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Gambian Americans are an ethnic group of Americans of Gambian descent. There are about 8000 Gambians living in the United States, involving themselves in activities ranging from business and entrepreneurship to college education. Additionally, during the
Atlantic slave trade The Atlantic slave trade, transatlantic slave trade, or Euro-American slave trade involved the transportation by slave traders of enslaved African people, mainly to the Americas. The slave trade regularly used the triangular trade route and i ...
, many Africans from what is now The Gambia were traded and were subsequently sold by Europeans and Americans into forced labor in the United States. Gambian immigrants arriving in the United States include members of ethnic groups such as the
Mandinka Mandinka, Mandika, Mandinkha, Mandinko, or Mandingo may refer to: Media * ''Mandingo'' (novel), a bestselling novel published in 1957 * ''Mandingo'' (film), a 1975 film based on the eponymous 1957 novel * ''Mandingo (play)'', a play by Jack Kir ...
,
Wolof Wolof or Wollof may refer to: * Wolof people, an ethnic group found in Senegal, Gambia, and Mauritania * Wolof language, a language spoken in Senegal, Gambia, and Mauritania * The Wolof or Jolof Empire, a medieval West African successor of the Mal ...
, Fula, Jola, and Serahule. Many Gambians have emigrated to the United States since the 1970s with the goal of entering into higher education. While some of these students returned home after completing their studies, others adopted the United States as a permanent residence, attracting friends and family to the country. Locations with significant Gambian communities include Chicago, Atlanta, the Seattle metropolitan area, Minnesota, the
Bronx, New York The Bronx () is a Boroughs of New York City, borough of New York City, coextensive with Bronx County, in the U.S. state, state of New York (state), New York. It is south of Westchester County, New York, Westchester County; north and east of the ...
, Texas, and Washington, D.C.The Gambian American Association (GAA)
/ref> Most Gambians living in the United States practice
Islam Islam (; ar, ۘالِإسلَام, , ) is an Abrahamic religions, Abrahamic Monotheism#Islam, monotheistic religion centred primarily around the Quran, a religious text considered by Muslims to be the direct word of God in Islam, God (or ...
or Christianity.


History


Atlantic slave trade

The first people from what is now The Gambia arrived to the United States as slaves during the Atlantic slave trade. In 1588, the claimant to the Portuguese throne,
António, Prior of Crato António, Prior of Crato (; 153126 August 1595; sometimes called ''The Determined'', ''The Fighter'', ''The Independentist'' or ''The Resistant''), was a grandson of King Manuel I of Portugal who claimed the Portuguese throne during the 1580 d ...
, sold exclusive trade rights on the Gambia River to English merchants (including the slave trade).
Letters patent Letters patent ( la, litterae patentes) ( always in the plural) are a type of legal instrument in the form of a published written order issued by a monarch, president or other head of state, generally granting an office, right, monopoly, titl ...
from Queen Elizabeth I confirmed the grant. So, The Gambia, since the sixteenth to nineteenth century, was an important slave port in the
Senegambia The Senegambia (other names: Senegambia region or Senegambian zone,Barry, Boubacar, ''Senegambia and the Atlantic Slave Trade'', (Editors: David Anderson, Carolyn Brown; trans. Ayi Kwei Armah; contributors: David Anderson, American Council of Le ...
area (along with others as Saint Louis, the Goree Island,
Bissau Bissau () is the capital, and largest city of Guinea-Bissau. Bissau had a population of 492,004. Bissau is located on the Geba River estuary, off the Atlantic Ocean, and is Guinea-Bissau's largest city, major port, and its administrative and m ...
or
Cacheu Cacheu is a town in northwestern Guinea-Bissau, lying on the Cacheu River. Its population was estimated to be 9,849 . History and landmarks The town of Cacheu is situated in territory of the Papel people. The name is of Bainuk origin: "i.e. ''C ...
), both for the United States and Latin America (Spanish bought many slaves to the English, French and Portuguese merchants). Therefore, an important part of the slaves were, among others, of this part of Africa.De Senegal a Talcahuano: los esclavos de un alzamiento en la costa pacífica (1804)
- (in Spanish: From Senegal to Talcahuano: an uprising of slaves on the Pacific coast (1804)).
Slaves from present-day The Gambia imported to present-day United States belonged to ethnicities such as the
Mandinka Mandinka, Mandika, Mandinkha, Mandinko, or Mandingo may refer to: Media * ''Mandingo'' (novel), a bestselling novel published in 1957 * ''Mandingo'' (film), a 1975 film based on the eponymous 1957 novel * ''Mandingo (play)'', a play by Jack Kir ...
and Bambara people. So many slaves of the present-day Gambia were Muslims. Slaves from Senegambia staged some prominent revolts in the current United States. Thus, in 1765, while the brigantine was bringing slaves from the coast of Senegal and The Gambia to Connecticut, the slaves provoked a revolt aboard of the brigantine, leveraging the murder of the captain (who had beaten several of his crewmen) for some crewmens. In the revolt, the slaves killed one crew member and wounded several others. On this day their revolt was suppressed by killing seven of them. Most of slaves from The Gambia were imported to South Carolina, Virginia, Maryland (where, according to some historians, most of all slaves, although according to others, the most of them were Igbo of Nigeria) and Georgia. Senegambian and
Guinea Guinea ( ),, fuf, 𞤘𞤭𞤲𞤫, italic=no, Gine, wo, Gine, nqo, ߖߌ߬ߣߍ߫, bm, Gine officially the Republic of Guinea (french: République de Guinée), is a coastal country in West Africa. It borders the Atlantic Ocean to the we ...
n slaves were imported to those states probably because those slaves could favor the rice plantations of those places already that they were familiar with rice plantations which was commonly grown in
Senegambia The Senegambia (other names: Senegambia region or Senegambian zone,Barry, Boubacar, ''Senegambia and the Atlantic Slave Trade'', (Editors: David Anderson, Carolyn Brown; trans. Ayi Kwei Armah; contributors: David Anderson, American Council of Le ...
and Guinea.Uncovering African Roots. DNA Tests, New Technology Reveal African Heritage
Retrieved September 8, 2012, to 16:45 om.
In the rest of the states having Gambian slaves (such as
New York New York most commonly refers to: * New York City, the most populous city in the United States, located in the state of New York * New York (state), a state in the northeastern United States New York may also refer to: Film and television * '' ...
or Pennsylvania), they were very scarce (only hundreds of individuals from Senegambia were imported there). While it is known that all slaves exported to New Jersey (only 176 slaves) and all Senegambian slaves which were exported to Rhode Island, New Hampshire, and Pennsylvania were from The Gambia. So well, like most of the slaves of Senegambia arrived in Massachusetts, Virginia, Maryland, Georgia and South Carolina. So, famous is the case of the slave, supposedly native from the present Gambia, Kunta Kinte (who arrived to the modern United States in the
Lord Ligonier Field Marshal John Ligonier, 1st Earl Ligonier, (7 November 168028 April 1770), was a French Huguenot exile, born Jean Louis de Ligonier in Castres, Southern France. He had a long and distinguished career in the British army and was appointed ...
ship), thank to a story written by
Alex Haley Alexander Murray Palmer Haley (August 11, 1921 – February 10, 1992) was an American writer and the author of the 1976 book '' Roots: The Saga of an American Family.'' ABC adapted the book as a television miniseries of the same name and a ...
and based, partially, on a true story."


Modern times

The Gambians have emigrated to the United States of voluntary form, as a minimum, since the 1970s. Many of them migrated to Chicago. Many Gambians have emigrated to the United States with the goal of entering higher education to which they have no access to in their native country. Many of these students returned home after completing their studies, excelling in politics and business. Many Gambians who have set the United States as a permanent residence, have attracted friends and other family members to the United States. Gambians of United States exert jobs such as accounting, education, medicine and
hotel management ''Hotel Management'' magazine is a trade publication produced by Questex, LLC. History and profile The magazine ''Hotel Management'' was established in New York in 1922 by Ahrens Publishers. It absorbed or merged with various other hotel managem ...
.Encyclopedia of Chicago: Gambians
Posted by Tracy Steffes.


Tradition


Food

Gambian Americans tend to carry traditions from The Gambia to their homes in the US. Some of the most notable include traditional food, traditional attire and other traditional practices. The most common dishes served in Gambian homes is Benachin (Jollof Rice),
Domoda Peanut stew or groundnut stew, also called as ''maafe'' (Wolof, ''mafé'', ''maffé'', ''maffe''), ''sauce d'arachide'' (French), ''tigadèguèna'' or ''domoda'', is a stew that is a staple food in Western Africa. It originates from the Mandinka ...
, Chew, Supa Kanja, Plasas, Yassa, Afra etc. Most of these dishes share common ingredients such as rice, fish, tomatoes, cooking oil, onions, peppers and different herbs.


Traditional Attire

Despite living in the US, Gambians maintain and shows its heritage and traditions in different ways, that includes traditional attire. Gambians in the US are usually recognized by their vibrant traditional outfits made out of vibrant 100% cotton textiles. Gambians are mostly Muslims and due to its Islamic influence, traditional wears are mostly covering from head to toes including long sleeves for women and neck to toes for men. Some of the most notable Gambian attires for both men and women include Grand mbubu, Kaftan.


Organizations

Some of the Gambian organizations more highlights in United States are: The Gambian American Association, United Gambians Association and Gambia Association of Chicago. The Gambian American Association (GAA) was established in
Washington DC Metropolitan Area The Washington metropolitan area, also commonly referred to as the National Capital Region, is the metropolitan area centered on Washington, D.C. The metropolitan area includes all of Washington, D.C. and parts of the states of Maryland, Virgi ...
. The association has held events such as anniversary of Gambia's independence. It is also remarkable the United Gambians Association (UGA). This organization, not-for-profit, non-political and non-religious, work with Gambian immigrants, their children, families, schools and communities in the U.S. UGA is engaged in activities such as strengthening of ties in the Gambian community in exile, helping Gambian immigrants and facilitate their integration into American society and the voluntary contribution, both in The Gambia and the U.S., areas such as HIV AIDS, natural disasters, immigration and malaria. The association also offers free tutoring services to Gambian immigrants and their families in logistics support, funding and emotional support in an emergency situation, like the death of a family member or immigration issues.United Gambians Association (UGA)
The Gambia Association of Chicago was founded in 1998 to promote mutual aid and strengthen the bonds of the Gambian community in that city. The organization develops monthly meetings and raises funds to support the Gambians in Chicago and his return to his homeland. In addition, this organization also organizes Midwest Gambian Associations Conference the Labor Day weekend, uniting Gambian communities from several states in the country (Gambian communities in Michigan, Minnesota, Wisconsin, Ohio, Washington state and Kansas) to coordinate fundraising activities and cultural, build a regional network and discuss topics of interest. Thus the Midwest Gambian Associations Conference invites prominent members of the community to talk about of the social, political and economic most important issues of Gambia. These activities are combined with lunches, dances, and a soccer tournament. In addition, the community also helps members financially when they are born, die or become ill. Furthermore, in the 1970s, Gambian students played an important role in the formation of the African Student Union of the University of Illinois at Chicago, city where they establish ties with other African groups, such as the Senegalese. Furthermore, Gambians lead the Move, an African organization Chicago nonprofit founded in 1983 to try to solve the educational and political problems of Africans. Thus, we have organized forums, holidays (such as Liberation Day in Africa), and literature from current problems.


Notable people

*
Omar Bah Omar Bah is a Gambian American psychologist, author, former journalist, refugee, and global survivor leader residing in the United States. He is the founder and executive director of the Refugee Dream Center in Providence, Rhode Island, United St ...
*
Al Njie Alieu "Al" Njie is a retired American soccer forward who played professionally in the North American Soccer League, American Soccer League and Major Indoor Soccer League. Njie attended Florida International University, playing on the men's ...
*
Charlie Davies Charles Desmond Davies (born June 25, 1986) is an American former professional soccer player who played as a forward. Davies set several soccer records at his high school, the Brooks School, before appearing for the Boston College Eagles an ...
* Kelefa Sanneh * Fatou Camara * Fatou Bensouda * Lamin Sanneh


See also

*
The Gambia–United States relations Gambian–American relations are bilateral relations between the Republic of The Gambia and the United States of America. History En route to Casablanca for a conference and then to Liberia, Franklin D. Roosevelt stopped in Banjul in 1943. ...


References

{{Demographics of the United States West Africans in the United States