The Queen of los Congos

Abstract

In 1812, in Lima, an enslaved woman named María Santos Puente was ousted from her post as queen of an African-descent confraternity and replaced by a free woman. Refusing to step down quietly, Santos Puente took her grievance to court. In examining the details of the case, this article draws attention to the ways in which confraternity membership provided access to community, kinship, and sources of mutual aid. It also shows how, in denying her the role of queen, the confraternity cut off one of the few avenues through which enslaved women in Lima could attain privileged and esteemed status.