The essay chronicles some of the history of human rights in the Americas from pre-Columbian times to the 21st century. It shows that human rights violations occur in the public (often committed by representatives of the state) and private spheres (often committed by men against women). Countermeasures against abuse also come in myriad forms, from mass protests to civil disobedience, from social movements to impromptu coalitions, from artistic expression to political action, from media productions or testimonials to armed resistance, and from local to national, inter-American, and global initiatives. Narratives are important for the defense of human rights because they spread knowledge of abuse and they help make the victim and object of human rights violations into a subject and a rights claimant.

After inquiring into the nature of human rights, the essay addresses positions by Antonio de Montesinos, Bartolomé de Las Casas, Toni Morrison, Dutty Boukman, Thomas Paine, Miguel Ángel Asturias, Rigoberta Menchú, and others. It discusses the “Atlantic Charter,” the UN “Universal Declaration of Human Rights,” and the “American Convention on Human Rights” as well as the ambiguous position that the United States holds with regard to defending human rights.