Blacks

African Americans (also referred to as Black Americans or Afro-Americans) are an ethnic group of Americans with total or partial ancestry from any of the black racial groups of Africa. The term typically refers to descendants of enslaved black people who are from the United States. While the early African American population was predominantly of West and Central African descent, significant migration patterns and ethnic diversification have introduced a wide variety of backgrounds in the population over time.

History

The history of African Americans begins in the 16th and 17th centuries with the arrival of enslaved Africans to the North American colony of Jamestown, Virginia, in 1619, to aid in the production of such lucrative crops as tobacco. Slavery spread quickly through the American colonies. Despite the Declaration of Independence in 1776 that all men are created equal, slavery was not abolished in the United States until the passage of the 13th Amendment in 1865.

Following the Civil War, during the Reconstruction era, African Americans were granted citizenship and the right to vote through the 14th and 15th Amendments to the United States Constitution, respectively. However, the emergence of Jim Crow laws in the South, a set of state and local statutes that legalized racial segregation, disenfranchised many African Americans, a condition that would not begin to improve until the Civil Rights Movement of the 1950s and 1960s, which fought for equal rights under the law.

Culture

African American culture is both distinct and enormously influential on American and global culture as a whole. It has its roots in Africa and is a blend of chiefly sub-Saharan African and Sahelean cultures. Though slavery severely restricted the ability of African Americans to practice their original cultural traditions, many practices, values, and beliefs survived, and over time, they have modified and/or blended with European cultures and other cultures in the United States. This includes music genres such as jazz, soul, and R&B, spirituals, gospel music, cuisine, dance, art, and language.

Demographics

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, African Americans are the second-largest racial minority group in the United States, following Hispanic and Latino Americans. The majority of African Americans live in the South, with significant populations in urban areas across the United States.

Challenges

Despite progress in socioeconomic status, African Americans continue to face challenges including higher rates of poverty, crime, and mortality. African Americans also encounter significant disparities in education, employment, and health care.

Notable African Americans

Throughout American history, African Americans have made significant contributions in various fields, including politics, science, art, sports, and music. Notable figures include Martin Luther King Jr., Harriet Tubman, Barack Obama, Maya Angelou, Michael Jordan, and Oprah Winfrey, among others.

See also

• Slavery in the United States
• Civil Rights Movement
• African American culture
• Jim Crow laws