The Creolization of America: Beyond Black, White, and Red
Room 138B in the Norfolk State student center held a lively and almost heated roundtable discussion on how the 1619 era affected Native American, African, and European American culture. Conference-goers shared knowledge on the matter, attempting to answer such questions as “Why did Europeans specifically bring Africans to America?”; “Who’s role in the shaping of 1619 southeastern American society was more vital?”, and “How did 1619 introduce the politics of race into American society?” Breaking the subject apart, we realized that the early American’s entirely unique ways of living were practically obliged to assimilate. Incoming Europeans and Africans, with their own cultural baggage, intermixed with the resident Native Americans. Throw in such environmental factors as climate, and topography and you have what is now recognized as creolization. This is also when the emergence of creole societies began to take place. Influences in architecture, food, farming, medicine, religion, dance, and song from all peoples involved in the colonization of the New World were greatly evident in the 1619 era. Working together, to carve out a sense of comfort in an unfamiliar environment, these deeply-rooted cultural aspects have stood the test of time. After all that has happened to America since its colonization, the habits and traditions of all peoples involved were, and are still evident in society today.
Food For Thought: Scholarly Teachings on Historical Matters
Norfolk State University students, faculty, and a host of other conference-goers took time to eat and reflect on the 1619 era through research from great historian scholars. Dr. Corey D.B. Walker of Brown University, Dr. Ben Vinson III of Johns Hopkins University, and Dr. Peter Wallenstein of Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University each gave oral reports on issues regarding the construction of America in the year 1619. Sure, anyone who has taken an American history class would be familiar with the concept of racial mixing between early Americans and such terms as ‘mulatto’ and ‘mestizo,’ as well as the social hierarchy concerning it, but Dr. Vinson III took time to break it down even further. Displaying the correlation between Latin racial classification with America’s, his presentation “Comparing Colonial Paradigms: Racial Structures in Latin America,” explained the development of the Iberian government, and the breakdown of race and caste systems in 1619. Dr. Wallenstein’s presentation further stressed Dr. Vinson III’s study, with the subject of slavery, politics, and culture, and how ideas were traded among American people. Dr. Walker’s presentation entitled “Let Us See Our Friends and Brethren” delved into the development of freedom and politics in 1619 America. Choosing to change the event’s theme of “When did we become Americans” to “How did we become Americans”, Dr. Walker educated us on how racial differences worked together in order to become a collective group. So much information detailing a different perspective on American history was gathered during these three afternoon presentations. Leaving with a new-found outlook on early American living, the room of history enthusiasts finished their lunches and archived the teaching that had just been administered.
The Colombian Exchange and Iberian Legacy In 1619
“Remember the big world all the people were living in”, summoned Dr. Richard Bond of Virginia Wesleyan University, as scholarly minds discussed the effects of transitional patchwork between African-Americans, and Latinos in the colonial American experience. For Native Americans, Africans, Latin Americans, minorities of Latino or Hispanic descent, Spaniards and Portuguese, as well as Europeans, the connection to the development of America is strong. Dr. Bond pointed out that Spain’s presence in 1619 was highly important. Spain set out to create an idea of power and civilization. By striving to build “peaceful models of subjugation”, Spain tried to adopt people into its own way of civilization such as with Aztec emperor, Montezuma and Spanish Conquistador, Cortés. The year 1619 represents a turn in historical destiny. For Native Americans, the ruinous switch from independent to colonized history; for Iberians, the establishment of an influential historical chapter of imperial fame and controversy; for Latin Americans and the Latino diaspora, the birth of distinct cultures out of power-laden encounters with Iberian Europeans, Native Americans, Africans, and the diverse offspring who both conserved and blurred the main racial categories. Immediately following Dr. Bond’s enlightening presentation, college students and professors came together in a roundtable in hopes of figuring out when we all became Americans.