First Wave of African Immigrants to the United States
Prior to 1990, African immigrants were quick to gain an economic and
social foothold in the United States. African immigrants were more
likely than other immigrant populations to have a college or graduate
degree, and a high proportion of African immigrants in the US--more
than one in three--were employed in managerial and professional
specialties. The overall poverty rate among African immigrants in the
U.S. was only half the rate for all immigrants. Prior to 1990, most
African immigrants were from Anglophone countries, such as Ghana and
Nigeria. French-speaking West Africans typically immigrated to France
due to language and economic ties established during the colonial
period.
Current Wave of African Immigrants
The most recent African immigrants to New York City are not as well
established as immigrants arriving before 1990, more closely
representing the typical immigrant to New York City. Seeking the
opportunities present in an open society, new arrivals nevertheless
face serious barriers to finding employment, housing, and access to
health care. More than 90 percent of African immigrants arriving since
1990 have not yet succeeded in establishing citizenship.
African Services is committed to improving the health and
self-sufficiency of African immigrants by increasing access to care for
this hard-to-reach population.
