A Black Madonna or Black Virgin is a statue or painting of Mary in which she is depicted with dark or black skin. This name applies in particular to European statues or pictures of a Madonna which are of special interest because her dark face and hands seem to need explanation. In this specialised sense “Black Madonna” does not apply to images of the Virgin Mary portrayed as explicitly black African, which are popular in Africa and areas with large black populations, such as the United States. However, it has been argued that European Black Madonnas have their roots in African traditions. Read on here.
Black Women in Europe
Thanks for adding this! I encountered the phenomenon several years ago while researching deities from different religions. Although there is now no way of knowing what the true meaning and significance of the statues are, I am still fascinated and read everything I can find on the subject.