Have Any Democracies Out Side of Africa Ever Elected a Black Head of State?

[tekisui]

Has a black man or woman ever been elected head of state from Europe or other Western Democracies? What about Asia and South America?

[Ediacara]

1. I'd imagine almost every nation in the Caribbean has

[provis99]

2. odd way of putting it

Has any democracy in Africa elected a non-black as their head of state? What exactly are you saying?

[tekisui]

3. I am asking if Obama is the first black head of state outside of Africa?

It is to be expected that Africa has elected black heads of state.

ETA, I see your point. It would be as significant for a white to be elected in an African country, other than SOuth Africa.

[vaberella]

4. Why would Asia? I'm more concerned if Australia ever had an Aboriginal

holding a political office. Anyone of them.

[Dan]

5. not sure if democracy...but

Egypt

[EffieBlack]

11. Egypt is part of Africa n/t

[endofdays]

6. Yes. Hugo Chavez is as black as Obama. Aristide in Haiti

Hugo Chavez is half black, that is, if I don't misremember. Also I'm pretty sure most Jamaican presidents, if not all, have been black.
Leonel Fernandez from the Dominican Republic seems mixed too. He might not look 100% black, but he does not look white either.

[TheDoorbellRang]

7. Do you mean Africa the country or Africa the continent?

Sorry...couldn't resist.:P

I think Obama's the first. This is one case where USA really IS #1.

[Curtland1015]

9. They have a continent now!?

OMG! :P

[FailureToCommunicate]

23. WHO is incontinent?

[Occam Bandage]

8. No first-world democracies have elected an ethnic minority as head of state before.

I can tell you no more.

[tekisui]

10. That was what I was trying to ask.

That's for being so concise and clear.:hi:

[Zynx]

12. Not in any country where they are a small minority like here.

I'd have to be absolutely sure, but among longstanding democracies this is certainly a first.

[tekisui]

13. That is what I thought.

[endofdays]

19. Blacks are a small minority in Venezuela

10%, and Chavez won there being half black. But then it gets complicated, because he's said to have one indian parent, but although "amerindian" is 2% of Venezuelan population, 67% of everyone is "mestizo" which means "mixed".

Then again, most people are mixed with white and indigenous there.

[quakerboy]

14. Michaëlle Jean, Governor General of Canada

Not quite the same, but my wife likes to remind me of her whenever I start getting too enthusiastic about Obama.

[Occam Bandage]

16. She was appointed, not elected, and doesn't have any real powers.

Still, um...good job, Canada?

[tekisui]

17. She wasn't elected, though. She was appointed.

And, not quite a head of state. But, very good, regardless.

[quakerboy]

25. Thanks.

My Canadian better half reminds me of her whenever I get too prideful. So I remind her she still is beholden to a Queen. And then we both agree that 2008 is a great year for the world.

[LittleBlue]

15. The only person who comes close (non democracy) in the West

(N hemisphere of course) is Septimus Severus of the Roman Empire.

He was half N African, meaning half Berber.

No one else I can think of.

[Bad Thoughts]

18. At least one VP was part Native American

I'm not sure which one it ways, possibly Hoover's VP. I know this is not quite what you were thinking of, but the VP does belong to the same ticket.

[Bad Thoughts]

20. Leon Blum, PM, France, Jew. eom.

[JoFerret]

21. Sri Lanka and India

Women to boot!
(Sometimes the west lags a little and the US lags a lot.)

[juno jones]

22. How about South America?

Chavez has mixed ancestry.

[PretzelWarrior]

24. Aristide in Haiti

that's the only one I can think of.

[Zynx]

26. That's a majority black country though.

[Nathancummings]

27. Well, the OP needs to change his headline then

Because it specifies Africa.