Where Do We Go from Here?

We have seen that Afro-Argentines have actively participated in the making of what today is Argentina. Not only have they been the labor force to build the economy, but they have also been the power to fight in wars. Throughout our research we have come across many interesting personalities and fascinating accomplishments within the Afro-Argentine community and we are convinced that once research has made further progress there will be many more stories and people that are worthy of having their story not only told, but included into the national narrative. María Remedios del Valle is one of the people that has overcome so many obstacles, being an Afro-descendant woman fighting in the Argentine military who is being commemorated today. However, none of this has officially been part of the Argentine history until now. Even more Afro-Argentines were neglected and written out of Argentine history and statistics until they fell into oblivion. They have been systematically denied access to social sectors of health and education for centuries. Many important measures have been taken recently in order to raise awareness for black presence in Argentina and create an atmosphere that technically allows Afro-Argentines to be included into Argentine national history and culture.

The inclusion of the question about African ancestry into the 2010 census is probably one of the biggest accomplishments of Afro-Argentine activists in the last century. It is a step forward, a start to officially recognizing the Afro-Argentine population, and a possibility to see where work still needs to be done, what issues still need to be addressed, and can build the base to further the studies investigating this community. However, we have seen that the census still leaves room for improvement, as many Afro-Argentines reported not having been asked this specific question.

The government has implemented many laws to recognize Afro-Argentines as a part of the Argentine Nation, but nevertheless much still remains to be done. Lea Geler addressed the question of education, saying that the program Escuela contra el racismo is a good start, and we definitely agree. We have to keep in mind though that an annual day to celebrate African participation in Argentine history still leaves a long way to go to change the official Argentine narrative. By no means can Afro-Argentine history be included into that narrative until it is a vital part of Argentine history in the educational system.

Changing a national narrative that has been reproduced and reconfirmed over centuries is a process that takes a lot of time and cannot happen overnight. The measurements taken so far give hope to a future in which Afro-Argentines can be proud of their ancestry and of what they have accomplished, hopefully leading more people to be willing and also able to identify with their cultural heritage.