Description of African Immigration Research of Bronx

*The Bronx African American History Project **Department of African and African American Studies **Fordham** University**, Dealy Hall * *Room 641, **441 East Fordham Road **bronx**, NY 10458*** * * * **focus: the study of African immigrants in the bronx* * * *Prospective Participants- Please Contact Dr Jane Edward at Edward@Fordham.Edu *

For More Information About the Bronx African American History Project, Consult our Website www.fordham.edu/BAAHP * * *Introduction*

The Bronx African American History Project is a partnership of Fordham University and the Bronx County Historical Society. It has been recognized that there is an absent of primary sources about Africans and African Americans living in the Bronx. To fill the gap in the historical record, and respond to the growing demand for information about African and African American residents in the Bronx from schools, churches and community organizations, the Bronx County Historical Society and Fordham's Department of African and African-American Studies decided to launch the Bronx African American History Project (BAAHP).

*GOAL*

The goal of the BAAHP is to recover previously untold economic, cultural, political and religious histories of more than 500,000 residents of African descent in the Bronx with roots in the US South, West Indies and Africa. In short, the project intends to create and collect the resources necessary to tell the story of African and African-American in the Bronx.

*BAAHP KEY RESEARCH AREAS*

Key research areas include:

- Bronx Jazz History; - African American Immigration; - Roots of Bronx Hip-Hop; - African Immigration; and - Caribbean Immigration

* **the study of African immigrants in the bronx* * * *Research Objective* * * The purpose of conducting this research is to examine the social and historical experiences of African immigrants living in the Bronx area. The research covers the period from 1985 to the present. It is the period when African immigrants, especially people from West Africa began moving into Central Bronx. The research intends to document and analyze the life history of African immigrants' families, housing, race relations, pattern of migration, music, art, sports, religion, political and economic issues, educational experiences, gender issues, community organizing, immigrants' social institutions and other aspects relevant to the African immigrant communities in the Bronx.

Analyzing these aspects of the African immigrants will provide more insights into the varied experiences of the immigrants, including their social, economic, political and religious institutions, history and their everyday lived experiences. Focusing on these issues will further shift the focus and discussions of African immigrants from assessing their needs and challenges they face, that tends to dominate the literature on African immigrants, into the analysis of their achievements, and social, cultural and economic contributions to the United States of America.

*Relevance and Impact* * * Analyzing the experiences of African immigrants in the Bronx will contribute to the existing knowledge about these people and will fill the gap in the empirical data that might exist in the contemporary field of immigration studies. The research will also bring to the fore the contributions and achievements of African immigrants by evoking their power and agency as they struggle in the face of many challenges they encounter in the host society. The research will provide those scholars, researchers, students and others interested in the study of African immigrants with a different understanding and analysis of their situations and experiences in the United States in general and the Bronx area in particular.

The study will further reshape and redirect the focus from an analysis of the needs, which often depict them as victims and dependents on social services, toward an understanding of the varied experiences of, and positive economic, cultural and political contributions of African immigrants to the American society, and how their presence impacted the demographic and cultural landscape of the American society in general and the Bronx area in particular.

As for policy and law makers, the study will help in the process of developing policies, laws and programs that incorporate better and effectively the views and aspirations of African immigrants in the Bronx

*A case for the Bronx *

The choice of the Bronx as a setting for conducting this research is based on the fact that there is a high concentration of African immigrants mainly from West Africa in the Bronx. Review of literature, documents and reports about the Bronx show that there are many African immigrants living in the Bronx area as compared to the other four boroughs of New York City.[1] This is evident in the presence of African-owned businesses, houses of worship – Mosques, churches, religious centers, and other social institutions in the Bronx. For example, churches such as the Blood of Jesus Pentecostal Ministry International; the Redeemed Christian Church of God; the Church of the Pentecost; Presbyterian Church of Ghana Congregation; Mount Morris Ascension Church; and Christ Apostolic Church Inc., among others are located in the Bronx.[2] Markets such as the African Market; One Stop African Market, and Nasem NM Market, among other are also located in the Bronx.[3] African music is also performed in the Bronx at night clubs, restaurants and social halls. For example, Hip Light, the new hybrid form of Ghanaian music has become a site of transnational creativity and exchange. Similarly, walking along East Fordham Road toward Fordham University one can notice the presences of African immigrants working as vendors, or at the shops and other businesses lining the road. There is also a significant presence of African immigrants at Fordham University as security guards some of whom are residents of the Bronx. Another important reason that makes the Bronx the perfect setting for this research is due to the conviction and commitment of Fordham University through its Department of African and African-American Studies to reach out and create linkages and partnership with different communities and other institutions in the Bronx area, and where the main campus of the University is located.

*Research Method: Oral History* * * Oral history can be defined as "the systematic collection of living people's testimonies about their own experiences."[4] Oral history interviewing will be used to collect information from participants about the past and the present. The goal is to gather data not available in written records about people, events, processes and social institutions. Observation and participant observation, and review of existing documentations and records on African immigrants' experiences such as religious pamphlets, community news papers, magazines, events' programs, and demographic analysis will also be employed in addition to oral history interviewing. Interviews will last between one to three hours in length and may take place in more than one session. Generally, interviews will be conducted at Fordham University, Rose Hill Campus at the Bronx. However, off-campus interviews' locations will be agreed upon by the interviewer and the participants. The date and time of the interview will also be agreed upon by the interviewer and the participants. Interviews will be audio and/or video taped to facilitate transcription and documentation. * * * **INTERVIEW GUIDE*

The research employs an epistemology that uses unstructured, open-ended questions to guide the interview process. Interview questions will focus on family life, housing, race relations, patterns of migration, music, sport, religion, political and economic issues, educational experiences, gender issues, organizing and social institutions, and other aspects relevant to the African immigrant community. ** * * * * *Project timeline* * * The duration of the research is two years. The first year will be dedicated to data collection and transcription. In the second year, the research will focus on data analysis, writing and dissemination of the research findings.

*Key Staff* * * Dr. Mark Naison is Professor of History and African American Studies at Fordham University. He is the Author of Communists in Harlem During the Great Depression, White Boy: A Memoir, Co-editor of The Tenant Movement in New York City, and over 100 articles on African America politics, social movements and American culture and sports. Dr. Naison is the Principal Investigator of the Bronx African American Project.

Jane Edward is a Senior Interviewer and Researcher, on African immigrants the Bronx African American History Project, at the Department of African and African American Studies, Fordham University. She completed her Ph.D. in sociology in Education at the University of Toronto, Canada in 2004.

*BAAHP Funding* The Bronx African American History Project has been extremely successful with modest public, private or government support. To date, Fordham University has been its major funder providing nearly $250,000 to the BAAHP in equipment, students stipends and staff salaries, and allocations. As the project expands, the BAAHP seeks new support from other sources to ensure that this important survey of New York City history is completed and made available to the widest audience possible.

For more information about the BAAHP, log on to: www.fordham.edu/baahp * *

------------------------------ [1] See Kate Guthrie, "Sub-Saharan Immigrant Community Needs Assessment," Prepared for the Women's Housing and Economic Development Organization (WHEDCO), July 21, 2006, Online Article, last accessed June 12, 2007, http://www.media.duke.edu/centers/hlp/programs/sol/overview/research/2006/guthrie_final_report.pdf; The Bronx: From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia, last accessed, December 13, 2007, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Bronx#Demographic

[2] "African Immigrant Congregations in the New York Metro Area: An Overview," Online Article, last accessed, December 11, 2007, http://www.ecologiesoflearning.org/African_immigrant_churches.doc [3] "African Abroad, USA Weekly," vol. 7, no. 22, (November 30, 2006), New York, www.africanabroad@aol.com ; "Light of the World," vol. 3, no. 49, (December 2006), New York, NY, [4] Judith Moyer, "Step-by-Step Guide to Oral History," Online article, 1993, Revised 1999, last accessed, December 15, 2007, htt:// dohistory.org/on_your_own.toolkit/oralhistory-html African Immigration Project Research Team ( Left to Right) Amy Duffuor Research Assistant ( Columbia College)

Dr Mark Naison Principal Investigator, Bronx African American History Project (Fordham University)

Mary Boadu Participant in Oral History Interview

Dr Benjamin Hayford, Research Consultant ( Southern Connecticut State University)

Dr Jane Edward, Director of African Immigration Research ( Fordham University)

Missing From Photo

Karima Zerrou, Senior Interviewer and Translator ( United Nations)

Ariana Alexander, Administrative Assistant ( New York University)

Kathleen Alexander, Student Worker ( Fordham University)