SPH245 - Hispanic Heritage in the Southwest

The Black Legend: How Propaganda Shapes History

9,561 views Premiered Sep 17, 2021 #Spain #History #BlackLegend

The Black Legend represents a long history of a negative Spanish image, purportedly made popular by Spain's greatest enemies at the time. As a result of this negative discourse, the Spanish have come to be known as some of the cruellest, tyrannical people of Europe, with the effects lasting even well into modern society and how Latin people are perceived this very day. But how much of this is actually true? In the 20th century, scholars have begun to speak more and more of a White Legend instead; a discourse that portrays the Spanish as people who have been falsely accused of their many evil deeds, whereas they instead were some of the most progressive nations in terms of civil rights and miscegenation. Which of the two is the correct version of Spain's history? Where did all this hatred come from, and was it justified? What are the modern day consequences? In this video, I seek to uncover the history behind all of these questions and many more.

Further reading and sources used:

Arnoldsson, S. (1960). La Leyenda Negra: Estudios Sobre Sus Orígines. Göteborgs Universitets Årsskrift, 66:3.

Greeg, M., Mignolo, W. D. and Quilligan, M. (2008). Rereading the Black Legend: The Discourses of Religious and Racial Difference in the Renaissance Empires.

Griffin, E. (2009). Nationalism, the Black Legend, and the Revised Spanish Tragedy. English Literary Renaissance 39, No. 2, pp. 336 - 370.

Hanke, L. (1971). A Modest Proposal for a Moratorium on Grand Generalizations: Some Thoughts on the Black Legend. The Hispanic American Historical Review, 51(1), 112–127.

Hauben, P. J. (1977). White Legend against Black: Nationalism and Enlightenment in a Spanish Context. The Americas 34, No. 1, pp. 1-19.

Juderías, J. (1914). La Leyenda Negra.

Keen, B. (1969). The Black Legend Revisited: Assumptions and Realities. The Hispanic American Historical Review.

Maltby, W. S. (1971). The Black Legend in England.

Powell, P. W. (1971) Tree of Hate: Propaganda and Prejudices Affecting United States Relations with the Hispanic World.

Robinson, J. L. (1992). The Anti-Hispanic Bias in British historiography. Hispania Sacra, XLIV.

Swart, K. W. (1975). The Black Legend During the Eighty Years War. Britain and the Netherlands, pp. 36-57.