StudentShare
Contact Us
Sign In / Sign Up for FREE
Search
Go to advanced search...

Literature of the African Diaspora - Essay Example

Cite this document
Summary
Name: University: Course: Tutor: Date: Response Paper on Literature drawn from African Diaspora The black identity seen to spread across the entire black diaspora as result of the various activities of the nineteenth century Atlantic Slave trade have been keenly featured in most historical debates…
Download full paper File format: .doc, available for editing
GRAB THE BEST PAPER94.4% of users find it useful
Literature of the African Diaspora
Read Text Preview

Extract of sample "Literature of the African Diaspora"

Download file to see previous pages

Of great interest when studying Callaloo is the establishment of exactly how the persons of African heritage are able to claim their multiple identities and especially so in light of despite persons of a diaspora essentially inhabiting a number of different these persons are nevertheless unable to call these different places home. Black persons of the African diaspora tend to adapt or create a number of new identities as they continuously move from place to place. In his book, Reversing sail, Gomez points out that the relatively small trickle of African slaves that had been captured as slaves during the fifteenth century eventually evolved into becoming a veritable flood by the end of the seventeenth century.

Within a time period of ten years after Columbus’ maiden voyage in 1492, numerous enslaved Africans were enslaved in the New World along with a number of other slaves drawn from Portugal and the Canaries and sources as experienced sugarcane planters. Of particular note is the fact that by 1560, the total number of African slaves was seen to greatly outnumber Europeans in Hispaniola and Cuba, this impressive growth in number eventually saw the number of African outnumber that of Europeans in Vera Cruz and Mexico City by 1570 (62-63).

Numerous countries across Europe were seen to join in the slave trade in a move that saw an approximated 6.5 million Africans get shipped out of the African continent between 1700 and 1810. During this period, more European nations were seen to get involved in the slave trade. Some of these nations included Denmark, Britain, France, Portugal, Holland, Sweden and Spain. A number of other non-European countries such as Brazil and the United States also joined the slave trade (Gomez 64). By participating in the slave trade these countries were seen to essentially promote the spread of the Black African diaspora as a review of the regions from which they were drawn from can be seen to essentially reveal a considerable degree of complexity not only in respect to culture and language, but also as pertaining to the different forms of government, technology, regional and trans-regional commerce and agriculture.

The Africans transported into the various different regions across the world were to eventually face systems that were essentially quite diverse resulting in increased diversity and multiplicity on the part of these Africans. The Development of the African Class of Mixed Heritage (Mulatto) and their Attempts at Acceptance by Whites Although the questions pertaining to race were seen to be a complex matter in most of the regions that the Africans had been enslaved, it was generally found to be quite complex in some regions such as in Saint Domingue where there arose a class of free blacks or affranchis.

This class of free blacks was seen to primarily comprise of persons of mixed ancestry who were mostly women and numbered an estimated 27,000 in 1789. This new class of citizenry owned about 25 percent of the African slave population and accounted for 11 percent of Saint Domingue’s urban population. About two thirds of these citizens were the product of white slave holders and enslaved females and children born out of such unions were born as free men. The affranchis population quickly expanded and by the middle of the eighteenth century, they were able to be widely

...Download file to see next pages Read More
Cite this document
  • APA
  • MLA
  • CHICAGO
(“Literature of the African Diaspora Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words”, n.d.)
Retrieved from https://studentshare.org/english/1486982-literature-of-the-african-diaspora
(Literature of the African Diaspora Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 Words)
https://studentshare.org/english/1486982-literature-of-the-african-diaspora.
“Literature of the African Diaspora Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 Words”, n.d. https://studentshare.org/english/1486982-literature-of-the-african-diaspora.
  • Cited: 0 times

CHECK THESE SAMPLES OF Literature of the African Diaspora

The Influence of Apartheid on the Political and Social Framework of South Africa

The paper "The Influence of Apartheid on the Political and Social Framework of South Africa" suggests even after the elimination of Apartheid, despite the changes toward a democratic society, black South Africans have not won social and economic justice; the poor are still black and the rich predominantly white....
9 Pages (2250 words) Literature review

The Images of Refugees Framed in the Media

This research paper will focus on the topic of refugee, more specifically, explore the relationship between mass media images and refugees.... How the image of… Refugees are always being a central problem in international political domain and there are many images set up in the mass media images about refugees in newspaper, TV, propaganda....
5 Pages (1250 words) Literature review

The Idea of Culture and Religion for Africans

Blyden felt that african Americans could return at some point in time to Africa and redeem Zionism.... It is fascinating to know that the creator of african cultural nationalism was of african descent but not an african.... Blyden is one of the strongest and chief believers in african nationalism, who personally believe that it is vital for entire continents to undertake any initiation which can help them to work together to avoid getting alienated by the European powers....
6 Pages (1500 words) Literature review

Does Remittance Help in Reducing Poverty

Remittances usually are conducted in the form of currency, but can also include non-monetary transfers such as tools, clothing, equipment or… 2012).... The motivation for serving as a benefactor of transferred funds or assets differs depending on the individual, and can include improving the lifestyle of family members receiving the remittances, improving a community's well-being and infrastructure, However, it is generally recognised that altruism is the most potent motivator for remittance-sending, fulfilling a sense of responsibility and motivated out of legitimate affection for family members (Maimbo and Ratha 2005)....
11 Pages (2750 words) Literature review

Language and Identity in Africa

These Africans in the diaspora have lost touch with their cultural background and adopted the cultures of these foreign countries.... n african traditional society, children were taught the values and ways of life of their communities by their elders.... 62) points out that african Americans have found it tough to find a universal language through which to express themselves and still maintain their cultural identities.... These young people, he says, have progressively lost touch with their african roots and adopted the American way of life....
10 Pages (2500 words) Literature review

Realizing the Potential of FDI in the Development of Africa: a Strategic Framework

african countries have had exposure to FDI for quite some time, and this is evident in many ways.... From the literature review, we can conclude that Foreign Direct Investment is a growing investment tool that plays a role in the globalization of the world economy....
9 Pages (2250 words) Literature review

Educational System in South Africa

fter the end of apartheid regime, the african National Congress (ANC) initiated a number of changes in the educational sector.... After the end of apartheid regime, the african National Congress (ANC) initiated a number of changes in the educational sector.... This paper ''Educational System in South Africa'' tells that the South african system shares a lot with other countries' education systems.... South african schools are classified either as public schools or independent schools....
7 Pages (1750 words) Literature review

The Politics of Race and Diaspora

This literature review "The Politics of Race and diaspora" discusses diaspora that refers to segments of people with a common origin, who have moved from their homeland to another place (Turne & Kleist, 2013).... Also called emigrants, diaspora is seen from the biblical ages....
6 Pages (1500 words) Literature review
sponsored ads
We use cookies to create the best experience for you. Keep on browsing if you are OK with that, or find out how to manage cookies.
Contact Us