The Black Mérida Experience

In 1829, Mexico boldly stood against slavery when President Vicente Guerrero, a man of African descent, abolished slavery nationwide. At a time when our ancestors were still enduring unimaginable suffering under slavery in the United States, Mexico took this courageous step forward. But Mexico didn’t stop there. Soon after, the Mexican Constitution declared freedom to any enslaved person who crossed its borders. This remarkable act created a path to liberation—a southern route of the Underground Railroad—that many African Americans today have never learned about.

Those who escaped slavery in the U.S. found refuge in Mexico. Many stayed, building new lives, families, and communities in freedom. Their descendants, along with the descendants of Africans enslaved during Spanish rule, form Mexico’s Afro-Mexican population—an often-overlooked but vital part of the country’s history and culture.

While slavery continued in the United States for decades, Mexico remained firm, protecting those who sought freedom. This powerful history reveals Mexico not as an adversary, but as an ally committed to dignity, justice, and human rights.

Today, as African Americans seeking liberation from ongoing systemic oppression in the United States, we look to Mexico once again as a place of safety, refuge, and hope. Knowing Mexico’s history strengthens our resolve to build lasting communities here—away from the direct reach of oppression and violence that have repeatedly destroyed our communities in the past.

Let this history inspire clarity in our movement. Mexico’s historic stand against slavery is a revelation—a source of hope and promise. We honor this legacy by creating and sustaining a community rooted in justice, unity, and dignity, confident that here, we can thrive beyond the grasp of oppression.