Colombian, Colombia

The Black African presence in Colombia dates back to Colombia's colonial period. Afro Panamanians from the colonial period are also related to many of these Afro Colombians. Black African slaves began being imported by the Spaniards in the first decade of the 16th century. By the 1520s, Blacks were being imported into Colombia steadily to replace the rapidly declining native American population. Blacks were forced to work in gold mines, on sugar cane plantations, cattle ranches, and large haciendas. Black African labor was essential in all the regions of Colombia, even until modern times. continue reading here