Black History Fact of the Day 3

In 1547, Sir Pedro Negro became according to some the first black person to be knighted. Very little is known about him and there is some dispute whether he was black or even from Africa since there are no direct references to his color. The term ‘moor’ and even ‘black’ was at that time often used to refer also to people from the Mediterranean and Asia. Black presence at the English and Scottish courts at that time is confirmed and goes as far back as 1509. This was only a short time before Brittain became involved in the slave trade in 1562.

Pedro Negro's knighthood is listed in the Oxford Companion to Black history and further information can be found in an article by Miranda Kaufmann 'Sir Pedro Negro: What colour was his skin.'

© Copyright Future Radio - All Rights Reserved