essay

Transnationalism in the construct of Haitian migrants' racial categories of identity in New York City

towards a transnational perspective on migrationNew York, New York • Published In 1992 • Pages: 101-123

By: Charles, Carolle.

Abstract
This work '…argues that the multiple racial identities which Haitian migrants to New York City display in their organizations and in their public discourse is not expression of an ambiguity and/or denial of a racial consciousness and of racial identity. It is rather an expression of the different meanings of blackness that inform the consciousness and identity of Haitian immigrants' (p. 102). The author describes in this paper how these different meaning of Blackness, rooted as they are in Haiti, become embedded in a transnational network of social relations involving household, related kin, and friends. In the process of migration the meanings of these categories of social relations are transformed in building new identities with a tendency toward disaffiliation with Black Americans.
Subjects
External migration
Cultural identity and pride
Labor supply and employment
Ethnic stratification
Household
Political behavior
Ethnosociology
culture
Haitian Americans
HRAF PubDate
1998
Region
North America
Sub Region
Regional, Ethnic and Diaspora Cultures
Document Type
essay
Evaluation
Creator Type
Sociologist
Document Rating
4: Excellent Secondary Data
Analyst
John Beierle ; 1997
Field Date
ca.1960s-1980s
Coverage Date
ca.1960s-1980s
Coverage Place
New York, N.Y., United States
Notes
Carolle Charles
Includes bibliographical references (p. 120-123)
LCCN
92010551
LCSH
Haitian Americans