黑彼得的傳說,起源自中世紀,聖尼古拉降伏惡魔,將他們收為助手的傳說。1850年,荷蘭教育家與作家Jan Schenkman所著的繪本《聖尼可拉斯與他的幫手》(St. Nicolaas en zijn Knecht)中,首次將聖尼古拉的助手,描寫為非洲裔黑人的黑臉紅唇外形,形成黑彼得的原型。黑彼得的外型設定,一般相信,與當時盛行的非洲黑奴買賣有關。
^Forbes, Bruce David. Christmas: A Candid History. University of California Press. 2007.
^Emma Thomas. Outrage in Netherlands over calls to abolish 'Black Pete' clowns which march in Christmas parade dressed in blackface. Daily Mail. 24 October 2013 [27 October 2012]. (原始内容于2014-10-20).
^Felicity Morse. Zwarte Piet: Opposition Grows To 'Racist Black Pete' Dutch Tradition. UK: Huffington Post. [27 October 2012]. (原始内容于2014-10-23).