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African American Heritage

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Black African Migration to the United States

" The United States has a long history of Black immigration driven by the slave trade of past centuries, but free Black immigration from Africa is a relatively recent phenomenon. Today there are about 1.1 million Black African immigrants, comprising 3 percent of the total US foreign-born population. Black Africans are among the fastest-growing groups of US immigrants, increasing by about 200 percent during the 1980s and 1990s and nearly 100 percent during the 2000s.

Like all US immigrant groups, most Black Africans are admitted through family reunification channels; but Black Africans are much more likely than other groups to be admitted as refugees or through the diversity visa program, which aims to increase flows from underrepresented countries by allowing immigration from these countries of individuals without a formal job offer or strong family ties in the United States.

As a consequence of their various channels of admission, the US population of Black African immigrants is rapidly becoming more diverse in its origins. Black African immigrants generally fare well on integration indicators. Overall, they are well educated, with college completion rates that greatly exceed those for most other immigrant groups and US natives.

In fact, the United States, Canada, and Australia disproportionately attract better-educated African migrants, while the less educated tend to go to the United Kingdom, France, and other European countries. Black African immigrants in the United States have relatively high employment rates (exceeding 70 percent for most countries of origin). Black African women are also substantially more likely to work than women from other immigrant groups." (Capps, McCabe, Fix)

Shove It Over - Zora Neale Hurston

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Recorded June 18, 1939, by Stetson Kennedy & Herbert Halbert in Jacksonville.

Music from the Florida Folklife Collection.


*African American men, women, and children - Mandarin, Florida*	*Actress and theatre director Vinnette Carroll talking to students at Miami-Dade Community College North Campus*	*A public health nurse instructing a patient in the use of medicine*
*1890*	*1980*	*1900s*
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*Burton, James. 9th U. S. Cavalry (Colored) detraining at Port Tampa*	*#22 "Bullet Bob" Hayes running the ball during FAMU football game at Bragg Memorial Stadium in Tallahassee*	*108 year old Ike Ward sitting on his porch with unidentified neighbor - Seville, Florida*
*1898*	*1962*	*1980*
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*Clarks Ladies Fashions clothing display at Zora Neale Hurston Festival- Eatonville, Florida.*	*Dancers from the Orlando School of Culture and Dance at the Zora Neale Hurston Festival- Eatonville, Florida.*	*Deborah Chester's "Conch-n-Crab Fritters" stand set up at Zora Neale Hurston Festival- Eatonville, Florida.*
*1991*	*1991*	*1991*
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*Jimmie Lee Harrell (R) selling hats at the Zora Neale Hurston Festival- Eatonville, Florida.*	*George Alexander and his open pit barbecue at Zora Neale Hurston Festival- Eatonville, Florida.*	*George Alexander barbecuing at the Zora Neale Hurston Festival of the Arts and Humanities - Eatonville, Florida.*
*1991*	*1991*	*1990*
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*Gourd craft items at the Zora Neale Hurston Festival of the Arts and Humanities - Eatonville, Florida.*	*Gwen Speight's clothing display at Zora Neale Hurston Festival- Eatonville, Florida.*	*Hats from Gloria's Hats display at Zora Neale Hurston Festival- Eatonville, Florida.*
*1990*	*1991*	*1991*
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Presentation of painting of Zora Neale Hurston. Painting was presented at a Florida Cabinet meeting. Secretary of State Jesse McCrary is standing to the left of the painting. Treasurer William Gunter is standing to the right.	*Jamaican American woman from Patties and Ting packing Jamaican beef patties at Zora Neale Hurston Festival- Eatonville, Florida.*	*Jamaican food stand at Zora Neale Hurston Festival- Eatonville, Florida.*
*1978*	*1991*	*1991*
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Manuscript copy of "The Florida Negro" with research and interviews documenting the history and experiences of Black Floridians. The manuscript includes interviews with formerly enslaved individuals, work songs and information about religion, communities, notable figures and other topics. Federal Writers' Project of the Work Projects Administration for the State of Florida.	*Masks on display at the Zora Neale Hurston Festival of the Arts and Humanities - Eatonville, Florida.*	City seal for Eatonville, Florida. Eatonville was one of the first all-black towns to be formed after the Emancipation Proclamation in 1863 being incorporated on August 15, 1887.
*1938 (circa)*	*1990*	*1999*
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Panel discussing the life and works of Zora Neale Hurston - Eatonville, Florida. At the left is Panel moderator Dr. Gwendolyn Mikell at the microphone. Seated (L-R): Dr. John Henrik Clarke, Winifred Hurston Clark?, Stetson Kennedy and one of the two women at the right is Evelyn Hester.	*People displaying their craft items at the Zora Neale Hurston Festival of the Arts and Humanities - Eatonville, Florida.*	Portrait of pastor John Hurston - Sanford, Florida. Born in Alabama in 1861. He was pastor of Zion Hope Baptist Church. In 1910 he had been pastor for 17 years of a congregation of about 200. He was the father of Zora Neale Hurston.
*1990*	*1990*	*1900 (circa)*
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Zora Neale Hurston

b. 1/07/1891 (Notasluga, AL) – 1/28/1960 (Fort Pierce, FL) (African American Heritage)

"Zora Neale Hurston was an African-American novelist whose rich literary work has inspired generations of readers. Despite her reputation as a writer, there exists another side to Hurston’s career. In 1938 and 1939, during the Great Depression..."

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