Estevanico: The Moroccan explorer who traversed North America

Estevanico, an enslaved Moroccan man, was one of the first documented Africans, Arabic speakers, and Muslims to reach North America. Arriving in 1528 near present-day Texas following a shipwreck in the Gulf of Mexico, he became one of only four survivors from a Spanish expedition that originally departed with approximately 600 men.

Despite his social status, Estevanico emerged as a de facto leader, utilizing his ability to learn indigenous languages and act as a mediator and healer to navigate the territory. Between 1528 and 1536, he completed extensive journeys across North America and the Caribbean, covering thousands of kilometers from Florida to the Pacific coast of Mexico and later toward Mexico City.