The World Conference against Racism, Racial Discrimination, Xenophobia and related intolerance celebrated in the city of Durban in 2001 was not the first international forum addressing the topic of racism in different countries of the world. However, it marked a pivotal before and after in the arena of racial politics in some countries of Latin America. With a special focus on indigenous communities and peoples of African descent, this international platform brought together governments, civil society organizations, and stakeholders alike urging them to recognize the pervasiveness of racism and racial discrimination in their countries. In the specific case of Peru, the Conference was followed by the creation of a number of national institutions for the advancement of Afrodescendants and other ethnic minorities, and the integration of the existing legislation on racism and discrimination. This work seeks to analyze the political shift experienced by Afrodescendants in Peru that took them from an unrecognized demographic group to a racial minority protected by the law and with an affirmed political subjectivity.