Fray Bartolomé de las Casas

Fray Bartolomé de las Casas was a 16th-century Spanish Dominican friar and historian known for his advocacy for the rights of Indigenous peoples in the Americas. Originally a landowner who benefited from the encomienda system, he underwent a transformation that led him to become a vocal critic of Spanish colonial abuses, documenting the atrocities committed against Indigenous populations. His notable work, 'Brevíssima relación de la destruyción de las Indias,' provides a harrowing account of the violence and exploitation faced by Native Americans, making him an early figure in the fight against colonialism.