On myths and national histories. The presence/negation of black and mulattos in Buenos Aires

Abstract

A variety of myths crossed the Argentinean historiography and were extended to the education. The idea that in Buenos Aires there were no black people – and much less slaves – has endured in the national history. Generations of Argentineans have grown convinced that it was the “truth”. On the other hand, the few works made upon this topic stood out the characteristic that the slavery was more benevolent in these latitudes than in lands of plantations. The purpose of the present work is to rescue black, mulattos, zambos and the whole established range of colors, either as slaves, liberate or free through different studies carried out on the topic in the last years. We will limit ourselves to the analysis of three aspects that we consider central: the studies of this sector of the society as workers at the end of the XVIII and the beginning of the XIX century; the gradual process towards the emancipation, which extended for almost half a century; and, lastly, to observe black and mulattos by the end of the XIX century in the moment of their supposed “disappearance”, keeping in mind the studies on identity and survival of uses and customs in a society that “denied” the presence of the black people.

Key words: black, slavery, emancipation, identity.