PEDRO CAMEJO
Simón Bolívar's famous Lieutenant
Black Venezuelans played a decisive role in their country's War of Independence. South American liberator Simón Bolívar thoroughly understood the strategic importance of black soldiers and abolished slavery in 1812 and again in 1816. Bolívar being a slave master himself freed 1,000 of his own slaves, and recruited 5,000 slaves into his army.
One of Bolivar's most famous lieutenants, Pedro Camejo, is known in Venezuela's history books as "El Negro Primero (The First Black)," because he was always the first to ride into battle. The only statue commemorating a black person in Venezuela is that of Pedro Camejo, one of Simón Bolívar's famous Lieutenants. A statue of El Negro Primero today stands in the Plaza Carabobo in Caracas.
Pedro Camejo's picture also appears on Venezuelan's currency
I hadn't know about Pedro Comejo. I'm wanting to teach a Community College course on African American History where I can include this information & will keep you posted per inviting you to speak whenever that happens.
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Ramona
Thanks for sharing this knowledge. Never knew about the first black.
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