The Origin and Early African American Migration History

Esther Aluko
Mar 1
4 min read

Updated: Apr 7

In late August 1619, a group of 20 enslaved Africans arrived in Jamestown, Virginia. This moment marked the beginning of a centuries-long struggle for freedom, justice, and identity in America.

But the story of African migration to the United States began long before that fateful day and has continued in waves ever since.

A group of nine people in early 20th-century attire pose for a black-and-white photo. They wear hats and coats, with a serious demeanor. — Credit: Chicago History Museum via Getty Images

The Transatlantic Slave Trade and the First Africans in America

Africans were present in North America long before 1619, assisting Spanish and Portuguese explorers in the early 1500s, however, the largest and most defining early migration of Africans to America came through the transatlantic slave trade. An estimated 12 million Africans were forcibly taken from their homelands, with about 450,000 brought directly to what would become the United States, according to the National Park Service and PBS.

Initially, some Africans were treated as indentured servants, but by the mid-1600s, racial slavery had become institutionalized.

According to Britannica, enslaved Africans were primarily taken from regions such as the Bight of Benin, Senegambia, and the Gold Coast and were concentrated in southern colonies like Georgia, South Carolina, Maryland, and Virginia.

The Role of Enslaved Africans in Colonial America

Between 1700 and 1807, enslaved Africans played a crucial role in shaping American society and the economy. They worked as plantation laborers, craftsmen, teamsters, porters, and domestics, according to a report by the American Immigration Law Foundation. Despite some political leaders questioning the morality of slavery, the institution remained deep-rooted.

The 1857 Dred Scott decision reinforced racial discrimination, ruling that African Americans were not U.S. citizens and had no constitutional rights. Still, resistance to slavery was constant, with enslaved Africans escaping to free states, Canada, or Spanish Florida, forming maroon communities or leading revolts.

The Impact of Abolishing the Slave Trade and Early Internal Migrations

Children march carrying American flag in front of Montgomery Ward & Supply Co. A man watches from a window. Mood appears determined. — Image: Stephen F. Somerstein/Getty

The U.S. legally abolished the transatlantic slave trade in 1808, but illegal trafficking continued into the mid-19th century. The Emancipation Proclamation in 1863 and the ratification of the 13th Amendment in 1865 officially ended slavery.

The 14th Amendment in 1868 overturned the Dred Scott ruling, granting citizenship to African Americans.

After slavery ended, internal migration became a defining aspect of African American history. In the late 19th and early 20th centuries, Black Americans sought better opportunities and safety by moving north and west, a shift known as the Great Migration.

According to the National Archives, organizations such as the NAACP, founded in 1909, and the National Urban League, founded in 1911, played key roles in advancing civil rights and economic opportunities for Black Americans.

The Role of Free Black Communities

Even before the Great Migration, free Black communities played an essential role in shaping African American history. These communities, which formed in various regions, became hubs of Black resilience and resistance:

Seneca Village (New York City):

Founded in the 1820s, this thriving Black community was later demolished to build Central Park (New York Historical Society).

New Orleans' Free Black Society:

One of the most influential free Black communities in the 18th and 19th centuries, where free African Americans engaged in trade, education, and activism (Tulane University).

Boston and Philadelphia:

Cities that became centers of abolitionist movements and Black-owned businesses in the 1800s (Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture).

These communities laid the foundation for economic and social advancement long before widespread migration began.

Early Voluntary African Immigration to the U.S.

People in suits and hats board a chartered bus with luggage. The mood is orderly and formal, set in a black and white urban environment.

While forced migration shaped African American history for centuries, voluntary African immigration to the U.S. played its own part as well. Although it remained limited until the late 19th and 20th centuries. According to the American Immigration Law Foundation, one of the earliest examples was the migration of Cape Verdeans to Massachusetts in the late 1800s.

For much of the 20th century, restrictive immigration laws slowed African migration. The Naturalization Act of 1790 limited citizenship to “free white persons,” and the Immigration Act of 1924 imposed strict national origin quotas. It wasn’t until the Hart-Cellar Immigration Act of 1965 that African migration to the U.S. increased significantly.

The new law prioritized skilled labor and family reunification, leading to a surge in African migration. Many later arrived through the Diversity Visa Lottery, introduced in 1990, which became one of the primary pathways for African immigration.

Conclusion: African American History

The origins and early migrations of African Americans were primarily shaped by forced migration through the transatlantic slave trade and internal movements within the U.S.

The abolition of slavery set the stage for voluntary migrations, though legal and social barriers persisted.

Despite these challenges, African Americans and African immigrants have continually shaped and transformed the U.S. sociopolitical and cultural landscape, laying the foundation for future generations.