Hi Katrina,

Do you have a tree or a list of ancestors that you're stuck on? It's possible that they've already been documented by members of the group. Also, I agree with Danny that, at least when their location is mentioned, that the first groups of slaves seem to be always mentioned from Angola, Terra Nova, Santo Tome and the Congo.

and Danny,

I'm glad to see you're incorporating genealogy into your coursework, I've done that too. Although, presently where I am in my studies I rarely have time for genealogy or anything else. And, regarding the differences, I'm not sure there are any differences that matter to the slaves. I think slavery in colonial Mexico was at times as brutal as it was in the US. I've enclosed some pdf's for you to review, the first one especially shows the brutality of slavery in Mexico. The only difference I can see between slavery in the southern US and slavery in Mexico would be cultural and religious. Cultural in the sense, that besides, being enslaved and having an alien culture imposed against your will, there would also be a difference between the Anglo culture of Alabama, Georgia, etc., and the Spanish culture of Nueva Galicia. Although, again, that probably doesn't matter to the slaves. The religious differences might be more meaningful but it's hard to know for sure. I know that there are hundreds of records where slaves are baptized and married, including marrying non-slaves. I can't imagine that being encouraged or even allowed in the southern states, particularly among non-slaves, so the Sacraments may in some way change the dynamic between the slaves of the southern states and those in Mexico. I think the second article may cover that and if your paper is one of those "compare and contrast" papers then that maybe a subject worth exploring. It's an interesting subject to cover, I don't think much has been written about it. Let me know how it comes out.

Here's some pdf articles about slavery in Mexico:

http://www.latinamericanstudies.org/slavery/TA-1969.pdf

http://socrates.berkeley.edu/~tochtli/Colonial%20Mexico.pdf

Chris

This is turning out to be an interesting subject.

I was thinking that the Northern African DNA could actually come from the Spaniards themselves. After all, parts of the Iberian Peninsula were under Moor control and … The Romans ventured into both the Iberian peninsula and Africa, they could also have brought in Northern Africans into the Spain.

My DNA showed both Northern and Southern African DNA. In my paper trail it was clear that lines in my mother’s family came from African Slaves I assume that would be Southern African. However, my father’s family were actually “Espanoles” with only one line that had indigenous blood and another that vaguely referred to “moriscos”. So where did the Northern African DNA come from?

-Angelina-
> On Feb 11, 2017, at 9:36 PM, Danny Alonso wrote:
>
> Katrina and Angelina
>
> This is very interesting that this came up because Ive been reading and
> going through records all day for information about slaves and slavery
> because im writing a paper about slavery in Mexico in a couple of weeks. in
> my own ancestors ive seen mulatos and mulatos libres but havent yet come
> across esclavos but im guessing if someone was a mulato libre at some point
> they were probly a mulato esclavo. Im trying to find that point and also
> document who the slaves and slave owners are to see if connections can be
> made to locate their ancestors. You mentioned that Senegal was the most
> common African DNA but I'm wondering if thats the most common in nueva
> galicia. I don't know because ive only been reading about it today. But I
> know that the early records in aguascalientes seem to show most Africans
> brought to Mexico we're from places like Angola and the Congo or places
> like Santo Tomé which are all in the south west of Africa. The Senegal
> slave trade was controlled by the Portuguese and Dutch until the late 1600s
> when the French took over Senegal. Senegal is in the northwest coast of
> Africa. My guess is the senegal people were brought to a different part of
> Mexico but i really dont know. lookin at my relatives that have taken a DNA
> test ive seen Mali, Benin, Togo and Ghana which is pretty close to Senegal,
> but no actual Senegal at least in my own family. I'd be curious to know
> from the people that really know DNA where in Africa the majority of the
> DNA in nueva galicia comes from. Also, does anyone know what the
> differences are, if there are any, between slavery in America and slavery
> in Mexico
>
> Danny C. Alonso
>
> On Sat, Feb 11, 2017 at 6:45 PM Angelina wrote:
>
>> Hello Katrina,
>>
>> It’s funny that you mention this … my father always told us we were
>> Espanoles … Boy what a surprise when I started to do genealogy research!
>> And even more surprised when we did the DNA testing.
>>
>> In answer to your question. I have had some luck in tracing back to
>> Mulatos and Esclavos Negros. Unfortunately, they eventually end in
>> roadblocks since at some point you end up with a couple that has no
>> surname. Simply slaves that belonged to someone. No way to find out where
>> they came from or even know if you are dealing with the same couple. Having
>> said that, I was surprised at how far back some of these lines can be
>> traced.
>>
>> Maybe someone else can give you better information. Good luck.
>>
>> -Angelina-
>>> On Feb 11, 2017, at 4:16 PM, Katrina Link wrote:
>>>
>>> My children are half Mexican and my son's DNA (haven't had my daughter
>> tested), showed 2% DNA from Senegal.I was looking at the Ancestry website
>> and reading how that is the most common African DNA.NOW...I have to use
>> this to help me. I am fairly certain the African DNA is not from my
>> children's Casillas line (their paternal grandmother) but it could be in
>> the Rodriguez line (their paternal grandfather.) I have that line in the
>> Ahualulco area. Wondering if anyone else has had any success in tracing
>> their African ancestry in Mexico.
>>> Katrina Link
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>>

I was tracking the Rolon Family is Jalisco but found they were not my family after all but they were very interesting in that in the mid 1600's they are listed as Mestiso, then the line goes to Mulato Libre then one had a child with a slave, that child became a Mulato Esclavo then that child married a Mestisa and their child was Mulato Libre and so on..
~
Marriage: 24 June 1738 in Zapotlan El Grande, Jalisco
Georje Rolon Mulato Esclavo from Hacienda de Santa Catharina
Natural son of Lucas Rolon deceased and Gertrudis Antonia
With: Maria Gertrudis Carmona Mestiza from Zapotlan
Parents: Antonio Carmona and Martina de Orzua
Pad: Anttonio Rolon and Mathiana Padilla
Wit: Francisco Vasquez and Antonia Basques
source: 0281944 film
1666-1761
batch: M604544
.

I believe Angelina is right that slavery was abolished in Mexico long
before the US, I think about the same time Mexico gained independence in
the 1820's. But, not sure about the reasons, but, guessing Angelina is
right about indigenous labor. In response to Gil, I also was very surprised
when I did my DNA a couple years back. It wasn't anything like I would've
expected. 100% of my ancestors are from Mexico and I felt my DNA
results didn't reflect that. My results were: 6% North African, 1% African
South Central Hunter Gatherers, 19% Native American, 6% East Asian, 23%
Iberian Peninsula, 11% Europe West, 11% Italy/Greece, 6% Great Britain, 3%
Scandinavia, 3% European Jewish, 3% Ireland and 8% Middle East. To me those
results don't seem very Mexican which I was a little disappointed by.
Although, I guess it reflects the diversity that exists in Mexico. I
suppose I was hoping for more Native and Spanish.

Paige