The first free African to come to present-day U.S. was Juan Garrido, who accompanied Juan Ponce de Leon on both of his voyages to Florida in 1513 and 1521. Like Ponce, Garrido was a conquistador, one of many free Africans who fought beside Spaniards against Indians in Mexico and parts south as well as on Caribbean islands. Garrido accompanied Juan Ponce de Leon on both of Ponce's voyages to Florida in 1513 and 1527. He introduced wheat to the New World, growing the first fields in Mexico City.

     Several postings on this blog for the book Esteban: The African Slave Who Explored America discuss Black history in what is now the United States or the "New World" in general. Especially recommended are the postings titled "Enslaved Africans taken to Virginia in 1619" and "Pirate ship was British-owned" (both on blog page 2); "First African slave revolt in the New World" and "The 'Slave Bible'," and "Esteban is part of an exhibit in D.C." and "Africans from early history in Americas" (all on page 3); plus "Africans with Spaniards and other Europeans in the 1500s" (page 4).

     I'd also recommend Sherri L. Burr's 2019 book, Complicated Lives: Free Blacks in Virginia (1619–1865).

     The history of African Americans is omplicated and fascinating -- and too often ignored.