Esteban de Dorantes

African explorer (c.1500–1539)

Esteban de Dorantes (c. 1500–1539), also known as Estevanico the Moor, is believed to have been the first person of African and Arab descent to explore what is considered the present-day United States region of North America and one of the last four survivors of the Narváez expedition. He is preceded by Juan Garrido, who is the first person of African descent to explore North America. Little is known about Esteban's background, but contemporary accounts described him as a "negro alárabe" or "Arabic-speaking black man" native to Azemmour, Morocco.

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