Vicente Guerrero (1782-1831) · Counternarratives Digital Archive

Name: Vicente Guerrero (1782-1831)
Date of Birth: August 10, 1782
State Assigned Gender: Male
Hometown or Region: Tixtla, Mexico
Freedom Status: Free
Occupation: Muleteer, Politician, and Military General.
Biography: Vicente Guerrero was born on August 10, 1782, in Tixtla (the present-day state of Guerrero), Mexico. He was of Afro-Indigenous descent. Guerrero joined the Mexican War of Independence in 1810 and rose through the ranks as a skilled and determined military leader. His experience of being a mule driver allowed him to gain extensive knowledge on the geography of Mexico and impressive communication skills that would set him up to be extremely successful in the military and political environment of Mexico’s revolution. After Mexico gained independence, Guerrero became a powerful actor for liberal reforms and the abolition of slavery. In 1829, he became president and the first Afro-indigenous man to hold the office. His presidency was cut short by a conservative and elite-led coup, eventually leading to his exclusion on the grounds of treason on February 14, 1831. He is remembered as a national hero with a strong legacy from fighting for independence and social justice.
Revolution Observed: Vicente Guerrero participated in the Mexican War of Independence (1810-1821), a revolutionary fight against
Spanish colonial rule. He joined the army led by José Morelos and became one of its most effective generals,
continuing the fight even after many other leaders were killed or captured. Gurrero was crucial in encouraging
the revolutionary movement during its most difficult years, continuing to become allies with Agustin de Iturbide
in order to finalize independence through the Plan of Iguala. His commitment to help secure Mexican
independence was what helped the nation thrive and create its government.
Student Researcher: Barjona Kaage
Connected Historical Actor(s): José Morelos - Guerrero’s commander and Mentor during the War.
Agustin de Iturbide - Allied with Guerrero to issue the Plan of Iguala.
Anastasio Bustamante - Guerrero’s vice president, who led a coup against him, resulting in his execution.
Source(s): Theodore G, Vincent, The Legacy of Vicente Guerrero: Mexico"s First Black Indian President
(Gainesville, Florida: University Press of Florida, 2001), 9-177.
Wim, Klooster, Revolutions in the Atlantic World: A Comparative History (New York, New York: New
York University Press, 2009), 163.
Christopher, Schmidt-Nowara, Slavery, Freedom, and Abolition in Latin America and the Atlantic
World (Albuquerque, New Mexico: University of New Mexico Press, 2011), 113.
José C, Moya, editor, The Oxford Handbook of Latin American History (New York, New York: Oxford
University Press, 2011), 155.
John Charles, Chasteen, Born in Blood and Fire: A Concise History of Latin America, 4th edition (New
York, New York: W.W. Norton & Company, 2016), 53.; Click here to review material history sources connected to Vincente Guerrero