Africans Inwards California Nether Dominion Of Spain, Mexico Together With The United States

Photo: Pio de Jesus Pico, c. 1800s, the final governor of Alta California, Mexico.

On September 4, 1781, 44 non-natives settled at what they would depict equally El Pueblo de Nuestra Señora la Reina de los Ángeles (The Town of Our Lady the Queen of Angels), at ane time known equally Los Angeles, LA, or "City of Angels". At to the lowest degree 28 of those early on settlers are reported equally existence of African descent. This short town occurred during the fourth dimension that the portion at ane time called United Mexican United States of America was governed equally a colony past times Spain. Over a century earlier their arrival -- inward 1570 -- an African slave revolt had occurred inward the Veracruz portion of Mexico, led past times Gaspar Yanga. Prior to European travels to the Americas, the Olmec are amidst the oldest known civilisation that resided in addition to governed the territories at ane time known equally United Mexican United States of America in addition to California.

The Mexican War of Independence was an armed conflict which ended the dominion of Kingdom of Spain inward 1821. During the menstruation that Los Angeles was business office of United Mexican United States of America (1821-1840), Blacks were an active business office of Mexican society. Africans had been instrumental inward the nation's successful state of war against Castilian colonization. 

Portrait of Vicente Guerrero (1782-1831), 19th c. snuffbox.

By 1829, Vincent Guerrero, Mexico's offset Black president, issued a slavery abolition decree inward Mexico. Of Afro-Mestizo descent, Vincente Guerrero was ane of the leading revolutionary generals of the Mexican War of Independence inward the early on 19th century, in addition to would serve equally the minute president of Mexico's First Federal Republic. By 1831, Emanuel Victoria served equally California's offset Black governor. Alta California's final governor, Pío de Jesus Pico, was besides of mixed Black ancestry.

By 1850, the the United States of America had won the Mexican-American War. This meant that Blacks residing inward the California portion could live plain of study to legal slavery over again nether the United States of America colonial rule. The inquiry of slavery extension nether the United State's annexation of California became a key question. Based on the abolition of slavery inward 1829 throughout Mexico, introducing slavery into California -- where African Americans inward California had governed inward key administrative roles nether Mexico's governance -- would live difficult.

The editor of the Alta California, Feb 22, 1849, stated the representative against introducing African slavery into California:

    “The majority—four-fifths, nosotros believe—of the inhabitants of California are opposed to slavery. They believe it to live an evil in addition to a incorrect * * in addition to piece they would rigidly in addition to faithfully protect the vested rights of the South, they deem it a high moral duty to forbid its extension in addition to assistance its extinction past times every honorable means.”

In a vote of 150 to 56 approving entry of California into the spousal human relationship of states, the California nib was passed inward the the United States of America House on September 7, 1850. Two days later, the Senate concurred in addition to the the United States of America President provided his approval. California would larn into the spousal human relationship of states equally a non-slave state.