María Remedios del Valle

Afro-Argentine war heroine known as 'the Mother of the Nation' for her role in independence wars.

María Remedios del Valle (1766–1847), an enslaved woman of African descent, fought in Argentina’s independence wars under General Manuel Belgrano. She earned the rank of captain for battlefield bravery, despite laws prohibiting enslaved people from bearing arms. Historical records show she survived multiple executions by Spanish forces.

Post-independence, del Valle lived in poverty until 1827 when the government granted her a military pension after public campaigns. Her story redefines Argentina’s ethnocentric historical narratives. The National Culture Secretariat now recognizes her every November 8 as part of National Afro-Argentine Culture Day.