Ghanaian Americans: Difference between revisions
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|poptime = '''Ghanaian Americans'''<br/>'''91,322''' (2010 U.S. Census) <ref |
|poptime = '''Ghanaian Americans'''<br/>'''91,322''' (2010 U.S. Census) <ref>{{cite web|title=Total ancestry categories tallied for people with one or more ancestry categories reported 2010 American Community Survey 1-Year Estimates|url=http://factfinder2.census.gov/faces/tableservices/jsf/pages/productview.xhtml?pid=ACS_10_1YR_B04003&prodType=table|publisher=[[United States Census Bureau]]|accessdate=30 November 2012}}</ref> |
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|popplace = [[Atlanta]], [[New York City]], [[Washington, D.C.]], [[Boston]], [[Los Angeles]], [[Chicago]], [[Columbus, Ohio]], [[New Jersey]] |
|popplace = [[Atlanta]], [[New York City]], [[Washington, D.C.]], [[Boston]], [[Los Angeles]], [[Chicago]], [[Columbus, Ohio]], [[New Jersey]] |
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|langs = [[American English|English]] {{·}} [[Akan language|Akan]] |
|langs = [[American English|English]] {{·}} [[Akan language|Akan]] |
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|rels = Predominantly [[Christian]] |
|rels = Predominantly [[Christian]] <ref>[http://www.state.gov/j/drl/rls/irf/2009/127235.htm US Census Bureau, International Religious Freedom Report 2009, Ghanaian-American]</ref> |
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|related = [[Ghanaian |
|related = [[Ghanaian ]] |
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}} |
}} |
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'''Ghanaian Americans''' are American citizens who are of [[ |
'''Ghanaian Americans''' are American citizens who are of [[Ghanaian]] descent or a Ghanaian naturalized American. |
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==History== |
==History== |
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===Early history=== |
===Early history=== |
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The first people to arrive from the region then known as the [[Gold Coast (region)|Gold Coast]] were brought as [[slaves]].<!--WAS THIS IN THE 17th OR THE 18th CENTURY?--> Most of which were [[Akan people|Akan]] originating from Ghana |
The first people to arrive from the region then known as the [[Gold Coast (region)|Gold Coast]] were brought as [[slaves]].<!--WAS THIS IN THE 17th OR THE 18th CENTURY?--> Most of which were [[Akan people|Akan]] originating from Ghana<ref name="africanroots">[http://www.black-collegian.com/issues/1998-12/africanroots12.shtml The Black collegian online]. Retrieved in September 07, 2012, to 17:10 pm.</ref> , , .<ref>[http://www.vgskole.net/prosjekt/slavrute/pluribus.htm "E Pluribus Unum" melting Pot or Salad Bowl?] Organized by Jon K. Møller. Retrieved in September 07, 2012, to 18:10 pm</ref> So, apparently, 16 percent of the African slaves imported to Nort America (most them to the United States) were Akans from Ghana.<ref name="africanroots"/> More of 20000 slaves from Gold Coast arrived to modern United States.<ref name=photobucketorigamenu> [http://s1207.photobucket.com/user/oditous3/media/AfricanOriginsbroadregionsforUSAagainstotherstates.jpg.html African origins of United States]</ref> Most of the slaves of Gold Coast were imported to [[South Carolina]] (where arrived the 62% of those slaves), [[Virginia]] (which accounted for 19% of the slaves from that region imported to modern United States) and [[Georgia (U.S. state)|Georgia]] (where arrived the 7% of them). These places were several thousand slaves of Gold Coast, especially South Carolina, which took 16,000 slaves of that region. They only were majority in [[Pennsylvannia]], where they were 108 of the 208 slaves of the colony.<ref name=photobucketorigamenu/> |
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Typically, the product of wars, many slaves were people sold to Europeans, although West African slavery was much different from American chattel slavery.<ref>[http://countrystudies.us/nigeria/7.htm The Slave Trade]</ref> Although it is believed that of the 11 million |
Typically, the product of wars, many slaves were people sold to Europeans, although West African slavery was much different from American chattel slavery.<ref>[http://countrystudies.us/nigeria/7.htm The Slave Trade]</ref> Although it is believed that of the 11 million Ghanaians that were exported as slaves, only about 500,000 ended up in the United States (most went to Latin America and the Caribbean)<ref name="Slave´s Diaspora">http://www.nytimes.com/2005/12/27/international/africa/27ghana.html?_r=1&pagewanted=all New york Times. Ghana's Uneasy Embrace of Slavery's Diaspora. December 27, 2005. Retrieved August 28, 2012.</ref> and of that the slaves came from a number of locations on the African continent, the likelihood of an African-American or any Black person from the diaspora having at least some ancestry in Ghana is relatively high. |
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===Recent Immigration=== |
===Recent Immigration=== |
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Ghanaians began arriving in the United States en masse during the 1950s and 1960s amid the [[African-American Civil Rights Movement (1955–1968)|Civil Rights]] and anti-[[Imperialism]] era. Ghanaians such as [[Kwame Nkrumah]] were taught at American universities and worked with black American leaders for the rights of [[Black People]] worldwide. Notable African American intellectuals and activists such as [[W. E. B. Du Bois]] and [[Malcolm X]] used early Ghana as a symbol of black achievement. Most immigrants from Ghana who came to the United States were |
Ghanaians began arriving in the United States en masse during the 1950s and 1960s amid the [[African-American Civil Rights Movement (1955–1968)|Civil Rights]] and anti-[[Imperialism]] era. Ghanaians such as [[Kwame Nkrumah]] were taught at American universities and worked with black American leaders for the rights of [[Black People]] worldwide. Notable African American intellectuals and activists such as [[W. E. B. Du Bois]] and [[Malcolm X]] used early Ghana as a symbol of black achievement. Most immigrants from Ghana who came to the United States were educationeducation . However, many Ghanaians that migrated in the 1980s and 1990s, came to get business opportunities.<ref name="everyculture: Ghanian American">[http://www.everyculture.com/multi/Du-Ha/Ghanaian-Americans.html EveryCulture — Ghanaian-Americans] Posted by Drew Walker. Retrieved December 10, 2011, to 12:04</ref> |
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== Demography == |
== Demography == |
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According to the |
According to the Census there are , Ghanaian in the United States. Cities with large populations include (in order of size): [[Atlanta]]; [[Chicago]]; [[Detroit]]; [[Washington, D.C.]]; [[Bronx, NY|The Bronx]] in [[New York City]]; [[Newark, New Jersey]]; [[Providence, Rhode Island]]; [[Worcester, Massachusetts]]; [[Columbus, Ohio]], and [[Maryland]] among others.{{clear}} |
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== Education == |
== Education == |
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Ghanaian immigrants arrive with |
Ghanaian immigrants arrive with educational statistics. This is attributable to Ghana's coastal location and British which created an English speaking school system. Although the numbers are small, Ghanaians are well represented in universities across the United States. Schools such as [[Cornell]], the [[University of Pennsylvania]], and [[Stanford University]] have groups specifically devoted to Ghanaian students, in addition to general African student associations. |
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While educational attainment is high in the Ghanaian American community, the most recent arrivals come with the U.S. government's stipulation that they must attend university, many of them start businesses to overcome the disparity of finding a job in the United States. Ghanaians typically live in less segregated areas and move to more suburban locations as their income rises. |
While educational attainment is high in the Ghanaian American community, the most recent arrivals come with the U.S. government's stipulation that they must attend university, many of them start businesses to overcome the disparity of finding a job in the United States. Ghanaians typically live in less segregated areas and move to more suburban locations as their income rises. |
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Many of the newest Ghanaians in American universities are not new arrivals, but the children of established Ghanaian Americans in the United States. Ghanaians in the United States do contribute millions of dollars in [[remittances]] and within time may become more directly involved in investing in Ghanaian companies. |
Many of the newest Ghanaians in American universities are not new arrivals, but the children of established Ghanaian Americans in the United States. Ghanaians in the United States do contribute millions of dollars in [[remittances]] and within time may become more directly involved in investing in Ghanaian companies. |
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== Languages == |
== Languages == |
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The |
The speak [[ language]] and [[ ]]. The Ghanaians have an easier time adapting to life in the United States than other immigrants because their homeland of Ghana has the [[English language]] as the official language and is spoken by the majority of Ghana's population.<ref name="everyculture: Ghanian American"/> |
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== Return to roots: African Americans in Ghana == |
== Return to roots: African Americans in Ghana == |
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As reported by the journalist [[Lydia Polgreen]] in a [[New York Times]] article, the fact that Ghanaian slave exports to the Americas was so important between the sixteenth and nineteenth centuries, make that Ghana currently does try to attract the attention of African slave descendants from the [[Americas]] in order that they are established here, and so that they turn the country into the new home to many descendants of the Ghanaian diaspora -though they only are partially descent of Ghanaian -, for they return to the country. So, according reported Valerie Papaya Mann, president of the African American Association of Ghana, now thousands of African-Americans already live in Ghana, at least part of the year. To encourage migration or, at least, the journey of the descendants of slaves from the Americas, Ghana decided, in 2005, offer a special visa to those people and provide Ghanaian passports to them. Thus, the government of Ghana also developed an advertising campaign which tries to convince Ghanaians to treat African Americans as a people related to them.<ref name="Slave´s Diaspora"/> |
As reported by the journalist [[Lydia Polgreen]] in a [[New York Times]] article, the fact that Ghanaian slave exports to the Americas was so important between the sixteenth and nineteenth centuries, make that Ghana currently does try to attract the attention of African slave descendants from the [[Americas]] in order that they are established here, and so that they turn the country into the new home to many descendants of the Ghanaian diaspora -though they only are partially descent of Ghanaian -, for they return to the country. So, according reported Valerie Papaya Mann, president of the African American Association of Ghana, now thousands of African-Americans already live in Ghana, at least part of the year. To encourage migration or, at least, the journey of the descendants of slaves from the Americas, Ghana decided, in 2005, offer a special visa to those people and provide Ghanaian passports to them. Thus, the government of Ghana also developed an advertising campaign which tries to convince Ghanaians to treat African Americans as a people related to them.<ref name="Slave´s Diaspora"/> |
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==Notable Ghanaian Americans== |
==Notable Ghanaian Americans== |
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*[[Michael Blackson]] |
*[[Michael Blackson]] |
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*[[Monica Breen]] |
*[[Monica Breen]] |
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| ⚫ | |||
{{col-break}} |
{{col-break}} |
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*[[Joshua Clottey]] |
*[[Joshua Clottey]] |
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*[[Paul Cuffee]] |
*[[Paul Cuffee]] |
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==See also== |
==See also== |
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* [[Ghanaian |
* [[Ghanaian ]] |
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* [[Ghana]] |
* [[Ghana]] |
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* [[African immigrants to the United States]] |
* [[African immigrants to the United States]] |
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Revision as of 09:54, 14 July 2013
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| Regions with significant populations | ||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Atlanta, New York City, Washington, D.C., Boston, Los Angeles, Chicago, Columbus, Ohio, New Jersey | ||||||||||
| Languages | ||||||||||
| English · Akan · Ga–Dangme | ||||||||||
| Religion | ||||||||||
| Predominantly Christian [1] | ||||||||||
| Related ethnic groups | ||||||||||
| African American · Ghanaian British | ||||||||||
Ghanaian Americans are American citizens who are of Ghanaian descent or a Ghanaian naturalized American.
History
Early history
The first people to arrive from the region then known as the Gold Coast were brought as slaves. Most of the which were Ga [3] and Akan groups originating from Ghana,[4] being imported tribes such as the Ashanti, Fante, Brong and maybe the Denkyera.[5] So, apparently, 16 percent of the African slaves imported to Nort America (most them to the United States) were Akans from Ghana.[4] However, also were imported members of other tribe such as the Tarkar tribe of Tamale, Ghana. [6]More of 20.000 slaves from Gold Coast arrived to modern United States.[7] Most of the slaves of Gold Coast were imported to South Carolina (where arrived the 62% of those slaves), Virginia (which accounted for 19% of the slaves from that region imported to modern United States) and Georgia (where arrived the 7% of them). These places were several thousand slaves of Gold Coast, especially South Carolina, which took 16,000 slaves of that region. They only were majority in Pennsylvannia, where they were 108 of the 208 slaves of the colony.[7]
Typically, the product of wars, many slaves were people sold to Europeans, although West African slavery was much different from American chattel slavery.[8] Although it is believed that of the 11 million Ghanaians that were exported as slaves, only about 500,000 to have ended up in the United States (most went to Latin America and the Caribbean)[9] and of that the slaves came from a number of locations on the African continent, the likelihood of an African-American or any Black person from the diaspora having at least some ancestry in Ghana is relatively high.
Recent Immigration
Ghanaians began arriving in the United States en masse during the 1950s and 1960s amid the Civil Rights and anti-Imperialism era. Ghanaians such as Kwame Nkrumah were taught at American universities and worked with black American leaders for the rights of Black People worldwide. Notable African American intellectuals and activists such as W. E. B. Du Bois and Malcolm X used early Ghana as a symbol of black achievement. Most immigrants from Ghana who came to the United States were (and are) students who came to get a better education. Thus, most of the early Ghanaian immigrants planned on using the education acquired in the United States to better Ghana. However, many Ghanaians that migrated in the 1980s and 1990s, came to get business opportunities. In difficult economic times the number of Ghanaians who emigrated to the United States was small. However, when these economic problems were paralyzed, they saved money to emigrate to the United States.[10]
Demography
According to the 2000 Census there are 86,918 Ghanaian Americans living in the United States. Cities with large populations include (in order of size): Atlanta; Chicago; Detroit; Washington, D.C.; The Bronx in New York City; Newark, New Jersey; Providence, Rhode Island; Worcester, Massachusetts; Columbus, Ohio, and Maryland among others.
Education
Ghanaian immigrants arrive with educational statistics similar to Nigerian Americans and other relatively successful African Immigrants. This is attributable to Ghana's coastal location and British colonization which created an English speaking school system. Although the numbers are small, Ghanaians are well represented in universities across the United States. Schools such as Cornell, the University of Pennsylvania, and Stanford University have groups specifically devoted to Ghanaian students, in addition to general African student associations.
While educational attainment is high in the Ghanaian American community, the most recent arrivals come with the U.S. government's stipulation that they must attend university, many of them start businesses to overcome the disparity of finding a job in the United States. Ghanaians typically live in less segregated areas and move to more suburban locations as their income rises.
Many of the newest Ghanaians in American universities are not new arrivals, but the children of established Ghanaian Americans in the United States. Ghanaians in the United States do contribute millions of dollars in remittances and within time may become more directly involved in investing in Ghanaian companies.
Languages and culture
The Ghanaian Americans speak Akan and Ga–Dangme, often also speaking English. The Ghanaians have an easier time adapting to life in the United States than other immigrants because their homeland of Ghana has the English language as the official language and is spoken by the majority of Ghana's population. Currently, the majority of Ghanaian Americans are Christian Americans (mostly Protestant).[10]
Return to roots: African Americans in Ghana
As reported by the journalist Lydia Polgreen in a New York Times article, the fact that Ghanaian slave exports to the Americas was so important between the sixteenth and nineteenth centuries, make that Ghana currently does try to attract the attention of African slave descendants from the Americas in order that they are established here, and so that they turn the country into the new home to many descendants of the Ghanaian diaspora -though they only are partially descent of Ghanaian -, for they return to the country. So, according reported Valerie Papaya Mann, president of the African American Association of Ghana, now thousands of African-Americans already live in Ghana, at least part of the year. To encourage migration or, at least, the journey of the descendants of slaves from the Americas, Ghana decided, in 2005, offer a special visa to those people and provide Ghanaian passports to them. Thus, the government of Ghana also developed an advertising campaign which tries to convince Ghanaians to treat to African Americans as a people related to them. Thus, according to J. Otanka Obetsebi-Lamptey, the tourism minister: "We want Africans everywhere, no matter where they live or how they got there, to see Ghana as their gateway home. We hope we can help bring the African family back together again."[9]
Notable Ghanaian Americans
See also
References
- ^ US Census Bureau, International Religious Freedom Report 2009, Ghanaian-American
- ^ "Total ancestry categories tallied for people with one or more ancestry categories reported 2010 American Community Survey 1-Year Estimates". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved 30 November 2012.
- ^ African American culture. Retrieved in September 10, 2012, to 23:26 pm.
- ^ a b The Black collegian online. Retrieved in September 07, 2012, to 17:10 pm.
- ^ "E Pluribus Unum" melting Pot or Salad Bowl? Organized by Jon K. Møller. Retrieved in September 07, 2012, to 18:10 pm
- ^ "Question of the Month: Cudjo Lewis: Last African Slave in the U.S.?", by David Pilgrim, Curator, Jim Crow Museum, July 2005, webpage:Ferris-Clotilde.
- ^ The Slave Trade
- ^ a b http://www.nytimes.com/2005/12/27/international/africa/27ghana.html?_r=1&pagewanted=all New york Times. Ghana's Uneasy Embrace of Slavery's Diaspora. Posted by Lydia Polgreen, in December 27, 2005. Retrieved in August 28, 2012, to 23:10 pm.
- ^ a b EveryCulture — Ghanaian-Americans Posted by Drew Walker. Retrieved December 10, 2011, to 12:04
External links
Ghanaian diaspora | |
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