African Americans - Thesis Example

Africans have had a significant history in the United States, starting from the 1800s. Africans even form a fundamental part of the history of the United States as a nation. Up to the present, Africans’ role in the economy of the United States cannot be underestimated. The research topic is therefore going to base on Africans in the United States. In this context, the term African describes a topographical or countrywide origin and should not be mistaken for racist connection.

The first event that happened between 1877 and 1945 was the slave trade, whose origin dated back to the seventeenth century. The slave trade was a legal practice in America from the early days of colonialism. By 1877, therefore, a considerable number of Africans had settled in the United States as a result of the slave trade. The blacks who established themselves in the United States by the end of the slave trade intermarried and gave rise to the African Americas. The second significant event within this given timeframe was the world war. In both world wars that ended in 1945, Africans played a central role in the battle for supremacy between nations. African soldiers were trained and deported on battlefields to defend the United States. The world wars were a significant turn of events as many Africans in America died, and those who survived remained with permanent physical and emotional scars.

Between 1945 and to present, events that took place in African history in the United States included the great second migration. Although it started in 1941, it was significant all through 1945 to 1970. Africans moved into states like California, where job opportunities were being offered in the defense industry. This movement was in search of employment opportunities and better living conditions. The second event that took place in the United States was the Urban Settlement, where most Africans settled in major cities and towns in the United States.