African Americans

expand_more Description

Most African Americans today descend from people forcibly brought to what is now the United States as slaves. Slaves were largely obtained from western and central Africa and came from diverse cultural backgrounds and spoke different languages. A creole language known as Ebonics emerged which allowed communication across different linguistic backgrounds. African Americans largely lived in the rural south until after World War II. Afterwards, large numbers migrated north to major cities. Beginning in the 1970s, the majority of African Americans were city-dwellers. African Americans share a common origin in Africa as well as common struggle against “racial” discrimination and prejudice, even for those in the highest social strata.

Identifier

Region

• North America

Subregion

• Regional, Ethnic and Diaspora Cultures

Subsistence Type

• commercial economy

Countries

• United States