An African Slave who ended up being the Only Black Samurai

Japan is not a place one would usually associate with immigrants from Africa or the Caribbean. Yet in the late 16th century Japan’s most powerful warlord, Oda Nobunaga, had a black page who was not only a cultural curiosity but also served as Nobunaga’s bodyguard and was granted the prestigious rank of Samurai. His name was Yasuke, and he was the FIRST and ONLY black samurai. Brought to Japan by a Jesuit missionary as a slave, before he ended up serving the famous warlord Oda Nobunaga. Yasuke even did battle with Nobunaga’s enemies, proving his worth as a samurai warrior. Though his time as a warrior was brief, the man still has a special place in Japanese history.