DIASPORA RESOURCES

The African Diaspora in 1900 - collage by Daud Malik Watts

    People of African descent can be found in large numbers all over the world. There are over 100,000,000 Black people in southern India, mostly of the Dalit group. More Black people live in Brazil than in the United States of America. The majority of people in the Caribbean are also of African descent. If one travels to the Pacific Islands, to Borneo, Fiji, Vainawatu, or the Solomon Islands, it becomes obvious that the original inhabitants of those lands came from Africa. Even the so-called Aborigines of Australia and New Zealand have African roots.

    Africans dispersed from the Motherland in many periods of history, not just during the Slave Trade. In remote prehistory, during the Ice Ages of the Northern Hemisphere, Africa was home to early Man. The prehistoric remains of the Grimaldi, Peking and Java Man all suggest that these were Africans. In the ancient past, from about 30,000 to 3,000 years ago, Africans settled many of the large and small Pacific Islands (Oceania) and southern Asia. In the distant past, from 3,000 to 500 years ago, Africans migrated to India, Asia and the Middle East. Giant statues of Africans, made during the Olmec Civilization,2,500 years ago, have also been found in Central America. The Africans of the Nile Valley traveled to and conquered many lands leaving scattered but connected communities - diaspora- behind. The Greek historian Herodotus identifies Colchis as such a diaspora community. During the rise of Islam many African groups settled in distant lands. The Moorish Empire established many Africans in Spain, what was to become Portugal and Sicily.

    The TransAtlantic Slave Trade placed Africans in the millions throughout North, Central, and South America and the Caribbean.  In many places, Africans became the majority population. Numerous Africans successfully fought or escaped slavery and established independent 'Maroon' territories or states in Brazil, Jamaica, Florida, and Haiti.

    In the United States, as well as other parts of the Western Hemisphere, people of African descent have had a profound impact on the history and culture of this country. There were numerous Black inventors and scientists, political leaders, artists, soldiers, cowboys, Indians, educators, business people, writers, and workers. These Black people helped shape the history of all of the Americas in every historical era.

These large and extraordinary communities throughout the world are collectively called the African Diaspora.

******** Internet Highlights ********

International Black Index Source Directory  Claiming 3,000 items , this site connects to a wide range of African, Caribbean, Latin and African American topics www.blackindex.com/home/homepage.htm

University of Michigan - Music & Dance of Africa and the Diaspora -  Site for the April 3-5, 1997, University of Michigan conference.   www.umich.edu/~ovpama/music

African Arts magazine UCLA's quarterly on the arts of Africa & its Diaspora.  www.international.ucla.edu/africa/africanarts/index.asp

Afiavi Music  A fascinating French site lLists African, Antillean, and Caribbean music CDs. afiavi.free.fr/

Organization of Women Writers of Africa (OWWA)  Links professional women writers from Africa and its Diaspora.  www.owwa.org

Contemporary African Diaspora Film Festival, Fifth Annual, Nov.28/Dec.14, 1997, New York www.nyadff.org/ADFFabout.html

African Wedding Site  How to plan your African wedding  www.africanweddingguide.com/

Encyclopaedia Africana  Multimedia encyclopaedia project on black history /culture in Africa, Americas, Europe, the Caribbean  www.endarkenment.com/eap/

Amistad Links Includes "Exploring Amistad"-a web site, links to the film site www.amistad.org

Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture Well-known branch of the New York Public Library devoted to the history, society, and culture of people of African descent.   www.nypl.org/research/sc/sc.html