Reports about today’s state of affairs in Turkey rarely mention the struggles of one particular ethnic group. Inhabitants of, largely, western parts of the country, the Afro-Turks, as they are commonly referred to, don’t seem to have any prominent individuals or groups actively campaigning for their rights, and their cultural heritage is mostly still undiscovered. They are descendants of Africans who have been brought to the Ottoman Empire as slaves, starting with the second half of the 19th century, up until the early beginning of 20th century.

Their number is still a matter of debate, with varying estimates of 10,000 and even 100,000 figures. But what is evident is the fact that their community is relatively unknown, and which only in the past two decades has been starting to come together. There are now various local efforts to reclaim the lost history of the Afro-Turks, a noticeable one having been led by late writer and activist Mustafa Olpak. Even if one believes that their identity is not defined by the nation or ethnicity that one might belong to, it is arguably important to have a clear understanding of one’s own ancestral heritage. At least for anthropological reasons, if for nothing else.