"We Don't See Color Here"
Understanding Panama's Racial History: A Resource Guide for Expatriates
As you consider making Panama your new home, understanding the country's rich yet complex racial history is essential. Panama's unique position as both a colonial entry point for enslaved Africans and later as the site where African-American and Afro-Antillean workers built the canal under American-imposed segregated conditions has shaped its modern cultural landscape.
Why This Matters
I made my first international move from Trinidad & Tobago to the United States for college almost three decades ago. Despite my British-approved (read: whitewashed) secondary-school education in World and American history, I quickly realized how incomplete my understanding of the African-American experience was. In addition to which, growing up in a country where my ethnicity placed me in the majority gave me a privileged perspective that I had to step back from to better understand the experience of minority-represented Black Americans in the USA.
The entire experience of being an immigrant / emigrant then taught me that moving to a new country requires more than logistics planning - it demands cultural understanding. I’d like to think that not only am I older, but I am hopefully wiser - and can give a similar amount of intention, attention, grace and curiosity to the Afro-Panamanian experience, then and now.
For those considering Panama as their new home, learning about its racial history will provide crucial context for the economic, educational, and cultural structures you'll encounter.
With that in mind, I’m thrilled to share this list of resources I have gathered for myself. I am learning alot, and am grateful for their work. Please do support the researchers, writers and creators in the best way you deem fit.
Essential Resources for Understanding Panama's Racial History
For the Beach Reader
The Great Divide by Christina Henriquez
This accessible novel by a Panamanian-American author weaves together the lives of several individuals during the canal-building era. Perfect for your picnic or beach bag this summer!
Goodreads Link
For the History Scholar
The Silver Women: How Black Women's Labor Made the Panama Canal by Joan Flores-Villalobos
This book explores the often-overlooked contributions of Black women who supported the physical and economic infrastructure development of the canal.
Goodreads Link
The Path Between the Seas by David McCollough
For dedicated history buffs only! This epic read is the most referenced book on the Panama Canal, but be warned: at 30+ hours on Audible or a doorstop-sized print edition (think: Lincoln - remember that doozy), it's a serious commitment.
Goodreads Link
For the Visual Learner
Dash Harris Machado (@DiasporaDash)
Dash Harris Machado is an engaging historian and travel curator who offers valuable insights through her Instagram presence:
Instagram Profile
Her compilation of 30+ resources on racial paradigms in Panama and Latin America is especially valuable:
Instagram Reel
For the Documentary Watcher
"Black in Latin America" by Henry Louis Gates
Though nearly 15 years old, this PBS series provides essential baseline history organized by country or region. You might be surprised to learn that Brazil received over 4 million enslaved Africans compared to 400,000 brought to America.
PBS Link
For the Hands-On Explorer
Panama Canal Museum in Casco Viejo
Make this beautifully restored museum an essential stop during your scouting trip. Its carefully selected artifacts showcase all aspects of canal-era life, with appropriate emphasis on the Afro-Antillean workers who bore the physical burden of construction.
Museum Website
Moving Forward with Intention
As we plan our international moves, let's approach them with intention, curiosity, and grace. Understanding the racial history of our chosen destinations helps us engage more meaningfully with our new communities and avoid the shock of discovering "what we don't know we don't know."
Whether you're reading novels on the beach, watching documentaries, or visiting museums… or spending time, attention and yes, money with people who are living in the communities of your travels … immerse yourself in the resources and experiences that offer unique windows into Panama's fascinating cultural heritage.
What resources have you found helpful in understanding your destination country's history? I'd love to hear your recommendations in the comments below.
About the Author
: I am a Black woman who moved from Trinidad & Tobago to the USA nearly 30 years ago, who is now sharing insights from my personal experiences with international relocation and cultural adaptation moving from the USA to Panama.Related Essays:
Why We Chose Panama for Our New Home
Who doesn't hear must feel: maybe now you’ll listen
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