Africans In America (Immigration to the United States)

Unlike other immigrant groups, the story of African immigration is unique because the majority of Africans did not choose to come to North America but were brought here against their will. Africans in America treats all the comings of African Americans, addressing the slave trade as well as the immigration of those who moved here by choice. Beginning with the origins of the slave trade in Africa and the expansion of slavery in the 17th and 18th centuries, this clearly written book moves on to describe plantation life and the slave codes of the American South. Extending from this time to the abolition movement to the Harlem Renaissance and beyond, Africans in America concludes with a look at African Americans in the present day, including successes in politics, business, education, and the arts, as well as recent immigration from Africa in the 20th century. This well-written volume offers a concise, informative introduction to African immigration. History covered includes: The impact of the American Revolution on African Americans. The emancipation of slaves in the North. The development of cotton plantations in the Deep South. African-American culture on the plantations. Slave resistance and revolts African-American cultural contributions. The role of African Americans in the Union army. The achievements of blacks during the Harlem Renaissance. The growth of the Civil Rights movement in the 1950s and 1960s and the federal legislation that safeguarded rights of African Americans. African immigration in the 20th century Political and economic gains of the 1960s and 1970s, including the Civil Rights Act Cultural contributions of recent African immigrants. The United States is truly a nation of immigrants, or as the poet Walt Whitman once said, a "nation of nations." For more than 200 years, people of diverse nationalities and religions from all over the world have come to America's shores seeking a new life. Their story is the story of America The United States is truly a nation of immigrants. Spanning the time from when the Europeans first came to the New World, this book conveys the excitement of these stories to young people. It highlights the themes, people, places, and events that were important to each immigrant group. Discusses the history of African invlountary and voluntary immigration to the United States and covers key issues, including the struggles faced and how the culture influenced Americans.