I was having a conversation with one of my servers, and this name popped up.
Juan Garrido was a remarkable and often overlooked figure in early American history — one of the first known Black men to set foot in what is now the United States. Here's a breakdown of who he was:
Juan Garrido is credited with planting the first wheat crop in the Americas, likely around 1520 in Mexico. Yes — he was also a farmer!
Juan Garrido was a remarkable and often overlooked figure in early American history — one of the first known Black men to set foot in what is now the United States. Here's a breakdown of who he was:
Who Was Juan Garrido?
- Birthplace: Likely born in West Africa, around 1480.
- Status: Not a slave — he was a free man.
- Nationality: After being taken to Portugal, he converted to Christianity and took the Spanish name "Juan Garrido" (which means “Handsome John”).
- Language: He spoke Spanish and traveled with Spanish conquistadors.
What Did He Do?
- Garrido joined Spanish exploration and military campaigns in the New World.
- He arrived in Florida in 1513 with Juan Ponce de León, making him one of the first known Africans to set foot in what is now the U.S..
- He later fought alongside Hernán Cortés during the conquest of Mexico.
- Settled in Mexico City, where he lived the rest of his life.
Random But Cool Fact: