African Americans

African Americans are a major racial and ethnic group in the United States.

The U.S. Census Bureau defines this group as people with ancestry from any Black racial groups of Africa. This includes people with origins in Sub-Saharan Africa, such as Nigeria or Kenya, and Afro-Caribbean nations like Haiti or Jamaica. African Americans are the second-largest racial and ethnic group in the country. As of July 1, 2024, the Black population was estimated at 42,951,595 people. This represents approximately 12.63% of the total U.S. population.

The history of this group began in the 16th century through the transatlantic slave trade. During this time, West and Central African artisans, farmers, and warriors were sold by traders. European slave traders transported these people across the Atlantic to the Western Hemisphere. Many were sold to colonists to work on plantations, mostly in the southern colonies.

Some individuals achieved freedom through manumission, which is a formal release from slavery, or by escaping. These people often founded independent communities before or during the American Revolution.

In the early colonial period, the legal status of Africans varied. In 1619, the first recorded Africans arrived in Jamestown, Virginia, as indentured servants. An indentured servant was a person who worked for several years without wages. Unlike enslaved people, indentured servants could eventually earn freedom dues, such as corn, tools, or cash. However, the status of many Africans changed over time. In 1640, the Virginia General Court recorded the first instance of lifetime slavery for a man named John Punch. By 1662, Virginia passed a law stating that a child's status followed that of the mother. This legal principle was known as partus sequitur ventrum.

As the colonies grew, systems of control became more rigid. In South Carolina, groups called slave patrols were formed in 1704. These were groups of armed White men who monitored enslaved people and searched for fugitives. Slave owners feared organized rebellions, so they used these patrols to crush meetings.

In other areas, like Spanish Louisiana, a law called coartación allowed enslaved people to buy their own freedom. This created a population of free Black people, though it caused tension with French settlers.

The American Revolution and the Civil War were major turning points. During the 1770s, both free and enslaved Africans helped the American colonists fight for independence.

Figures like James Armistead and Prince Whipple were active in the Patriot cause. However, most Black Americans remained enslaved in the South after the nation was founded. This continued until the Civil War, fought from 1861 to 1865. Following the Northern victory, four million enslaved people were liberated. During Reconstruction, African Americans gained citizenship and adult males gained the right to vote.

Despite these legal changes, many faced continued injustice. Widespread beliefs in White supremacy led to African Americans being treated as second-class citizens. Many were effectively disenfranchised, meaning they lost their power to vote. Over time, circumstances changed through military service, migration out of the South, and the civil rights movement. This movement sought to end legal racial segregation and secure political and social freedom.

Even in the 21st century, racism and socioeconomic disparities remain challenges.

In the 20th and 21st centuries, immigration has changed the community again. As of 2022, 10% of the U.S. Black population were immigrants. If you include the children of immigrants, that number rises to 20%. While some identify as African American, many first-generation immigrants prefer to identify with their specific nation of origin. This adds diverse perspectives to the broader African American experience.

African American culture has had a profound impact on the entire world. This influence is seen in literature, politics, cuisine, and sports.

Their contribution to music is especially significant. Most American popular music has roots in the African American community. This includes genres like gospel, blues, jazz, and rock and roll. It also includes R&B, soul, funk, disco, hip hop, and house music.

These cultural contributions continue to shape global society today.