Afro-Antiguans and Barbudans

Last updated
Afro–Antiguans and Barbudans Flag of Antigua and Barbuda.svg
Flag of Antigua and Barbuda.svg
Total population
Approx. 82,041
Regions with significant populations
Flag of Antigua and Barbuda.svg  Antigua and Barbuda (Approx. 82,041) [1]
Languages
English, Leeward Caribbean Creole English
Religion
Christianity, Rastafari movement

Afro-Antiguans and Afro-Barbudans are Antiguans and Barbudans of entirely or predominantly African (notably West African) ancestry.

Contents

According to the 2013 Census, 91% of Antigua and Barbuda's population is Black and 4.4% is Mulatto. [1]

Antiguan carnival revelers Anucarnival1.JPG
Antiguan carnival revelers
Slaves cutting sugar cane in Antigua Slaves cutting the sugar cane - Ten Views in the Island of Antigua (1823), plate IV - BL.jpg
Slaves cutting sugar cane in Antigua

Origins

Most of the enslaved Africans brought to Antigua and Barbuda disembarked from the Bight of Biafra (22,000 Africans) and the Gold Coast (16,000 Africans). Other African slaves came from the Windward Coast (11,000 Africans), the West Central Africa (9,000 Africans), the Bight of Benin (6,000 Africans), Senegambia (5,000 Africans), Guinea and Sierra Leone (4,000 Africans). [2]

History

Settlers raised tobacco, indigo, ginger, and sugarcane as cash crops. Sir Christopher Codrington established the first large sugar estate in Antigua in 1674, and leased Barbuda to raise provisions for his plantations. In the fifty years after Codrington established his initial plantation, the sugar industry became so profitable that many farmers replaced other crops with sugar, making it the economic backbone of the islands. Codrington and others brought slaves from Africa's western coast to work the plantations. Africans started arriving in Antigua and Barbuda in large numbers during the 1670s; they soon became the largest racial group of Antigua and Barbuda.[ citation needed ]

With all others in the British Empire, Antiguan and Barbudan slaves were emancipated in 1834, but remained economically dependent upon the plantation owners. Economic opportunities for the new freedmen were limited by a lack of surplus farming land, no access to credit, and an economy built on agriculture rather than manufacturing. Poor labour conditions persisted until 1939, when a member of a royal commission urged the formation of a trade union movement.[ citation needed ]

In the 20th-century was redefined the role of Afro–Antiguans and Barbudans. The colonial social structure gradually started to be phased out with the introduction of universal education and better economic opportunities. [3]

Statistics by Parish

Afro-Antiguans and Barbudans by Parish [4]
Parish NameCountsPercentage
Saint John's City18,36684.86%
Saint John Rural24,86184.31%
Saint Mary6,75492.13%
Saint George7,12289.29%
Saint Peter4,93792.85%
Saint Philip3,02891.15%
Saint Paul7,40591.24%
Barbuda1,54695.11%
Place of Birth of Afro-Antiguans and Barbudans [4]
Parish NameAfricaOther Latin or North American countriesOther Caribbean countriesCanadaOther Asian countriesOther European countriesDominicaDominican RepublicGuyanaJamaicaMonsterratAntigua and BarbudaSt. Kitts and NevisSt. LuciaSt. Vincent and the GrenadinesSyriaTrinidad and TobagoUnited KingdomUSAUSVI United States Virgin IslandsNot Stated
Saint John's City93611920331,0711391,7911,31122112,553861521430674230669170
Saint John Rural1132022374491,340621,6141,61324417,5271202002860119131767128265
Saint Mary341817252038283314345,470262019017361845239
Saint George14369231223915273279615,4633711356031562444298
Saint Peter26246001397324154223,870237410101514727114
Saint Philip4214912814999262,44479180691231681
Saint Paul11653122114912347391285,915303346018332195349
Barbuda013300220391941,4096170061532

References and footnotes

  1. 1 2 "CIA - The World Factbook -- Antigua and Barbuda". CIA. Retrieved 2013-06-09.
  2. African origins of the slaves from British and former British Antilles
  3. "Background Note: Antigua and Barbuda" . Retrieved 2007-08-23.
  4. 1 2 "Antigua and Barbuda::Statistics Division/Redatam Webserver | Statistical Process and Dissemination Tool". redatam.org. Retrieved 2021-12-05.

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