ABSTRACT
This chapter considers the main examples of the first type: the coexistence or conflict between blacks and whites in the Americas and South Africa and between Amerindians and whites in North America, Mexico and the Andean republics. A special type of group identity and of group conflict, to which the name ‘racial’ has become attached, were an important feature of twentieth century politics; and these identities and conflicts were often related to those of and between nations. The ancestors of the black people of America were slaves transported in European ships from Africa two to four hundred years ago. The political revolt of the blacks in the United States in the 1960s led to massive reconsideration of the history of slaves in America, to which black historians richly contributed. The main problems concerning American Indians arose in the central Andean region of South America. Multiracialism was also unattractive to many thinking Africans.
