THE PRIMITIVE BLACK NATIONS OF AMERICA

by professor Constantine Samuel Rafinesque, c. 1832

An often ignored and forgotten part of American history is the fact that Europeans encountered dark-skinned people (later referred to as negroes) when they arrived on the shores of North, South, and Central America…

This passage, taken from professor Constantine Rafinesque's publication, Atlantic Journal and Friend of Knowledge, details the various "Black Nations" that existed pre-Columbus in America…

 

Atlantic Journal and Friend of Knowledge was based off of over 33 years of travel and research by the esteemed professor…

"The Primitive Black Nations of America."

 

By Professor C. S. Rafinesque.

 

 “The Society of Geography having offered a reward for the best memoir on the Origin of the Asiatic Negroes, I sent them last year two Memoirs; one on those Asiatic Negroes,'wherein I demonstrated the affinities of their languages with the African and Polynesian Negroes, as well as with the Hindus and Chinese, and renders it probable that all the Negroes originated in the Southern Slopes of the Himalaya Mountains, as they did once exist all over India, South China, Japan, Persia and Arabia...

 

My second Memoir was on the Negro or Black Nations, found in America before Columbus, wherein I proved their existence and connection by language with the Negroes of Africa and Polynesia…

These Memoirs have been rewarded by the learned Society of Geography, with a gold medal of 100 Francs, which was lately communicated to me by Messrs Warden, our former Consul in Paris, and Jomard member of the Institute…

This gratifying intelligence will be acceptable to all my friends, and furnish another proof of my ability to unravel at last, the origins of all the American Nations and Tribes, in pursuing the path which I have opened, by comparing all the Languages mathematically and numerically with each other…

To many, this fact of old Black Nations in America will be new…

Yet it is important feature of American History…

I will here merely enumerate the Black tribes of which I have found evident traces and remains in North and South America…

1. The ancient Caracols of Hayti, represented as a Nation of Beasts by the Historical Songs, see Roman and Martyr 

2. The Califurnams of the Carib Islands, called Black Caribs or Guanini by others, are a black branch of Caribs. See Rochefort, Herrera

3. The Arguahos of Cutara mentioned by Garcias in the West Indies, quite black.

4. The Black Aroras of Raleigh, or Yaruras of the Spaniards, ugly black or brown Negroes, yet existing near the Oronoco, and language known, called monkeys by their neighbors 

5. Chaymas of Guyana, brown Negroes like Hottentots, see Humboldt

6. The Mangipas and Porcigis of Nienhof, the Motayas of Knivet, & all of Brazil, brown Negroes with curly hair. See also Vespucius and Pigafetta

7. The Nigritas of Martyr in Darien, yet existing in Choco under the name Chucnas or Gaunas or Chinos. See Mollien. Ugly red or black Negroes.

8. Those of Popayan called Manabi, blackish with negro features and hair. See Stevenson.

9. The Guabas and Jaras of Taguzgalpa near the Honduras. See Juaros, now called Zambos.

10. The Enslen or Esteros of New California, ugly blackish Negroes. See Vanegas, Langsdorf.

11. The Black Indians met by the Spaniards in Louisiana in 1543. See Soto’s invasion.

12. The Moon-eyed Negroes, and albinos, destroyed by the Cherokis, and seen in Panama.

Among these the Yarura language has 50% of analogy with the Gauna, 40% with the Ashanty or Fanty of Guinea, and about 33% with the Fulah, Bornu and Congo languages of Africa...

In Asia it has 39% of numerical affinity with the Samang Negroes, and 40% with the Negroes of Andaman as well as those of Australia or New Holland...

All this and many other details are given at length proved by authorities and compared vocabularies in my Memoir"