Africandiaspora

Africandiaspora refers to people of African descent living outside the African continent. It includes communities formed through historical forced migrations as well as more recent voluntary movements, and it encompasses a wide range of experiences shaped by local histories, languages, and institutions.

Its historical roots lie in the transatlantic slave trade, which forcibly transported millions of Africans to the Americas and Caribbean, followed by later migrations from Africa, the Caribbean, and other regions to Europe and elsewhere.

Geographically, major diaspora regions include the United States, Brazil, the Caribbean, the United Kingdom, France, and other European countries, along with Afro-descendant populations in Canada, the Netherlands, and Portugal. Diaspora communities are diverse, with varying languages, religions, and traditions.

Culturally, Africandiaspora communities have contributed to music, literature, art, and politics, while preserving African diasporic religious practices, culinary traditions, and social rhythms. The diaspora is characterized by both continuity with African heritage and adaptation to host-society contexts.

In contemporary scholarship, the concept emphasizes transnational connections, remittances, and cross-continental exchange, as well as ongoing debates about identity, belonging, and representation in postcolonial societies. The term underscores a shared historical memory and a wide range of current experiences.