Afro-Latino Population: At Least 24 Percent Of Hispanics Identify With African Roots

A new and historic survey by the PEW reveals that 24 percent of Hispanics in the country identified themselves as afro-Latinos, while only 18 percent answered "black" as their race, showing the complexity of identity and race among the diverse group. “I walk down the street and people assume I am a Black man and nothing more,” Afro-Latino Marco Davis told NBC News. “The story of the Afro-Latinos is a chapter in our society that hasn’t been well written. It’s a story that still needs to be told. We are of both worlds. It’s not either or, and people don’t get that.”

"This is the first time a nationally representative survey in the U.S. has asked the Latino population directly whether they considered themselves Afro-Latino," the study suggests. "Afro-Latinos’ views of race are also unique. When asked directly about their race, only 18% of Afro-Latinos identified their race or one of their races as black. In fact, higher shares of Afro-Latinos identified as white alone or white in combination with another race (39%) or volunteered that their race or one of their races was Hispanic (24%). Only 9% identified as mixed race." Take a look at the study results below.