The term race refers to the process of categorizing human beings presuming that their biological make up which secludes them into distinct populations (Wilson 110) which is not true. Racial identification in Latin America is many at times more ambiguous and fluid than in the United States.  It then forces people with the same color and physical identity to identify themselves in distinct ethnic-racial groups. However, as a result of different skin colors among the people identifying themselves to be in the same ethnic-racial category, they end up missing out on some socio-economic opportunities (Wilson 110) North Americans, on the other hand, tend to recognize rigid racial types illustrated by the clear distinction between blacks and whites. Here an individual is either considered African American or white (Wilson 111). It then reduces the ambiguity between the different categories of races. In Latin America this is not the case.

Carlos Moore, an author of the article “Subtle Racism in Latin America,” decided to find the historical events that caused racial hierarchies establishment in Latin America. In Latin America, skin color is still a huge problem (UCLA Asia Pacific Centre par 3). The Latinos tend to sideline the black Americans as well as the American-Indians to date.  He came to find out that the people who brought about racism were the Arabs who were controlling the Iberian Peninsula which is present-day Spain and Portugal (UCLA Asia Pacific Centre par 4). It was the original home of the Spanish as well as the Portuguese colonialism in the Americas. As a result of the Arabs dominating the territory, it led to the formation of racial rules (UCLA Asia Pacific Centre par 4). Africans, who were in slavery, were then categorized as the proto- Africans. The sexual interaction between the Arabs, Spanish and the Latin Americans was allowed with the aim of promoting racial differences (UCLA Asia Pacific Centre par 8). This was not enough for the Arabs until they had to establish their light-skinned hierarchy. The interaction between the Arabs and the Latin Americans brought about a generation referred to as the “Mullato” who were the higher class. This meant that they were the enlightened and favored ones and were given all the privileges in their setting. The purebred African Indian occupied shallow positions in the hierarchy. The “Mullatos” were “The Ladder of ascension” (UCLA Asia Pacific Centre par 9). The racial mixing that went on in Latin America again was only between the white males and the American-Indian females. A black or American- Indian man was not supposed to mingle with a white/ Latin woman. They considered that once this happens, the hierarchy that had been established would flip on its head ( UCLA Asia Pacific Centre par 10). The clear demarcation brought about boundaries even in the hierarchical levels as the black American men were sidelined and occupied shallow positions in the hierarchy.

In conclusion, racism in Latin America is very evident and fluid in Latin America. With the above explanation from Moore, we see what brought about racial discrimination in Latin America. Racism is a disease and people should say no to it. People are supposed to realize that we are one regardless of color or ethnicity. All the nations all around the world should try to accept individuals the way they are. By so doing the world will be filled with love and will be a better place to be.

Work cited

 UCLA Asia Pacific Center. The Subtle Racism of Latin America. Carlos Moore sees disguised racism permeating Latin American society, invented by Arabs in the Iberian Peninsula. 2019. Retrieved from http://www.international.ucla.edu/asia/article/4125

Wilson C. Patrick. Chapter 5: Cultural Politics of Race and Ethnicity: 110-111

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