern coast, or the vineyards and cotton fields of the southern coast. In the countryside they were represented in wet-nursing, housekeeping, domestics, cowboys, animal herding, etc. After Indians became scarce as labor force on haciendas, the

people of color The term "person of color" (: people of color or persons of color; abbreviated POC) is used to describe any person who is not considered "white". In its current meaning, the term originated in, and is associated with, the United States. From th ...

gained a title of ''

yanakuna Yanakuna were originally individuals in the Inca Empire who left the ayllu system and worked full-time at a variety of tasks for the Inca, the ''quya'' (Inca queen), or the religious establishment. A few members of this serving class enjoyed high s ...

'', hitherto assigned only to indigenous servants with full right to own a piece of land and a day to work on it. Afro-Peruvians often exercised agency by using ''huido'' (translated as escape, flight) from haciendas and changing masters on their own initiative or joining the ''

cimarrones Maroons are descendants of Africans in the Americas and islands of the Indian Ocean who escaped from slavery, through flight or manumission, and formed their own settlements. They often mixed with Indigenous peoples, eventually evolving into ...

'' (armed gangs of runaway slaves that formed small communities in the wilderness and raided travel merchants). The indigenous population were used to work in the silver mines, where they had more expert knowledge than West Africans or Spanish, even in the pre-Columbian eras.

Slave trade

Over the course of the slave trade, approximately 95,000 slaves were brought into Peru, with the last group arriving in 1850. Often slaves were initially transported to

Cuba Cuba, officially the Republic of Cuba, is an island country, comprising the island of Cuba (largest island), Isla de la Juventud, and List of islands of Cuba, 4,195 islands, islets and cays surrounding the main island. It is located where the ...

and

Hispaniola Hispaniola (, also ) is an island between Geography of Cuba, Cuba and Geography of Puerto Rico, Puerto Rico in the Greater Antilles of the Caribbean. Hispaniola is the most populous island in the West Indies, and the second-largest by List of C ...

, from where traders brought them to

Panama Panama, officially the Republic of Panama, is a country in Latin America at the southern end of Central America, bordering South America. It is bordered by Costa Rica to the west, Colombia to the southeast, the Caribbean Sea to the north, and ...

and the Viceroyalty of Peru. Planters and others also purchased slaves in

Cartagena, Colombia Cartagena ( ), known since the colonial era as Cartagena de Indias (), is a city and one of the major ports on the northern coast of Colombia in the Caribbean Coast Region, along the Caribbean Sea. Cartagena's past role as a link in the route ...

Veracruz, Mexico Veracruz, formally Veracruz de Ignacio de la Llave, officially the Free and Sovereign State of Veracruz de Ignacio de la Llave, is one of the 31 states which, along with Mexico City, comprise the 32 Federal Entities of Mexico. Located in east ...

, at trade fairs, and they returned to Peru with the new slaves imported by the

slave ship Slave ships were large cargo ships specially built or converted from the 17th to the 19th century for transporting Slavery, slaves. Such ships were also known as "Guineamen" because the trade involved human trafficking to and from the Guinea ( ...

s. As a result of the "New laws" of 1548 and the influence of the denunciation of the abuses against Native Americans by Friar

Bartolomé de las Casas Bartolomé de las Casas, Dominican Order, OP ( ; ); 11 November 1484 – 18 July 1566) was a Spanish clergyman, writer, and activist best known for his work as an historian and social reformer. He arrived in Hispaniola as a layman, then became ...

, slaves gradually replaced natives at the

encomienda The ''encomienda'' () was a Spanish Labour (human activity), labour system that rewarded Conquistador, conquerors with the labour of conquered non-Christian peoples. In theory, the conquerors provided the labourers with benefits, including mil ...

s. Slave owners in Peru developed preferences to have slaves from specific areas of Africa (believed to have certain characteristics); they wanted to have slaves of one area who could communicate with each other. They believed slaves from Guinea, from the

Senegal River The Senegal River ( or "Senegal" - compound of the Serer term "Seen" or "Sene" or "Sen" (from Roog Seen, Supreme Deity in Serer religion) and "O Gal" (meaning "body of water")); , , , ) is a river in West Africa; much of its length mark ...

down to the Slave Coast, were easier to manage and had marketable skills. They already knew how to plant and cultivate rice, train horses, and herd cattle on horseback. The slave owners also preferred slaves from the area stretching from

Nigeria Nigeria, officially the Federal Republic of Nigeria, is a country in West Africa. It is situated between the Sahel to the north and the Gulf of Guinea in the Atlantic Ocean to the south. It covers an area of . With Demographics of Nigeria, ...

to eastern

Ghana Ghana, officially the Republic of Ghana, is a country in West Africa. It is situated along the Gulf of Guinea and the Atlantic Ocean to the south, and shares borders with Côte d’Ivoire to the west, Burkina Faso to the north, and Togo to t ...

. The slave owners' third choice was for slaves from Congo,

Mozambique Mozambique, officially the Republic of Mozambique, is a country located in Southeast Africa bordered by the Indian Ocean to the east, Tanzania to the north, Malawi and Zambia to the northwest, Zimbabwe to the west, and Eswatini and South Afr ...

Madagascar Madagascar, officially the Republic of Madagascar, is an island country that includes the island of Madagascar and numerous smaller peripheral islands. Lying off the southeastern coast of Africa, it is the world's List of islands by area, f ...

, and

Angola Angola, officially the Republic of Angola, is a country on the west-Central Africa, central coast of Southern Africa. It is the second-largest Portuguese-speaking world, Portuguese-speaking (Lusophone) country in both total area and List of c ...

. In the 17th century some owners began the process of

manumission Manumission, or enfranchisement, is the act of freeing slaves by their owners. Different approaches to manumission were developed, each specific to the time and place of a particular society. Historian Verene Shepherd states that the most wi ...

of people of color. In some cases, slaves were allowed to buy their freedom, and a free Afro-Peruvian social class emerged. Slaves had to pay a high amount to buy their freedom; some were allowed to earn money on the side or, if leased out, keep a portion of their earnings. Others raised loans, and some were granted freedom by their master. Even when free, independent blacks were not considered equal to Spaniards.

Free people of color In the context of the history of slavery in the Americas, free people of color (; ) were primarily people of mixed African, European, and Native American descent who were not enslaved. However, the term also applied to people born free who we ...

enjoyed equal privileges in certain aspects, for instance, there are records of free Africans buying and selling land as well. Freed blacks engaged in various entrepreneurial activities, of which trade was a significant factor. Some people of African descent became owners of shops. But, the status of a free citizen brought new challenges and conditions that a man of color had to face. A freed person of color needed to have a job, was required to pay the tribute, was called to serve in the

militia A militia ( ) is a military or paramilitary force that comprises civilian members, as opposed to a professional standing army of regular, full-time military personnel. Militias may be raised in times of need to support regular troops or se ...

to defend the state. All were under supervision of the Holy Office. The Crown raised revenues on the freed black population. A decree that compelled former slaves to hire themselves out to and reside with a Spaniard master was another way to limit freedom of emancipated blacks. While some did stay with Spanish in order to save money, the large majority successfully defied the rule and began building "joint communities" to support each other. A discrimination policy with big and long-term impact was the exclusion of blacks and

mulatto ( , ) is a Race (human categorization), racial classification that refers to people of mixed Sub-Saharan African, African and Ethnic groups in Europe, European ancestry only. When speaking or writing about a singular woman in English, the ...

es from education. Universities and schools largely run by the Church forbade the non-white population to enroll, under the justification that they were "unworthy of being educated". Wealthy, skilled, capable mulattoes however made their way through the political ladder and achieved occupation of minor official posts. In 1821, General

José de San Martín José Francisco de San Martín y Matorras (; 25 February 177817 August 1850), nicknamed "the Liberator of Argentina, Chile and Peru", was an Argentine general and the primary leader of the southern and central parts of South America's succe ...

outlawed the slave trade in Peru. In 1835, President

Felipe Santiago Salaverry Felipe Santiago Salaverry del Solar (1805 – February 19, 1836) was a Peruvian soldier and politician who served as the Supreme Chief of Peru. Biography Salaverry was born in 1805 in Lima and studied in the College of San Carlos in Lima. Whe ...

signed a decree again legalizing the deportation of slaves through the other Latin American countries. Thus, two years after his death, will be removed from the constitution the principle of "emancipating soil" according to which a slave entering Peru is, de facto, made free. In 1854, President Ramón Castilla y Marquezado declared slavery abolished. Today, Afro-Peruvian communities celebrate the landmark decision of Castilla with a popular refrain: The newly freed citizens typically took the last name of their former owners. For instance, slaves in the service of the Florez family named themselves "Florez" or "Flores". Despite the gradual emancipation of most black slaves in Peru, slavery continued along the Pacific coast of South America throughout the 19th century, as Peruvian slave traders kidnapped

Polynesians Polynesians are an ethnolinguistic group comprising closely related ethnic groups native to Polynesia, which encompasses the islands within the Polynesian Triangle in the Pacific Ocean. They trace their early prehistoric origins to Island Sout ...

, primarily from the

Marquesas Islands The Marquesas Islands ( ; or ' or ' ; Marquesan language, Marquesan: ' (North Marquesan language, North Marquesan) and ' (South Marquesan language, South Marquesan), both meaning "the land of men") are a group of volcano, volcanic islands in ...

and

Easter Island Easter Island (, ; , ) is an island and special territory of Chile in the southeastern Pacific Ocean, at the southeasternmost point of the Polynesian Triangle in Oceania. The island is renowned for its nearly 1,000 extant monumental statues, ...

and forced them to perform physical labour in mines and in the

guano Guano (Spanish from ) is the accumulated excrement of seabirds or bats. Guano is a highly effective fertiliser due to the high content of nitrogen, phosphate, and potassium, all key nutrients essential for plant growth. Guano was also, to a le ...

industry of Peru and Chile.

Afro-Peruvian music

Afro-Peruvian music has its roots in the communities of black slaves brought to work in the mines along the Peruvian coast. As such, it's a fair way from the Andes, culturally and geographically. However, as it developed, particularly in the 20th century, it drew on Andean, Spanish, and African traditions, while its modern exponents also have affinities with Andean ''

nueva canción (European , ; 'new song') is a left-wing social movement and musical genre in Latin America and the Iberian Peninsula, characterized by folk music, folk-inspired styles and socially committed lyrics. is widely recognized to have played a profou ...

''. As a result, the hotbed for Afro-Peruvian music are the small coastal towns of Chincha and Cañete, not too far south of Peru's capital, Lima. The music was little known even in Peru until the 1950s, when it was popularized by José Durand, Porfirio Vásquez,

Nicomedes Santa Cruz Nicomedes Santa Cruz Gamarra (June 4, 1925 – February 5, 1992) was a Peruvian singer, songwriter and musicologist. He was primarily a ''decimista'' (or ''decimero''), a singer of ''décimas''. He researched most forms of Afro-Peruvian music and ...

, and

Victoria Santa Cruz Victoria Eugenia Santa Cruz Gamarra (27 October 1922 – August 30, 2014) was an Afro-Peruvian choreographer, composer and activist. Victoria Santa Cruz would go on to be called "the mother of Afro Peruvian dance and theatre." Along with her brot ...

, whose body of work was taken a step further in the 1970s by the group

Perú Negro Perú Negro is an Afro-Peruvian musical ensemble founded in 1969 to celebrate and preserve Peru's black culture and ''música criolla''. Ronaldo Campos de la Colina founded the Lima-based group with 12 family members. The group has been appointed ...

. At an international level, this form of music has had recent publicity through

David Byrne David Byrne (; born May 14, 1952) is an American musician, writer, visual artist, and filmmaker. He was a founding member, principal songwriter, lead singer, and guitarist of the American New wave music, new wave band Talking Heads. Byrne has ...

's Luaka Bop music label, with the edition of the compilation by the group Perú Negro and the albums by

Susana Baca Susana Esther Baca de la Colina (; born 24 May 1944) is a prominent Peruvian singer-songwriter, school teacher, folklorist, ethnomusicologist and three-time Latin Grammy Award winner. She has been a key figure in the revival of Afro-Peruvian ...

. There are demonstrations that are still valid, such as the "Danza de Negritos y Las Pallitas" developed at Christmas time in the towns of the central coast of Peru.

Afro-Peruvians today

The Afro-Peruvian population is found mainly in two sectors: north coast (between Lambayeque and

Piura Piura is a city in northwestern Peru, located north of the Sechura Desert along the Piura River. It is the capital of the Piura Region and the Piura Province. Its population was 484,475 as of 2017 and it is the 7th most populous city in Peru. ...

); and on the south central coast (especially in

Lima Lima ( ; ), founded in 1535 as the Ciudad de los Reyes (, Spanish for "City of Biblical Magi, Kings"), is the capital and largest city of Peru. It is located in the valleys of the Chillón River, Chillón, Rímac River, Rímac and Lurín Rive ...

Callao Callao () is a Peruvian seaside city and Regions of Peru, region on the Pacific Ocean in the Lima metropolitan area. Callao is Peru's chief seaport and home to its main airport, Jorge Chávez International Airport. Callao municipality consists ...

, and in the provinces of Cañete, Chincha,

Pisco Pisco is a colorless or yellowish-to-amber-colored spirit produced in winemaking regions of Peru and Chile. Made by distilling fermented grape juice into a high-proof spirit, it was developed by 16th-century Spanish settlers as an alternativ ...

, and

Nazca Nazca (; sometimes spelled Nasca; possibly from ) is a city and system of valleys on the southern coast of Peru. The city of Nazca is the largest in the Nazca Province. The name is derived from the Nazca culture, which flourished in the area be ...

). The highest concentration of Afro-Peruvians in the country is found in Yapatera in Morropón (Piura); composed of about 7000 farmers, most of whom are descendants of former African slaves, where a large number of people of "Malagasy" or "Mangache" origin (from Madagascar) stand out. The Province of Morropón is known for its black communities in cities such as the capital city of Morropón, around Chulucanas, in addition to Yapatera, there are Chapica del Carmelo, Salitral, Buenos Aires, La Mantaza, (Hacienda Pabur), San Juan de Mustache and Canchaque. Between the provinces of Ayabaca and Sullana you can also find black communities such as Las Lomas, La Tina (near the border) or Pacaipampa. When it says "northern valleys" it refers to valleys that are in the yunga. Cities such as the famous colonial city of

Zaña Zaña or Saña (''Çañap'' in mochica language, Mochica) is the capital of Zaña District in the Chiclayo Province of Lambayeque region in northern Peru. It is located inland from the Pacific Ocean at an elevation of in the valley of the Zaña ...

in Lambayeque stand out for being the second most important Afro-Peruvian city in northern Peru. Other cities such as: Tumán, Batán Grande, Cayaltí and Capote in the department of Lambayeque are known for hosting a good number of Afro-Peruvian populations. In the city of Lima, the districts of Cercado, Breña, Surquillo, San Martín de Porres, Barranco, Surco, Chorrillos, Rímac and La Victoria are known for having regular numbers of Afro-Peruvian populations, as well as Callao. The town of Aucallama in the province of Huaral is also known. The coastal cities of the central and southern regions known for their black populations are Cañete, Chincha, Pisco, Ica and Nazca. Formerly the communities to the south of Lima were known as the peoples with the highest intensity of Afro-Peru, but due to excessive miscegenation between African descendants and Andean migrants, the Afro-Peruvian roots have been lost. Another reason is that many of them also migrated to Lima for better opportunities. However, there are still important settlements known for their traditional presence of Afro-Peruvians: El Carmen and El Guayabo, in the province of Chincha, where Julio "Chocolate" Algendones and the traditional Ballumbrosio family come from; in addition to San Luis, in the province of Cañete, land of Caitro Soto, Coco Linares and Ronaldo Campos. Further south there are Afro-Peruvian communities in the district of El Ingenio, in the province of Nazca; and the town of Acarí, in the province of Caravelí, in the coastal north of the department of Arequipa. An interesting fact is that former African slaves came to small valleys of the central high jungle located in Cerro de Pasco and Huánuco. There are still small populations with distant but evidently African features.

Geographical distribution

According to the

2017 Peruvian Census The 2017 Peru Census was a detailed enumeration and twelfth Census in Peru, national population census of Peru. It was conducted by the Instituto Nacional de Estadística e Informática on Sunday, October 22, 2017. Its full name in Spanish language ...

, 828,841 or 3.6% Peruvians identified as "Black", the term used for people of unmixed African descent, while together with the

Mulatos ( , ) is a Race (human categorization), racial classification that refers to people of mixed Sub-Saharan African, African and Ethnic groups in Europe, European ancestry only. When speaking or writing about a singular woman in English, the ...

and

Zambos Zambo ( or ) or Sambu is a racial term historically used in the Spanish Empire to refer to people of mixed Amerindian, Indigenous Amerindian and West African people, African ancestry. Occasionally in the 21st century, the term is used in the ...

they would be a total of 9% of the Peruvian population (2,850,000). The departments with the largest percentage of Black people are Tumbes (11.5%),

(8.9), and Lambayeque (8.4%). The regions with the lowest percentage of self-identified Black people are

Puno Puno ( Aymara and ) is a city in southeastern Peru, located on the shore of Lake Titicaca. It is the capital city of the Puno Region and the Puno Province with a population of approximately 140,839 (2015 estimate). The city was established in ...

(0.0),

Huancavelica Huancavelica () or Wankawillka in Quechua is a city in Peru. It is the capital of the department of Huancavelica and according to the 2017 census had a population of 49,570 people. The city was established on August 5, 1572 by the Viceroy ...

(0.1), and

(0.2%).Perú: Perfil Sociodemográfico
(PDF). ''Instituto Nacional de Estadística e Informática''. p. 222. Retrieved 10 November 2021.

Government apology

In November 2009, the

Peruvian government The Republic of Peru is a unitary state with a multi-party semi-presidential system. The current government was established by the 1993 Constitution of Peru. The government is composed of three branches, being executive, judicial, and legisla ...

issued an official apology to Peru's Afro-Peruvian people for centuries of racial injustice; it was the first such apology ever made by the government. It was announced by Women's and Social Development Minister Nidia Vilchez, and initially published in the official newspaper ''

El Peruano ''Diario Oficial El Peruano'' (''The Peruvian Official Newspaper'') is the official daily newspaper of Peru. The paper was founded on 22 October 1825 by Simón Bolívar although it changed names between the following decades and it was not publi ...

''. The apology said: Vilchez said the government hoped its apology would help promote the "true integration of all Peru's multicultural population." The government acknowledged that some discrimination persists against Afro-Peruvians, who make up 5%–10% of the population. The government's initial statement said, "The government recognizes and regrets that vestiges of racially-motivated harassment are still present, which represent a hindrance to social, economic, labor and educational development of the population at large." Monica Carrillo of the Center for Afro-Peruvian Studies and Promotion indicates that 27% of Afro-Peruvians finish high school and just 2% get higher or technical education. Although Peru is not the first Latin American government to apologize to its population, it is the first to acknowledge present-day discrimination. Although some human rights groups lauded the government's acknowledgment, other experts criticized the apology overall for failing to reference

slavery Slavery is the ownership of a person as property, especially in regards to their labour. Slavery typically involves compulsory work, with the slave's location of work and residence dictated by the party that holds them in bondage. Enslavemen ...

or promise a change in the status quo. The public ceremony for the apology held on 7 December 2009 in the Great Dining Room of the Government Palace, with the presence of then President

Alan García Alan Gabriel Ludwig García Pérez (; 23 May 1949 – 17 April 2019) was a Peruvian politician who served as President of Peru for two non-consecutive terms from 1985 to 1990 and from 2006 to 2011. He was the second leader of the American Popula ...

, the Minister of Women and Social Development, Nidia Vilchez, the Afro Peruvian Congress member

Martha Moyano Martha Lupe Moyano Delgado (born October 14, 1964) is a Peruvian nurse, Fujimorist politician and a congresswoman representing Lima for the 2021–2026 term, previously serving in the 2000–2001, 2001–2006, and 2006-2011 terms. Moyano belongs ...

, with the former mayor of El Carmen, Hermes Palma-Quiroz, and the founder of the Black Movement Francisco Congo, Paul Colino-Monroy. In the ceremony, President García said:

Notable Afro-Peruvians

Enrique Verástegui Enrique Fidel Verástegui Peláez (24 April 1950 – 27 July 2018) was a Peruvian author and mathematician. He was a member of Movimiento Hora Zero with the poets Jorge Pimentel, Juan Ramírez Ruiz, Jorge Nájar, Enriqueta Belevan and Carmen ...

(1950–2018) awarded author and mathematician. *

Juan Jose Cabezudo ''Juan'' is a given name, the Spanish and Manx versions of ''John''. The name is of Hebrew origin and has the meaning "God has been gracious." It is very common in Spain and in other Spanish-speaking countries around the world and in the Philippi ...

(died 1860), chef *

(1925–1992), folklorist, Afro-Peruvian writer and poet * Andy Polo *

Carlos Ascues Carlos Antonio Ascues Ávila (born 19 June 1992), also known as Pogbascues, due to his physical and technical similarities to Paul Pogba, is a Peruvian professional footballer who plays as a central midfielder or as a striker on occasion for P ...

* Carlos Cáceda *

Damián Ísmodes Damián Diego Ísmodes Saravia (born 10 March 1989) is a Peruvian footballer who plays for Carlos Stein as a midfielder. Club career Ísmodes was born in Lima. After just two years of professional football, playing with hometown's Sporting Cri ...

Pedro Gallese Pedro David Gallese Quiroz (born 23 February 1990) is a Peruvian professional footballer who plays as a goalkeeper for Major League Soccer club Orlando City and the Peru national team, which he captains. Club career Universidad San Martín P ...

, Goalkeeper for the

Orlando City Soccer Club Orlando City Soccer Club is an American professional soccer club based in Orlando, Florida. The club competes in Major League Soccer (MLS) as a member of the Eastern Conference. Owned by Zygi, Leonard, and Mark Wilf, it is the sister club of ...

(1922–2014), folklorist and director of the Conjunto Nacional de Folclore del Instituto Nacional de Cultura *

Ronaldo Campos Ronaldo is a Portuguese given name equivalent to the English Ronald. It became a common name in all Portuguese-speaking countries, also prevalent in other Romance countries. People Notable people known as Ronaldo include: Association footballe ...

(1927–2001), renowned musician and dancer, founder of the Peru Negro group *

Eva Ayllón Eva María Angélica Ayllón Urbina (born February 7, 1956), better known by her stage name Eva Ayllón, is a female composer and singer, one of Peru's foremost Afro-Peruvian musicians, and one of the country's most enduring living legends. She ...

, pop singer, interpreter of folk music and renowned Afro-Peruvian * Christian Ramos, footballer for the Peruvian national team *

, musician; won a Grammy Award for Best Folk Album in 2002; composer, singer and scholar of the rhythms of "Afro" descent in Peru *

Caitro Soto Pedro Carlos Soto de la Colina (23 October 1934, San Luis District, Cañete, San Luis, Cañete, Peru – 19 July 2004, Lima, Peru), popularly known as Caitro Soto, was an Afro-Peruvian musician and composer. He was known for his version of the Per ...

, Afro-Peruvian musician and composer *

Gerónimo Barbadillo Gerónimo Barbadillo González (born September 29, 1954) is a retired Peruvian footballer. A right winger, he spent his best seasons with Tigres UANL of the Liga MX and was known for his speed, dribbling and goal-scoring ability. He also playe ...

, former soccer player, played Italian football in the 1980s *

Lucila Campos Clara Lucila Campos Marcial (16 August 1938 – 12 December 2016 in Lima Lima ( ; ), founded in 1535 as the Ciudad de los Reyes (, Spanish for "City of Biblical Magi, Kings"), is the capital and largest city of Peru. It is located in the ...

, singer and member of

Arturo "Zambo" Cavero Arturo Cavero Velásquez (29 November 1940 – 9 October 2009), better known by the pseudonym "Zambo Cavero", was a Peruvian singer, representative of Afro-Peruvian identity. Biography Born in Lima, Peru, he was the son of Juan Cavero, of Hu ...

, singer and percussionist *

Teófilo Cubillas Teófilo Juan Cubillas Arizaga (; born 8 March 1949) is a Peruvian former footballer who played as an attacking midfielder. He is considered Peru's greatest ever player and one of the best in the history of South America. In an IFFHS poll he wa ...

, considered the greatest Peruvian soccer player of all time *

Pedro Pablo León Pedro Pablo León García (29 June 1943 – 9 May 2020), also known as Perico León, was a Peruvian professional footballer who played as a striker. Career León made 49 appearances for the Peru national team between 1963 and 1973. He then s ...

, Peru's soccer player of the

1970 FIFA World Cup The 1970 FIFA World Cup was the 9th edition of the FIFA World Cup, the quadrennial international Association football, football championship for List of men's national association football teams, men's senior national teams. Held from 31 May to ...

José Gil de Castro José Gil de Castro y Morales (1 September 1785 – ) was an Afro-Peruvian portrait painter, cartographer and soldier who spent many years in Chile. Biography José Gil de Castro was born in Lima; his parents were free citizens. His first stud ...

, "Mulato Gil de Castro", artist, hero of the Peruvian Revolution as well as renowned soldier in Chilean army *

Jefferson Farfán Jefferson Agustín Farfán Guadalupe (; born 26 October 1984) is a Peruvian former professional footballer who mainly played as a winger. Commonly known as Farfán or the nickname ''Foquita'' (Spanish for ''Little Seal''), he is known for his s ...

, current soccer player for

Lokomotiv Moscow FC Lokomotiv Moscow (, ) is a Russian professional association football, football club based in Moscow. Lokomotiv have won the Russian Premier League on three occasions; the Soviet Cup twice; and the Russian Cup (football), Russian Cup a record ...

* Francisco Fierro ("Pancho Fierro"), artist * Luisa Fuentes, better known as Lucha Fuentes, volleyball player with the Peruvian national team; won numerous international titles, including five championships and three South American Panamerican Subchampionships; participated in two Olympics (Mexico and Montreal) and six world championships * Teresa Izquierdo (1934–2011), chef and restaurant founder *

Juan Joya Juan Joya Cordero (February 25, 1934 – March 29, 2007) was a Peruvian association football player, recognized as one of Peru's most important strikers. He was a historic forward of the Club Atlético Peñarol of Uruguay in the 1960s, one ...

, former soccer player of

Alianza Lima Club Alianza Lima, more commonly known as simply Alianza Lima, is a Peru, Peruvian professional sports club based in La Victoria District, Lima, La Victoria District of Lima, Peru. The club was founded under the name of Sport Alianza on February ...

Peru,

Peñarol Club Atlético Peñarol (), more commonly referred to as Peñarol, is a Uruguayan professional football club based in Montevideo. The club currently competes in the Uruguayan Primera División, the highest tier in Uruguayan football. The nam ...

Uruguay Uruguay, officially the Oriental Republic of Uruguay, is a country in South America. It shares borders with Argentina to its west and southwest and Brazil to its north and northeast, while bordering the Río de la Plata to the south and the A ...

and River Plate

Argentina Argentina, officially the Argentine Republic, is a country in the southern half of South America. It covers an area of , making it the List of South American countries by area, second-largest country in South America after Brazil, the fourt ...

* Julio Meléndez, named the greatest

Boca Juniors Club Atlético Boca Juniors () is an Argentine professional sports club based in La Boca, a neighbourhood of Buenos Aires. The club is best known for its men's professional Association football, football team which, since its promotion in 1913 ...

''stopper'' *

Mauro Mina Mauro Mina Baylón (November 22, 1933 – June 1, 1993) was a Peruvian Light Heavyweight boxer known as the "Bombardero de Chincha", remembered as the best Peruvian boxer of the twentieth century. He was born in Chincha on November 22, 1933. It ...

, former South American light-heavyweight champion boxer *

María Elena Moyano María Elena Moyano Delgado (29 November 1958 – 15 February 1992) was an Afro-Peruvian Community organizing, community organizer and feminist who was assassinated by the Shining Path. She grew up in poverty in the Villa El Salvador pueblo jove ...

, civil leader *

, congresswoman *Manuel

Ricardo Palma Manuel Ricardo Palma Soriano (February 7, 1833 – October 6, 1919) was a Peruvian author, scholar, librarian and politician. His magnum opus is the '' Tradiciones peruanas''. Biography According to the official account, Manuel Ricardo Pa ...

Soriano, poet, writer, author of ''Peruvian Traditions'' *St.

Martin de Porres Martín de Porres Velázquez (9 December 1579 – 3 November 1639) was a Peruvian lay brother of the Dominican Order who was beatified in 1837 by Pope Gregory XVI and canonized in 1962 by Pope John XXIII. He is the patron saint of mixed-r ...

, famous ''Limeño'' saint, first black saint * Lucha Reyes, interpreter, folk singer known for her voice in Peruvian Waltz and participating in

boleros Bolero is a genre of song which originated in eastern Cuba in the late 19th century as part of the trova tradition. Unrelated to the older Spanish dance of the same name, bolero is characterized by sophisticated lyrics dealing with love. It h ...

in Mexico *

Luis Miguel Sánchez Cerro Luis Miguel Sánchez Cerro (August 12, 1889 – April 30, 1933) was a high-ranking Peruvian army officer, revolutionary, nationalist and politician who served as the 41st President of Peru, from 1931 to 1933 as well as Interim President of P ...

(1889–1933), president of Peru *

Rafael Santa Cruz Rafael Santa Cruz (29 September 1960 – 4 August 2014) was a renowned Afro-Peruvian musician and author of the book ''El Cajón Afroperuano'' on the cajón, a Peruvian instrument created from wooden boxes by slaves when their owners tried to ba ...

, actor *

Andres Soto The Richmond Progressive Alliance (RPA) is a progressive political group in Richmond and western Contra Costa County, California, United States. RPA formed in 2003 by local progressives. RPA is an umbrella organization for progressives and left ...

, singer-songwriter *

, born Pedro Carlos Soto de la Colina, musician, composer, cajon player *

Cecilia Tait Cecilia Roxana Tait Villacorta (born 5 March 1962), more commonly known as Cecilia Tait, is a Peruvian politician and retired volleyball player. She was a key player in the rise of the Peruvian women's national volleyball team in the 1980s. ...

, former volleyball player; regarded as among the best players of all time in the spike; Congresswoman-elect of the Republic during the 2001–06 legislative period *

Immortal Technique Felipe Andres Coronel (born February 19, 1978), known artistically as Immortal Technique, is an American rapper, activist and songwriter. His lyrics are largely commentary on issues such as politics, religion, institutional racism, and govern ...

, aka Felipe Andres Coronel, American rapper and urban activist. *

Julio César Uribe Julio César Uribe Flores (born May 9, 1958) is a Peruvian football manager and former player who played as an attacking midfielder or a second striker. Playing career Club Uribe started his career with Peruvian club Sporting Cristal. Then he ...

, former soccer player, idol of Junior de Barranquilla Americas and Mexico. He also played for Italian football in the 1980s *Pablo Branda Villanueva (aka Melcochita), salsa singer and comedian * Delia Zamudio (born 1943) trade unionist and human rights activist *

Luis Advíncula Luis Jan Piers Advíncula Castrillón (; born 2 March 1990) is a Peruvian professional footballer who plays for Argentine Primera División club Boca Juniors and the Peru national team. A quick and offensive right-back, he can also play as a r ...

, footballer born in Chincha, Ica. juice in

Rayo Vallecano Rayo Vallecano de Madrid, S.A.D. (), often abbreviated to Rayo (Spanish for "thunderbolt"), is a Spanish professional football club based in the Villa de Vallecas district of Madrid. The club competes in La Liga, the top flight of Spanish foot ...

. He is one of the Peruvian soccer players with the most presences. *

Luis Guadalupe Luis Alberto Guadalupe (born April 3, 1976 in Chincha) is a retired football Peruvian footballer who played as a central defender Career Guadalupe has played most of his career for the Universitario de Deportes club in Lima, Peru. He has also ...

Pedro Aquino Pedro Jesús Aquino Sánchez (born 13 April 1995) is a Peruvian professional footballer who plays as a defensive midfielder for Liga MX club Santos Laguna and the Peru national team. Club career Sporting Cristal He made his senior league debu ...

, footballer *

Marcos López Marcos Johan López Lanfranco (born 20 November 1999) is a Peruvian professional footballer who plays as a left-back for Danish Superliga club Copenhagen, on loan from Feyenoord, and the Peru national team. Club career López started his pr ...

* Andre Carrillo * Julio Landauri *

Yordy Reyna José Yordy Reyna Serna (; born 17 September 1993) is a Peruvian professional footballer who plays as a striker for Russian club Torpedo Moscow. Early life Born in the city of Chiclayo, he moved to Lima at the age of 14. He gave such a good ...

Renato Tapia Renato Fabrizio Tapia Cortijo (born 28 July 1995) is a Peruvian professional footballer who plays as a defensive midfielder or centre-back for club Leganés and the Peru national team. Club career Youth career Born in Lima, Peru, Tapia start ...

Miguel Araujo Miguel Gianpierre Araujo Blanco (born 24 October 1994) is a Peruvian professional footballer who plays as a centre-back for the Peru national team. Club career Cobresol Miguel Araujo started his senior career by joining Cobresol's first team ...

* Miguel Villalta * Deyair Reyes *

Gerald Távara Gerald is a masculine given name derived from the Germanic languages prefix ''ger-'' ("spear") and suffix ''-wald'' ("rule"). Gerald is a Norman French variant of the Germanic name. An Old English equivalent name was Garweald, the likely original ...

Guillermo La Rosa Guillermo Claudio La Rosa Laguna (born June 6, 1952) is a Peruvian former professional Association football, footballer who played as a forward (association football), forward. He competed for the Peru national football team at the 1978 FIFA Wo ...

Jair Céspedes Jair Edson Céspedes Zegarra (born 22 March 1984) is a Peruvian professional footballer who plays as a left-back or left winger for Deportivo Binacional in the Torneo Descentralizado. International career Céspedes made his debut for the Per ...

* Juan Flores * Luis Ramirez * Andres Mendoza *

Notes and references

External links

Museo Afro PeruanoJoshua Project - Afro-PeruvianPeruvian MusicPeru Negro
* ttp://siteresources.worldbank.org/INTLACAFROLATINSINSPA/Resources/FINAL_Peru.pdf Pobreza, discriminacion social e indentidad: El caso de la poblacion afrodescendiente en el Peru* {{African diaspora Ethnic groups in Peru

Peruvian Peruvians (''/peruanas'') are the citizens of Peru. What is now Peru has been inhabited for several millennia by cultures such as the Caral before the Spanish conquest in the 16th century. Peruvian population decreased from an estimated 5–9 ...

Early history

Slave trade

Afro-Peruvian music

Afro-Peruvians today

Geographical distribution

Government apology

Notable Afro-Peruvians

See also

Notes and references

Further reading

External links