Amidst the frenzy to colonize the newly discovered West Indies, a strange Spanish speech ceremony was afoot in and around Caribbean islands. This speech ceremony was delivered unto an audience that had no means to understand the words or the significance of the speech itself. This speech was often read on ships that had not yet beached, mumbled into the air, or read aloud during skirmishes. The speech itself is better known as El Requerimiento [the Requirement], and of all the tools used to assist and justify European colonialism following the discovery of the West Indies the use of El Requerimiento is arguably the most absurd.

While the absurdity that accompanies the creation and use of El Requerimiento is a standard point of departure, this exhibit aims to guide readers on a journey to learn more about this document and the people who employed it. Click on any of the links below to learn more about the history of El Requerimiento, or visit our archival collection to see the first hand evidence. For more scholarship about El Requerimiento, visit this exhibits bibliograhpy.