02/11/2026
They want to segment our magic into boxes. They want us to believe our Blackness is defined by borders. Arturo Schomburg knew better.
Born in Puerto Rico, rooted in Harlem, and dedicated to the global African Diaspora, Schomburg is the bridge between Latinidad and Black American history.
Track ID: Manuel A. Jiménez (“El Canario”) Cortaron a Elena
During Arturo Schomburg’s era, Plena emerged as a powerful cultural identifier for the Puerto Rican working class, led by figures like Manuel A. Jiménez (“El Canario”). Despite being legally banned from city limits in 1917 and dismissed by the elite as “morally tainted,” the genre defied social resistance to gain widespread popularity. By the 1930s, it successfully crossed racial and class boundaries, evolving from a marginalized rural sound into a celebrated national treasure.
We aren’t just “counting” immigrants; we are acknowledging that the Black experience is a vast, interconnected ocean. 🌊
Let’s celebrate Black History Month with the breadth and depth it deserves.
This month’s BHM slides are in collaboration with