JOURNAL ARTICLE

Sovereign Joy: Afro-Mexican Kings and Queens, 1539–1640 by Miguel A. Valerio (review).

  • Published In: Journal of World History, 2025, v. 36, n. 1. P. 157 1 of 3

  • Database: Academic Search Ultimate 2 of 3

  • Authored By: Farnsworth, Cacey 3 of 3

Abstract

"Sovereign Joy: Afro-Mexican Kings and Queens, 1539–1640" by Miguel A. Valerio explores festive performances among Africans in Mexico City from 1539 to 1640, highlighting their role in shaping Afro-Mexican identity and influencing the colonial narrative. Valerio argues that these performances allowed Afro-Mexicans to express their sovereignty and self-fashion their identities despite colonial constraints. The book analyzes specific civic festivals and ceremonies, demonstrating how Afro-Mexicans transformed these events into spaces for negotiating hierarchy, culture, and identity. Valerio's work offers a roadmap for studying the subaltern in the face of bias and archival absence, proposing lenses for world historians to explore Afro-Mexican agency in the formation of Mexican culture." [Extracted from the article]

Additional Information

  • Source:Journal of World History. 2025/03, Vol. 36, Issue 1, p157
  • Document Type:Article
  • Subject Area:Social Sciences and Humanities
  • Publication Date:2025
  • ISSN:1045-6007
  • DOI:10.1353/jwh.2025.a950285
  • Accession Number:182578740
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