In his most recent work, Jean-Pierre Tardieu attempts to shine a light on the “social invisibility” of Africans and their resistance in sixteenth- and seventeenth-century Mexico. In previous works, Tardieu has examined a diversity of African experiences in Panama, Venezuela, and Peru. In this work, he analyzes the variety of ways that Africans resisted Spanish authorities in Mexico across the first two centuries of colonial rule. He largely succeeds in this vital endeavor.
Tardieu divides the study into three parts. In the first part, “Alienations,” he examines the experiences of the conquistadors Juan Garrido and Estebanico. These chapters argue that both men tried to overcome racial stigma through meritorious service. Tardieu concludes that in each case their attempt to reject colonial prejudice from within the colonial framework failed. The second part turns to “Rejections,” exploring Africans who engaged in explicit rejections of the colonial order. Tardieu’s analysis includes discussion of...
