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Black Spaniards In the Colony of Santo Domingo



When we think of our blackness or Africanity we often think of our ancestors coming directly from the mother continent or other colonies in the new world. While these are the major sources, there are exceptions to this norm.

The black presence in Iberia dates back to the time of the moors in which both the ruling class and the enslaved class had black-African individuals. These Iberians of African descent where numerous both in the free, servant and enslaved classes and many traveled out of their free will as well as accompanying their patrons.

These individuals and families would have brought with them in some cases an Afro-Iberian culture that would have then melded into the Afro-creole culture of the colony of Santo Domingo.

Quick Facts:

Spain:
Canary Islands:
  • The natives of the Canary islands where north-African peoples and the general population has mixed heavily with them
  • There where Tropical African people who both had free status and enslaved status in the canaries throughout its history
  • In Tunte, of Las Palmas Canary islands there was a large concentration of free black families, some of their descendants still live in the same place. 
Free and enslaved Afro-descendants traveling from Spain/Canary Islands to Quisqueya (Modern day DR/Haiti) From 1535-1778 

Keep in mind that this is not a definitive list but rather a list within the scarse documentation of the trips from the spanish kingdom to the new world. Illitcit trips where quite frequent. 
NameRace or ColorStatusOriginYear
Pedro BejaranoBlackFreeSpain1535
Catalina FernandezBlackFreeSevilla, Spain1536
Juan PonceLoro (1/4th Black)FreeSevilla, Spain1538
Anton de ZafraBlackFreeMorilla de la sierra1538
Catalina HernándezBlackFreeSevilla, Spain1539
LuisaBrown (Ripe pear colored)FreeSevilla, Spain1539
Inés de la ConcepciónBlackFreeSanlucar, Spain1539
Juan de SenaBlackFreedSevilla, Spain1539
Elena De SandovalBlackFreedSevilla, Spain1540
Juana DiazMixed (1/2 black 1/2 white)FreeSpain1555
Eufrasia PerezLora (1/4th Black)FreeSpain, born in S.Domingo1559
Anton GudielBlackEnslavedSpain1560-1565
Lucas VasquezMixed (1/2 native 1/2 white)FreeSpain, born in S.Domingo 1560-1565
Diego de CastroMixed (1/2 native 1/2 white)FreeSpain, born in S.Domingo1560-1565
Perico de CastroMixed (1/2 native 1/2 white)FreeSpain, born in S.Domingo1560-1565
Luis de MendozaNative-AmericanFreeSpain1560-1565
Perico MosqueraMixed (1/2 black 1/2 white)ServantSpain, born in S.Domingo1560-1565
Diego MosqueraBlackServantSpain, born in S.Domingo1560-1565
Juan de AguilarMixed (1/2 native 1/2 white)FreeSpain, born in S.Domingo1560-1565
Simon PintoMixed (1/2 native 1/2 white)FreeSpain, born in S.Domingo1560-1565
Antonio MartinezMixed (1/2 native 1/2 white)FreeSpain, born in S.Domingo1560-1565
Francsico MorenoBlackFreeSpain, born in PuertoRico1570
Elena de HinojosaMixed (1/2 black 1/2 white)FreeSevilla, Spain1570
Juana de SalamancaBlackFreeSevilla, Spain1570
Agustina De JesusBlackFreeSevilla, Spain1539
Gaspar JuanBlackFreeSpain, born in S.Domingo1594
FaustinaBlackFreeSpain, born in S.Domingo1599
Albino de UrnietaMixed (1/2 black 1/2 white)ServantSpain, born in S.Domingo1601
Antonio HernadezBlackFreeSpain1610
Mateo MaldonadoBlackEnslavedSevilla, Spain1613
Juan GomesMixed (1/2 black 1/2 white)ServantSpain1617
DamianMixed (1/2 black 1/2 white)FreeSpain1618
Ignacio DominguezNative-AmericanFreeSpain, born in S.Domingo1621
Francisco de AlmansaBlackServantSpain1641
Luis CaballeroBlackEnslavedSpain1672
Isabel CaballeroBlackEnslavedSpain1672
Francisco TeodoroMixed (1/2 black 1/2 white)ServantSpain1673
Juana Maria de Los AngelesBlackFreeSpain, born in S.Domingo1673
Manuel de PuertollanoMixed (1/2 black 1/2 white)ServantSpain, born in S.Domingo1675
Maria Teresa LozanoBlackEnslavedSpain1706
Jose RoblesBlackEnslavedSpain1684
Francisco de la cruz y VeraMixed (1/2 black 1/2 white)ServantMerida, Bajadoz, Spain1695
Miguel de RiveraMixed (1/2 black 1/2 white)FreeSpain, born in S.Domingo1696
Luis GarciaMixed (1/2 black 1/2 white)FreeSpain, born in Venezuela1701
Catalina JosefaBlackEnslavedSpain1715
Manuel RoqueBlackEnslavedSpain1715
Franicsco GutierrezMixed (1/2 black 1/2 white)FreeCanary Islands, Spain1738
Juan de DiosBlackFree/CobblerCanary Islands, Spain1738
Antonia PerezParda (1/4th Black)FreeCanary Islands, Spain1738
Josefa Maria de la cruzParda (1/4th Black)FreeCanary Islands, Spain1738
Manuel GollenecheBlackEnslavedCadiz, Spain1766
Santiago ZorillaBlackFreeSpain, born in S.Domingo1767
Juana PujolBlackFreeSpain, born in S.Domingo1767
Jose BenitoBlackFree/MilitarySpain1773
Julian Cayetano ArceBlackServant/CookSpain, born in Cuba1778
Agustin IzquierdoBlackServant/LascarSpain, born in Cuba1778

Legend: The ones that say Spain, Born in _____ , mean the person was traveling from spain but was not born in Spain an rather in the mentioned colony in many cases this was in the island itself.

If you notice in addition to people of African descent there where Native-Americans, often times of mixed heritage who went back and forth between spain and their place of origin which in this case was the colony of Santo Domingo. 

The reason why so many where from Seville, is because of the large black presence in this city of Spain. In 1525 Afro-descendants in Seville where 10% of the population. 

Sources:

PARES (Spanish National Archives of Seville): For the indexed and searchable list of all registered passengers to the indies from 1494 - 1601.
PARES (Spanish National Archives of Seville): For the indexed and searchable list of some passengers to the indies from 1601 and later. 

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