Ugandan American
Encyclopedia
A Ugandan American is an American citizen descendant of Ugandan or a Ugandan who has American citizenship. The survey of 2007 log-in 5,089 Ugandan Americans in United States.
between 1881 and 1890.
In the sixties of XX century there was a gradual growth of Ugandans that immigrated to North America
largely for political reasons, and for many it was for further studies, predominantly graduate school. Immigration records from 1975 cite Ugandans separately from other Africans and show the arrival of 859 immigrants, most fleeing Idi Amin's terror. Of note is the fact that Afro Asian, a group encompassing all brown-skinned people, usually Indians, Pakistani, and Konkani
of Goa
, are counted in a separate category from Ugandans, although many of them came from Uganda
. In 1976, 359 Ugandans arrived, and 241 came in 1977. Immigration fell to less than 150 each year in the late 1980s and early 1990s, a time of political stability in Uganda. In the 80s, a steady and gradual growth of Ugandans in North America
, particularly the US grew, some migrating on the much coveted DV -lottery visa, provided through the US federal government, for people around the world that would otherwise have no chance to migrate to the US to apply for a residency through a lottery system. The diversity lottery is conducted under the terms of Section 203(c) of the Immigration and Nationality Act of 1965 and makes available 50,000 permanent resident visas annually to persons from countries with low rates of immigration to the United States
.
Although the reasons as to why people migrate have evolved, more recently to the political economy, the benefit thereof to today's Uganda, is indisputable.
The number of Ugandan refugees granted permanent residence status in the United States between 1946 and 1996 was generally less than 50 per year, with the exceptions of 1993, when 87 were admitted, and 1994, when 79 were admitted. Only ten Ugandan refugees were admitted in 1996. In 1998, 215 Ugandans were winners of the DV-99 diversity lottery.
, the United Kingdom
and Canada
. The reason for migration is based on the low economic remuneration for workers in Uganda and the low political stability of the country compared with the west. Also many Ugandans immigrate for better educational opportunities.
Most people migrating come from cities, so that rural emigration is low. Ugandans who want to work in rural areas or in public practice do not usually migrate. Many nurses migrate to the United States
and Canada
, and formerly migrated to the UK, due to high rates of pay. Due to emigration for financial benefit there are few nurses in Uganda and 70% of them want to emigrate. The U.S. is perceived to have better pay and less competition to enter the country. Most students who migrate learned about opportunities for the emigration of their friends and colleagues who had already emigrated, because information on migration in Uganda
isn't very accessible.
Immigrants with professional employment are geographically scattered, though significant communities have developed in metropolitan areas such as (the largest Ugandan communities in alphabetical order): Atlanta, the Baltimore
-Washington DC area, the Boston
area, specifically Waltham, MA, Chicago
, Dallas and Fort Worth, Texas
, Detroit, Houston, Minneapolis-St. Paul, Sacramento
and San Francisco Bay Area
, San Diego, and St. Petersburg
in Tampa Bay
. Some newly arrived Ugandans receive assistance from Catholic Social Services
and other humanitarian relief agencies. Because English is Uganda's official language, many Ugandan Americans do not face significant language barriers. Refugees who lived in rural areas, however, find American culture is very different from what they left behind. American life poses challenges for those who have not seen escalators, refrigerators, traffic lights, and scan-your-own grocery checkouts. Recent statistics indicate that these Ugandans have become the country's biggest contributors to the economy, their contribution, amounting to US$1bn in annual remittances. North America
has become home to many, and although numerous Ugandans come home upon accomplishing the goals that brought them to the US or Canada
, for many its home. This has prompted them to forge solidities, associations and clubs to foster unity, brotherhood and goals to bridge and maintain connectivity to their motherland. The solidarities are based on cultural/ethnic backgrounds, with UNAA, as the umbrella association that houses all Ugandans regardless their background, creed, tribe and/or social status. The month of August will see some three major events bring together Ugandans in North America
in rather spectacular flair. These festivities include the Ttabamiruka, the International Community of Banyakigezi and the Uganda North American Association convention.
The West has traditionally viewed Ugandans as passive people. Their willing servitude and non-aggressive behavior results from centuries of tribal structure that discouraged individual self-promotion. The culture of the Baganda was authoritarian, and obedience to the king was crucial.
Ugandan Americans tend to establish single-family homes where children learn reverence for God and their family. The choice of a marriage partners is up to the individual. Ugandan immigrants take part in community and school events in much the same way as other Americans. The children of Ugandan Americans assimilate into American culture.
Most Ugandan Americans are Christians, as about two-thirds of Uganda's population is Christian. The remaining third practices indigenous religions or follows Islam
.
to influence U.S. policy toward Uganda
. A major piece of Africa-related legislation, the African Growth and Opportunity Act
, was before Congress in 1999. The bill was designed to encourage the import of goods from sub-Saharan Africa by allowing them to come into the United States duty-free and in unrestricted quantity. The House of Representatives
passed the bill in July 1999, but observers were uncertain that the Senate would pass it as well and send it to President Clinton
so that he could sign it into law. African American
legislators were split over the bill. Some believed it would help African workers, while others feared it would encourage multinational companies doing business in Africa
to exploit these same workers.
History
The first Ugandan Americans likely arrived as slaves, seized by or traded by Arabs between 1619 and 1865. According to the 1860 census, there were 4.4 million African Americans among a total U.S. population of 36 million people. Immigration records show that 857 Africans came to the United StatesUnited States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
between 1881 and 1890.
In the sixties of XX century there was a gradual growth of Ugandans that immigrated to North America
North America
North America is a continent wholly within the Northern Hemisphere and almost wholly within the Western Hemisphere. It is also considered a northern subcontinent of the Americas...
largely for political reasons, and for many it was for further studies, predominantly graduate school. Immigration records from 1975 cite Ugandans separately from other Africans and show the arrival of 859 immigrants, most fleeing Idi Amin's terror. Of note is the fact that Afro Asian, a group encompassing all brown-skinned people, usually Indians, Pakistani, and Konkani
Konkani people
Konkani people , form a group of people mainly found in the Konkan Coast of western India whose mother-tongue is the Konkani language....
of Goa
Goa
Goa , a former Portuguese colony, is India's smallest state by area and the fourth smallest by population. Located in South West India in the region known as the Konkan, it is bounded by the state of Maharashtra to the north, and by Karnataka to the east and south, while the Arabian Sea forms its...
, are counted in a separate category from Ugandans, although many of them came from Uganda
Uganda
Uganda , officially the Republic of Uganda, is a landlocked country in East Africa. Uganda is also known as the "Pearl of Africa". It is bordered on the east by Kenya, on the north by South Sudan, on the west by the Democratic Republic of the Congo, on the southwest by Rwanda, and on the south by...
. In 1976, 359 Ugandans arrived, and 241 came in 1977. Immigration fell to less than 150 each year in the late 1980s and early 1990s, a time of political stability in Uganda. In the 80s, a steady and gradual growth of Ugandans in North America
North America
North America is a continent wholly within the Northern Hemisphere and almost wholly within the Western Hemisphere. It is also considered a northern subcontinent of the Americas...
, particularly the US grew, some migrating on the much coveted DV -lottery visa, provided through the US federal government, for people around the world that would otherwise have no chance to migrate to the US to apply for a residency through a lottery system. The diversity lottery is conducted under the terms of Section 203(c) of the Immigration and Nationality Act of 1965 and makes available 50,000 permanent resident visas annually to persons from countries with low rates of immigration to the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
.
Although the reasons as to why people migrate have evolved, more recently to the political economy, the benefit thereof to today's Uganda, is indisputable.
The number of Ugandan refugees granted permanent residence status in the United States between 1946 and 1996 was generally less than 50 per year, with the exceptions of 1993, when 87 were admitted, and 1994, when 79 were admitted. Only ten Ugandan refugees were admitted in 1996. In 1998, 215 Ugandans were winners of the DV-99 diversity lottery.
Demography
Most Ugandans who emigrate go to the United StatesUnited States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
and Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
. The reason for migration is based on the low economic remuneration for workers in Uganda and the low political stability of the country compared with the west. Also many Ugandans immigrate for better educational opportunities.
Most people migrating come from cities, so that rural emigration is low. Ugandans who want to work in rural areas or in public practice do not usually migrate. Many nurses migrate to the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
and Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
, and formerly migrated to the UK, due to high rates of pay. Due to emigration for financial benefit there are few nurses in Uganda and 70% of them want to emigrate. The U.S. is perceived to have better pay and less competition to enter the country. Most students who migrate learned about opportunities for the emigration of their friends and colleagues who had already emigrated, because information on migration in Uganda
Uganda
Uganda , officially the Republic of Uganda, is a landlocked country in East Africa. Uganda is also known as the "Pearl of Africa". It is bordered on the east by Kenya, on the north by South Sudan, on the west by the Democratic Republic of the Congo, on the southwest by Rwanda, and on the south by...
isn't very accessible.
Immigrants with professional employment are geographically scattered, though significant communities have developed in metropolitan areas such as (the largest Ugandan communities in alphabetical order): Atlanta, the Baltimore
Baltimore
Baltimore is the largest independent city in the United States and the largest city and cultural center of the US state of Maryland. The city is located in central Maryland along the tidal portion of the Patapsco River, an arm of the Chesapeake Bay. Baltimore is sometimes referred to as Baltimore...
-Washington DC area, the Boston
Boston
Boston is the capital of and largest city in Massachusetts, and is one of the oldest cities in the United States. The largest city in New England, Boston is regarded as the unofficial "Capital of New England" for its economic and cultural impact on the entire New England region. The city proper had...
area, specifically Waltham, MA, Chicago
Chicago
Chicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...
, Dallas and Fort Worth, Texas
Fort Worth, Texas
Fort Worth is the 16th-largest city in the United States of America and the fifth-largest city in the state of Texas. Located in North Central Texas, just southeast of the Texas Panhandle, the city is a cultural gateway into the American West and covers nearly in Tarrant, Parker, Denton, and...
, Detroit, Houston, Minneapolis-St. Paul, Sacramento
Sacramento
Sacramento is the capital of the state of California, in the United States of America.Sacramento may also refer to:- United States :*Sacramento County, California*Sacramento, Kentucky*Sacramento – San Joaquin River Delta...
and San Francisco Bay Area
San Francisco Bay Area
The San Francisco Bay Area, commonly known as the Bay Area, is a populated region that surrounds the San Francisco and San Pablo estuaries in Northern California. The region encompasses metropolitan areas of San Francisco, Oakland, and San Jose, along with smaller urban and rural areas...
, San Diego, and St. Petersburg
St. Petersburg, Florida
St. Petersburg is a city in Pinellas County, Florida, United States. It is known as a vacation destination for both American and foreign tourists. As of 2008, the population estimate by the U.S. Census Bureau is 245,314, making St...
in Tampa Bay
Tampa Bay
Tampa Bay is a large natural harbor and estuary along the Gulf of Mexico on the west central coast of Florida, comprising Hillsborough Bay, Old Tampa Bay, Middle Tampa Bay, and Lower Tampa Bay."Tampa Bay" is not the name of any municipality...
. Some newly arrived Ugandans receive assistance from Catholic Social Services
Catholic Social Services
Catholic Social Services is a Roman Catholic social service organisation in Karachi, Pakistan.In 1962 the Archbishop of Karachi Joseph Cordeiro decided to form the Catholic Social Services , becoming its first Chairman and chose Cyril Mendes to be the Honorary Secretary...
and other humanitarian relief agencies. Because English is Uganda's official language, many Ugandan Americans do not face significant language barriers. Refugees who lived in rural areas, however, find American culture is very different from what they left behind. American life poses challenges for those who have not seen escalators, refrigerators, traffic lights, and scan-your-own grocery checkouts. Recent statistics indicate that these Ugandans have become the country's biggest contributors to the economy, their contribution, amounting to US$1bn in annual remittances. North America
North America
North America is a continent wholly within the Northern Hemisphere and almost wholly within the Western Hemisphere. It is also considered a northern subcontinent of the Americas...
has become home to many, and although numerous Ugandans come home upon accomplishing the goals that brought them to the US or Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
, for many its home. This has prompted them to forge solidities, associations and clubs to foster unity, brotherhood and goals to bridge and maintain connectivity to their motherland. The solidarities are based on cultural/ethnic backgrounds, with UNAA, as the umbrella association that houses all Ugandans regardless their background, creed, tribe and/or social status. The month of August will see some three major events bring together Ugandans in North America
North America
North America is a continent wholly within the Northern Hemisphere and almost wholly within the Western Hemisphere. It is also considered a northern subcontinent of the Americas...
in rather spectacular flair. These festivities include the Ttabamiruka, the International Community of Banyakigezi and the Uganda North American Association convention.
The West has traditionally viewed Ugandans as passive people. Their willing servitude and non-aggressive behavior results from centuries of tribal structure that discouraged individual self-promotion. The culture of the Baganda was authoritarian, and obedience to the king was crucial.
Ugandan Americans tend to establish single-family homes where children learn reverence for God and their family. The choice of a marriage partners is up to the individual. Ugandan immigrants take part in community and school events in much the same way as other Americans. The children of Ugandan Americans assimilate into American culture.
Most Ugandan Americans are Christians, as about two-thirds of Uganda's population is Christian. The remaining third practices indigenous religions or follows Islam
Islam
Islam . The most common are and . : Arabic pronunciation varies regionally. The first vowel ranges from ~~. The second vowel ranges from ~~~...
.
Politics and government
Ugandan Americans have joined other Africans in organizations such as the National Summit on AfricaAfrica
Africa is the world's second largest and second most populous continent, after Asia. At about 30.2 million km² including adjacent islands, it covers 6% of the Earth's total surface area and 20.4% of the total land area...
to influence U.S. policy toward Uganda
Uganda
Uganda , officially the Republic of Uganda, is a landlocked country in East Africa. Uganda is also known as the "Pearl of Africa". It is bordered on the east by Kenya, on the north by South Sudan, on the west by the Democratic Republic of the Congo, on the southwest by Rwanda, and on the south by...
. A major piece of Africa-related legislation, the African Growth and Opportunity Act
African Growth and Opportunity Act
In May 2000, the U.S. Congress approved legislation known as the African Growth and Opportunity Act, or AGOA . The purpose of this legislation was to assist the economies of sub-Saharan Africa and to improve economic relations between the United States and the region...
, was before Congress in 1999. The bill was designed to encourage the import of goods from sub-Saharan Africa by allowing them to come into the United States duty-free and in unrestricted quantity. The House of Representatives
House of Representatives
House of Representatives is the name of legislative bodies in many countries and sub-national states. In some countries, the House of Representatives is the lower house of a bicameral legislature, with the corresponding upper house often called a "senate". In other countries, the House of...
passed the bill in July 1999, but observers were uncertain that the Senate would pass it as well and send it to President Clinton
Clinton
Clinton is an English family name, indicating one's ancestors came from English places called Glympton or Glinton. Clinton has frequently been used as a given name in the United States since the late 19th century, probably originally in honor of DeWitt Clinton or one of his famous relatives...
so that he could sign it into law. African American
African American
African Americans are citizens or residents of the United States who have at least partial ancestry from any of the native populations of Sub-Saharan Africa and are the direct descendants of enslaved Africans within the boundaries of the present United States...
legislators were split over the bill. Some believed it would help African workers, while others feared it would encourage multinational companies doing business in Africa
Africa
Africa is the world's second largest and second most populous continent, after Asia. At about 30.2 million km² including adjacent islands, it covers 6% of the Earth's total surface area and 20.4% of the total land area...
to exploit these same workers.
External links
- Poverty and Migration: The Ugandan Experience
- Poverty and migration: the Uganda experience
- "The Phenomenon of Forced Migration in Uganda", Refugee Law Project, Retrieved July 13, 2010.