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Chronology for Blacks in Ecuador
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| Date(s) |
Item |
| 1979 |
The Center of Afro-Ecuadoran Studies, an organization that studies Afro-culture and advocates racial consciousness, was founded in 1979. It was the first organization to rally around issues pertaining to marginalized blacks in Ecuador, and is still active today (The New Crisis, Nov/Dec 2002, "A New Day for Blacks in Ecuador"). |
| 1988 |
The Association of Black Ecuadorians (Asociacion de Negros Ecuatorianos, ASONE) was founded this year as one of the early organizations to promote the interests of Afro-descendant communities. Its aims include developing cultural pride and reversing environmental damage by logging companies and shrimp farms in the coastal region (Minority Rights Group. 2008. "Afro-Ecuadorians". http://www.minorityrights.org/?lid=4135 Accessed: 8/21/2008). |
| 1989 |
Seeking to revive the dignity of African traditions among Ecuador’s Afro-descendants, the Afro-Ecuadoran Institute was one of the early groups formed to promote the unique culture and interests of Ecuador's black population (The New York Times, September 28, 1989, “El Carmen Journal; Blacks of South America Fight 'a Terrible Silence'”).
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| Oct 1997 |
In an effort to raise awareness of Afro-Ecuadorian culture as well as political and economic issues, black communities organized the Afro-Ecuadorian Cultural Week in Quito in October 1997. During the festival, leaders introduced a proposal to improve the economic, political and cultural status of black communities, specifically mentioning land and labor rights as well as advocating for a National Day of the Black Person. October 2 has been officially declared Afro-Ecuadorian Day (Gates, Henry Louis and Appiah, Anthony. 1999. "Ecuador". Africana: The Encyclopedia of the African and African American Experience. Basic Civitas Books. 653; Minority Rights Group. 2008. "Afro-Ecuadorians." http://www.minorityrights.org/?lid=4135 Accessed: 8/21/2008). |
| 1998 |
The 1998 Constitutional Assembly revised the state constitution to include new sections concerning the collective rights of both Afro-Ecuadorans and the indigenous. Article 62 acknowledged the multiculturalism of Ecuador, Article 82 officially recognized the presence of afro-descendants and indigenous peoples, and Articles 83 and 84 listed territorial and cultural rights for both groups. However, Article 85 ambiguously states that only some of the "indigenous" rights are applicable to Afro-descendants, without further clarification. Nonetheless it was a step forward. Paving the way for this important piece of legislation were the 1996 constitutional revisions acknowledging Ecuador as a multiethnic nation for the first time (Halpern, Adam and Twine, France Winddance. 2000. “Antiracist activism in Ecuador: Black-Indian community,” Race & Class. 42:2. 19). |
| 1999 |
The National Confederation of Afro-Ecuadorans (Confederacion Nacional Afroecuatoriana, CNA) was founded in 1999 and recognized legally in 2003. CNA is one of two nationwide groups advocating on behalf of Afro-Ecuadorans. Other groups are independent of one another or work only on a regional level (NotiSur - South American Political and Economic Affairs, August 4, 2006, “Ecuador: Afro-Ecuadorans Cheer New Anti-Discrimination Law, But Pushfor More Counter-Racism Measures”). |
| 1999 |
The National Coordinator of Black Women of Ecuador (Coordinadora Nacional de Mujeres Negras de Ecuador) was founded in 1999. It is not only active in Ecuador but has developed an international presence in global policy circles. It is one of two nationwide black organizations. The other Afro-Ecuaduran organizations work regionally and independently of each other (NotiSur - South American Political and Economic Affairs, August 4, 2006, “Ecuador: Afro-Ecuadorans Cheer New Anti-Discrimination Law, But Pushfor More Counter-Racism Measures”). |
| Dec 3, 2002 |
The Afro-Ecuadorian Development Corporation (Corporación de Desarrollo Afroecuatoriano, CODAE), an office of the federal government, was formally launched this year. (World News Connection, 12/04/2002, "Ecuador: Newly Created Organization To Foster Afro-Ecuadoran Community's Development", from Guayaquil El Universo, in Spanish). |
| May 22, 2006 |
The Collective Rights of Black and Afro-Ecuadoran Peoples law went into effect. The law establishes protections for the rights of Ecuador's citizens of African descent and creates the Afro-Ecuadorian Development Council (CONDAE), the first state-level council explicitly for Afro-Ecuadorans. (NotiSur - South American Political and Economic Affairs, 08/04/2006, “Ecuador: Afro-Ecuadorans Cheer New Anti-Discrimination Law, But Push for More Counter-Racism Measures”) |
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