Following historical and theoretical overview of African immigration, the heart of this book is based on oral history interviews with forty-seven of the more than twenty-two thousand Africa-born immigrants in Kentucky. From a former ambassador from Gambia, a pharmacist from South Africa, a restaurant owner from Guinea, to a certified nursing assistant from the Democratic Republic of Congo—every immigrant has a unique and complex story of their life experiences and the decisions that led them to emigrate to the United States. The compelling narratives reveal why and how the immigrants came to the Bluegrass state—whether it was coming voluntarily as a student or forced because of war—and how they connect with and contribute to their home countries as well as to the US. The immigrants describe their challenges—language, loneliness, cultural differences, credentials for employment, ignorance towards Africa, and racism—and positive experiences such as education, job opportunities, and helpful people. One chapter focuses on family—including interviews with the second generations—and how the immigrants identify themselves.
Table of Content
Nations Represented by African Immigrants in This Book
Series Foreword
Preface
Introduction: A Historical and Theoretical Overview
1. Origins: Where We Are From
2. Opportunity: Why and How We Came
3. Struggles and Successes
4. Connecting and Contributing to Two Continents
5. Family and Identity in the United States
6. Transnationality in the Present and Future
Acknowledgements
Appendix: Suggested Oral History Interview Segments for Listening
Notes
Bibliography
Index
About the author
Jack Wilson spent more than thirty-five years in public service, beginning as a Peace Corps administrator in Sierra Leone, Washington, DC, and Fiji, and continuing as an administrator of environmental protection programs in Ohio and Kentucky.More ebooks from the same author(s) / Editor
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