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((short description|Americans of Gambian birth or descent))
((Infobox ethnic group
| group = Gambian Americans 
| total = ((plainlist|
* 3,035 (2000 US census)<ref name=ancestry2000>((cite web |url=https://www.census.gov/population/socdemo/ancestry/ancestry_q_by_DAC_2000.xls |title     = Table 1. First, Second, and Total Responses to the Ancestry Question by Detailed Ancestry Code: 2000 |access-date=2013-05-29 |publisher = U.S. Census Bureau))</ref>
* 11,000  (Gambian-born, 2008-2012; American Community Survey Briefs)<ref name="USCB">((cite web|title= The Foreign-Born Population From Africa: 2008–2012|url=https://www.census.gov/content/dam/Census/library/publications/2014/acs/acsbr12-16.pdf|publisher=United States Census Bureau|access-date=20 April 2016))</ref>
))
| popplace = [[New York (state)|New York]], [[Maryland]], [[North Carolina]], [[Washington (state)|Washington]], [[Georgia (U.S. state)|Georgia]], [[Minnesota]], [[Texas]], [[Kentucky]]<ref>((Cite web|url=https://www.migrationpolicy.org/article/gambia-migration-africas-smiling-coast|title = The Gambia: Migration in Africa's "Smiling Coast"|date = 15 August 2013))</ref>
| langs    = [[American English]], [[French language|French]], [[Mandinka language|Mandinka]], [[Wolof language|Wolof]], [[Fula language|Fula]], [[Serer language|Serer]]
| rels     = [[Islam]], [[Christianity]]<ref name="encychigam" />
| related  = [[African Americans]], American groups of [[West Africa]] ([[Senegalese Americans|Senegalese]], [[Bissau-Guinean Americans|Bissau-Guinean]] etc.), [[English people|English]]
))
((Americans))
'''Gambian Americans''' are an ethnic group of [[Americans]] of [[Demographics of the Gambia|Gambian]] descent. There are about 8000 Gambians<ref>((Cite web|title=Policy & History|url=http://gm.usembassy.gov/our-relationship/policy-history/|access-date=2021-04-17|website=U.S. Embassy in The Gambia|language=en-US))</ref> living in the United States, involving themselves in activities ranging from business and entrepreneurship to college education. Additionally, during the [[Atlantic slave trade]], many Africans from what is now The Gambia were traded and were subsequently sold by Europeans and Americans into forced labor in the United States. Gambian  immigrants arriving in the United States include members of ethnic groups such as the  [[Mandinka people|Mandinka]], [[Wolof people|Wolof]], [[Fula people|Fula]], [[Jola people|Jola]], and [[Soninke people|Serahule]].

Many Gambians have emigrated to the United States since the 1970s with the goal of entering into higher education. While some of these students returned home after completing their studies, others adopted the United States as a permanent residence, attracting friends and family to the country. Locations with significant Gambian communities include [[Chicago]], <ref name="encychigam" />  [[Atlanta]], the [[Seattle metropolitan area]], [[Minnesota]], the [[Bronx|Bronx, New York]], [[Texas]], and [[Washington, D.C.]]<ref name="dcgaa">[http://www.dcgaa.com/ The Gambian American Association (GAA)]</ref> Most Gambians living in the United States practice [[Islam]] or [[Christianity]].<ref name="encychigam" />

== History ==
((more citations needed|section|date=May 2021))
=== Atlantic slave trade ===
The first people from what is now The Gambia arrived to the United States as slaves during the Atlantic slave trade.<ref name="slave1">((cite web | author = Austin Meredith| title = The Middle Passage Traffic in Man-Body| year = 2006| url = http://www.kouroo.info/InternationalSlaveTrade/Trade1759_74.pdf| access-date = 2007-02-20| url-status = dead| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20070613195742/http://www.kouroo.info/InternationalSlaveTrade/Trade1759_74.pdf| archive-date = 2007-06-13))</ref> In 1588, the claimant to the [[List of Portuguese monarchs|Portuguese throne]], [[António, Prior of Crato]], sold exclusive trade rights on the [[Gambia River]] to English merchants (including the slave trade). [[Letters patent]] from [[Queen Elizabeth I]] confirmed the grant. So, The Gambia, since the sixteenth to nineteenth century, was an important slave port in the [[Senegambia]] area (along with others as [[Saint Louis, Senegal|Saint Louis]], the [[Goree Island]], [[Bissau]] or [[Cacheu]]), both for the United States and [[Latin America]] (Spanish bought many slaves to the English, French and Portuguese merchants). Therefore, an important part of the slaves were, among others, of this part of Africa.<ref name="costaricahoy">[http://costaricahoy.info/reportajes/de-senegal-. De Senegal a Talcahuano: los esclavos de un alzamiento en la costa pacífica (1804)]((Dead link|date=December 2019 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes )). - (in Spanish: From Senegal to Talcahuano: an uprising of slaves on the Pacific coast (1804)).</ref>

Slaves from present-day The Gambia imported to present-day United States belonged to ethnicities such as the [[Mandinka people|Mandinka]] and [[Bambara people|Bambara]] people. So many slaves of the present-day Gambia were [[Muslims]]. Slaves from Senegambia staged some prominent revolts in the current United States. Thus, in 1765, while the brigantine ((ship||Hope|1764 ship|2)) was bringing slaves from the coast of Senegal and The Gambia to [[Connecticut]], the slaves provoked a revolt aboard of the brigantine, leveraging the murder of the captain (who had beaten several of his crewmen) for some crewmens. In the revolt, the slaves killed one crew member and wounded several others. On this day their revolt was suppressed by killing seven of them.<ref name="slave1"/>

Most of slaves from The Gambia were imported to [[South Carolina]], [[Virginia]], [[Maryland]] (where, according to some historians, most of all slaves,((citation needed|date=July 2013)) although according to others, the most of them were [[Igbo people|Igbo]] of [[Nigeria]]<ref name="history">((cite book |page=23 |title=Murder at Montpelier: Igbo Africans in Virginia |isbn=1-57806-706-5 |last=Chambers |first=Douglas B. |publisher=University Press of Mississippi |date=March 1, 2005))</ref>) and [[Georgia (U.S.)|Georgia]].((citation needed|date=July 2013)) Senegambian and [[Guinea]]n slaves were imported to those states probably because those slaves could favor the rice plantations of those places already that they were familiar with rice plantations which was commonly grown in [[Senegambia]] and Guinea.<ref name="DNA AfriTests">[http://www.infoplease.com/spot/slavery2.html Uncovering African Roots. DNA Tests, New Technology Reveal African Heritage]. Retrieved September 8, 2012, to 16:45 om.</ref> In the rest of the states having Gambian slaves (such as [[New York (state)|New York]] or [[Pennsylvania]]), they were very scarce (only hundreds of individuals from Senegambia were imported there).((citation needed|date=July 2013)) While it is known that all slaves exported to [[New Jersey]] (only 176 slaves) and all Senegambian slaves which were exported to [[Rhode Island]], [[New Hampshire]], and Pennsylvania were from The Gambia. So well, like most of the slaves of Senegambia arrived in [[Massachusetts]], Virginia, Maryland, Georgia and South Carolina.((citation needed|date=July 2013)) So, famous is the case of the slave, supposedly native from the present Gambia, [[Kunta Kinte]] (who arrived to the modern United States in the [[Lord Ligonier (slave ship)|Lord Ligonier]] ship), thank to a story written by [[Alex Haley]] and based, partially, on a true story."<ref>[[Alex Haley]], "Black history, oral history, and genealogy", pp. 9-19, at p. 18.</ref>

=== Modern times ===
The Gambians have emigrated to the United States of voluntary form, as a minimum, since the 1970s. Many of them migrated to [[Chicago]].<ref name="encychigam" /> Many Gambians have emigrated to the United States with the goal of entering higher education to which they have no access to in their native country. Many of these students returned home after completing their studies, excelling in politics and  business.

Many Gambians who have set the United States as a permanent residence, have attracted friends and other family members to the United States. Gambians of United States exert jobs such as accounting, education, medicine and [[hotel management]].<ref name="encychigam">[http://www.encyclopedia.chicagohistory.org/pages/2501.html Encyclopedia of Chicago: Gambians]. Posted by Tracy Steffes.</ref>

== Tradition ==

=== Food ===
Gambian Americans tend to carry traditions from The Gambia to their homes in the US. Some of the most notable include [[traditional food]], [[Clothing|traditional attire]] and other traditional practices. The most common dishes served in Gambian homes is [[Jollof rice|Benachin (Jollof Rice)]], [[Peanut stew|Domoda]], Chew, Supa Kanja, [[Palaver sauce|Plasas]], Yassa, Afra etc. Most of these dishes share common ingredients such as rice, fish, tomatoes, cooking oil, onions, peppers and different herbs.<ref>((Cite web|last=Banda|first=Rajaa|title=14 Mouthwatering West African Dishes You Need to Try|url=https://theculturetrip.com/africa/ghana/articles/14-mouthwatering-west-african-dishes-you-need-to-try/|access-date=2021-05-08|website=Culture Trip|date=19 November 2017 ))</ref>

=== Traditional Attire ===
Despite living in the US, Gambians maintain and shows its heritage and traditions in different ways, that includes traditional attire. Gambians in the US are usually recognized by their vibrant traditional outfits made out of vibrant 100% cotton textiles. Gambians are mostly Muslims and due to its Islamic influence, traditional wears are mostly covering from head to toes including long sleeves for women and neck to toes for men.<ref>((Cite web|last1=Sep 15|last2=Textiles|first2=2020 ((!)) Global|last3=Articles|first3=Textile|date=2020-09-15|title=GAMBIA|url=https://textilevaluechain.in/in-depth-analysis/articles/textile-articles/gambia/|access-date=2021-05-08|website=TEXTILE VALUE CHAIN|language=en-US))</ref>

Some of the most notable Gambian attires for both men and women include [[Kaftan|Grand mbubu, Kaftan.]]  

== Organizations ==
Some of the Gambian organizations more highlights in United States are: The Gambian American Association, United Gambians Association  and Gambia Association of Chicago.

The Gambian American Association (GAA) was established in [[Washington DC Metropolitan Area]]. The association has held events such as anniversary of Gambia's independence.<ref name="dcgaa"/>

It is also remarkable the United Gambians Association (UGA). This organization, not-for-profit, non-political and non-religious, work with Gambian immigrants, their children, families, schools and communities in the U.S. UGA is engaged in activities such as strengthening of ties in the Gambian community in exile, helping Gambian immigrants and facilitate their integration into American society and the voluntary contribution, both in The Gambia and the U.S., areas such as [[HIV AIDS]], natural disasters, immigration and [[malaria]]. The association also offers free tutoring services to Gambian immigrants and their families in logistics support, funding and emotional support in an emergency situation, like the death of a family member or immigration issues.<ref name="unitedgambians">[http://www.unitedgambians.org/ United Gambians Association (UGA)].</ref>

The Gambia Association of Chicago was founded in 1998 to promote mutual aid and strengthen the bonds of the Gambian community in that city. The organization develops monthly meetings and raises funds to support the Gambians in Chicago and his return to his homeland. In addition, this organization also organizes  Midwest Gambian Associations Conference the Labor Day weekend, uniting Gambian communities from several states in the country (Gambian communities in [[Michigan]], [[Minnesota]], [[Wisconsin]], [[Ohio]], [[Washington (state)|Washington state]] and [[Kansas]]) to coordinate fundraising activities and cultural, build a regional network and discuss topics of interest. Thus the Midwest Gambian Associations Conference  invites prominent members of the community to talk about of the social, political and economic most important issues of Gambia. These activities are combined with lunches, dances, and a soccer tournament. In addition, the community also helps members financially when they are born, die or become ill.

Furthermore, in the 1970s, Gambian students played an important role in the formation of the African Student Union of the [[University of Illinois at Chicago]], city where they establish ties with other African groups, such as the Senegalese. Furthermore, Gambians lead the Move, an African organization Chicago nonprofit founded in 1983 to try to solve the educational and political problems of Africans. Thus, we have organized forums, holidays (such as Liberation Day in Africa), and literature from current problems.<ref name="encychigam"/>

==Notable people==
((multiple image|perrow=2|caption_align=center
| image1 = DC United vs Houston Dynamo Charlie Davies.jpg|width1=81| caption1 =[[Charlie Davies]]
| image3 = Sanna Nyassi Colorado Rapids 2011 vs Chicago Fire.jpg|width3=81| caption3 = [[Sanna Nyassi]]
))
* [[Omar Bah]]
*[[Ousman Krubally]] (born 1988), American-Gambian basketball player in the [[Israeli Basketball Premier League]]
* [[Al Njie]]
*[[Charlie Davies]]
*[[Kelefa Sanneh]]
*[[Fatou Camara (journalist)|Fatou Camara]]
*[[File:Fatou Bensouda.jpg|thumb|Fatou Bensouda official portrait, 2008]][[Fatou Bensouda]]
*[[File:Lamin Sanneh.jpg|thumb|Lamin Sanneh in 2014]][[Lamin Sanneh]]

== See also ==
((Portal|The Gambia|United States))
*[[The Gambia–United States relations]]

== References ==
((Reflist))

((African immigration to the United States))
((Demographics of the United States))

[[Category:American people of Gambian descent| ]]
[[Category:West African diaspora in the United States]]
[[Category:Gambian diaspora in the United States| ]]
[[Category:Gambian-American history| ]]

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