Mauricio Pestana and Afro-Latino Gems at the Schomburg Center

Erika Paul, Pre-Professional at the Schomburg Center's Jean Blackwell Hutson Research and Reference Division, shares how a recent visit from a renowned cartoonist Mauricio Pestana helped her discover our vast collections of Afro-Latino research materials:

One of the things I’ve learned as a Pre-Professional for the Jean Blackwell Hutson Research and Reference Division at the Schomburg Center is that the collections here go far beyond the traditional study of black culture. The reservoir of materials—arts, photographs, manuscripts and books—also includes information for scholars interested in Afro-Latino and Afro-Caribbean history. For instance, my experience as a Pre-Professional has allowed me to meet Mauricio Pestana, a renowned Afro-Latino cartoonist, author and journalist who recently visited the Schomburg from Brazil whose work has greatly influenced African literature.

Pestana has created numerous cartoons featuring blacks and indigenous people in the context of how Brazil became independent. His most popular works include Violencia Historica, in which he shows the social problem African descendants face in many countries as well as O Negro, No Mercado De Trabalho, about discrimination against Afro-Latinos in the job market.

During Pestana’s visit, the other Pre-Professionals and I were able to peruse items we had of his housed in our Manuscripts, Archives and Rare Books and the Jean Blackwell Hutson Research and Reference Divisions, which were vividly displayed on a table in one of our conference rooms. Also included were resources we have that inspired Pestano’s research and projects; Club Cubano inter-Americano, Portuguese politician and general Carlos Federico Lecor, Ewart Guinier, the first chairman of Harvard University’s African Americans studies along with some of his pictorial work, including 30 anos de arte pela igualdade = 30 years of art for equality = 30 años de arte por la igualdad.

Pestana's visit encouraged me to reflect on my past experiences in the arts and literary world, and it gave me more confidence to explore the diverse collections the Schomburg holds.

Read more about the Schomburg Center's BNY Mellon Pre-Professional Development Program.